WWII-themed creation marks victory at Battle of Normandy
ERMA — The World War II-themed traveling exhibit The Longest Yarn, which has been touring the UK and France since last June’s D-Day celebrations, is coming to Cape May County — and the call is going out for local helpers to be a part of the experience.
The massive art installation commemorating crucial events in the Battle of Normandy through the medium of knitting and crochet is landing at Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum on April 14. The museum is on the grounds of Cape May County Airport, 201 Forrestal Road in the Erma section of Lower Township.
The project, described by its creator, English expat Tansy Forster, as a “3D tapestry,” is made up of 80 one-meter panels, each depicting battle scenes relevant to the success of the largest amphibious assault landing in human history.
Each panel features tiny knitted soldiers — in historically accurate uniforms, with detailed knitted models of tanks, carriers, radio equipment and field hospitals — battling for freedom in a world made of woolen yarn. As such, this work is incredibly fragile, and that’s why the call for help is going out before it arrives.
When the project later known as The Longest Yarn was first dreamt up, panels were crowd-sourced out to volunteers all over France and Britain.
Only two Americans were fortunate enough to take part in the initial stages, although as the project grew in complexity a few more have played a role: a Facebook group devoted to the project coming to Cape May County was formed.
Mark Kulkowitz, owner of the Mad Batter restaurant in Cape May, wanted to ensure the tapestry came to the area so much that he found airline sponsors to cover the shipping (panel #26 depicts his heroic dad, Harry, intercepting German messages on radio).
Since then, the project, named in a winking tribute to the epic World War II film “The Longest Day,” has pulled more and more kind-hearted helpers into its orbit. Now they need even more.
The largest task to be handled by volunteers is simply standing by to protect the delicate woolen figures, according to Dawn Austin, graphic designer for the office of Cape May County and part of the group that has spent more than a year figuring out the logistics of this touring exhibit.
As the installation has moved from summer to winter and now spring, touring cathedrals from western France to Northern Ireland (in a nod to the Bayeux Tapestry, an 11th century tapestry depicting that other amphibious landing, the one made by William the Conqueror in 1066), the humidity has played havoc with the absorbent fiber art.
Teams of volunteers have stepped forward to help keep the tapestry in perfect condition, but the trans-Atlantic crossing by plane also took a toll.
Knowing that, and how irresistible the soft, plush-yet-plucky figures of historically accurate heroes might be to curious hands, Naval Air Station Wildwood may need a few more people standing by to ensure none of the pieces is allowed to drift or droop, and no one gets too familiar with the carefully positioned troops.
In addition to dozens of planned school field trips and regular hours of opening (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily) through Sept. 1, the museum will be hosting this 80-meter long (262.5 feet) display during a special Night at the Museum event and its popular annual smorgasbord, Feasting on History. Those events are in addition to the daily hours of business at the small but mighty NASW.
Local groups have chosen to welcome the visiting exhibit with sprays of poppies, created out of — what else? — yarn, just as groups from Cape May County did last June in Carentan, Normandy, when this monumental project was first unveiled at the celebrations for the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
Admission is free on opening day, April 14, as Cape May County officially welcomes this monumental work of tiny stitches. (It could be that the enormous display is up just a tiny bit sooner than that, but the official opening day is April 14.)
As so many veterans have passed, the events of June 1944 could too easily be forgotten, but with creative work the human cost of democracy can be passed down to those who will come after.
There are many ways to help. Those who wish to volunteer should email [email protected] to get on the schedule.
By VICTORIA RECTOR/For the Star and Wave
