Cornwall supports Ukraine Elizabeth Dale on how a monument erected in Cornwall after the Second World War has found new significance following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As the world woke to the dreadful news of war erupting in Ukraine, many people’s first thought was what they could do to help. On February 27, 2022, some 200 people gathered in a quiet lane just outside the village of Mylor to show the beleaguered Ukrainian nation their support. The choice of location may seem a little strange at first glance, but the history of this quiet corner of the Cornish countryside is in fact incredibly pertinent, especially as hundreds of thousands of refugees stream across the Ukrainian border in search of safety. Beside the dead-end road to Restronguet Barton, tucked away under trees and painted bright white, stands a stone cross. n 38 |
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This small monument was erected here in 1948 by Ukrainians who had been living and working in the area in the post-war era. A symbol of their gratitude for their escape from persecution, and the safe refuge they had found in Cornwall, it also bore testament to their strong Christian faith. These days, hidden from passing traffic, its significance had been mostly forgotten until recent events made its story even more moving and relevant. At the end of the Second World War, after the collapse of Nazi Germany, there were an estimated 11 million displaced people in Europe, communities that were unable or unwilling to return to their homes. It is thought that around 200,000 of those exiled souls were resettled in Britain, and many came here to Cornwall. After the terrible losses of both World Wars, the UK found itself with a severe labour shortage, leading the European Voluntary Workers scheme (EVWs) to invite people from all over Europe to come to Britain and provide a much-needed boost to our workforce.
| Volume 2 Issue 71 | April - May 2022
The refugees who came to Mylor were just some of the hundreds of Ukrainian men, women and children fleeing violent persecution by the communist regime installed in their home country by the Soviet Army. Many of them had fought against the invading forces; the Second World War had inevitably brought about a strong independence movement in the Ukraine, and as a consequence many of these nationalists had been rounded up, imprisoned and even executed. Close to where the cross stands today was once the site of an anti-aircraft base during the war and at one time up to 300 British troops were based there. As peace returned to Europe, the British Government utilised its now empty bases to house refugees. So it was that Ukrainian families were moved into the unused buildings in Mylor in 1947/48, staying there for around 12 months. The men found work on local farms, in the mines and as gardeners, often taking the place of the Cornishmen that had never come home. The women looked after the children and some took in sewing work. As
