Shropshire Star

Stand with your services for Virtual VE Day

Shropshire folk are being called to stand with the services to celebrate 75 years since VE Day, with lock down meaning it will be marked a bit differently this year.

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The Orderly Room celebrating Victory in Europe at RAF Andover. Picture: RAF Museum

The National Museum of the Royal Navy, National Army Museum and the Royal Air Force Museum have planned a Virtual VE Day Festival, which runs from Thursday, May 7 to Saturday, May 9.

The programme kicks off on the Thursday, with a free YouTube broadcast named Vying for Victory: Britain's Navy, Army and Air Force in Myth and Memory.

It will be a discussion chaired by historian and broadcaster James Holland between representatives from each service as they discuss their respective roles in the end of the Second World War conflict.

It will be streamed from 7pm followed by a live Q&A session on CrowdCast.

On Friday, May 8, members of the public are invited to get their gardens and homes decorated and prepare for a VE Day party.

Attendees can enjoy learning about life on the Home Front, get thrifty with a Make Do and Mend sessions, and learn how to dig for victory.

They can also discover some of the experiences of Women in War with poignant stories from the each of the museums’ archives.

Mr Holland will speak to the National Army Museum’s Dr Peter Johnston at 2pm in a live webinar discussing ‘Why the Allies Won’, just before the nation tunes into the BBC to hear Churchill’s famous VE Day broadcast at 3pm.

Victory celebrations commence at 4pm with a live Swing Dance Class followed by a sing-along concert with the Bluebird Belles.

Saturday, May 9 will bring living history to living rooms with reenactors sharing stories from real service personnel during the Second World War.

Dr Peter Johnston will take a live webinar with historian Dr Jonathan Fennell on ‘Fighting the People’s War’, and an immersive walk-through of HMS Alliance will provide an insight into the extraordinary self-isolation experience of submariners as the rest of Europe celebrated.

Defence minister Baroness Goldie said: “As plans for VE Day 75 have been forced to change hugely due to the pandemic, this imaginative and innovative virtual festival will provide a much-needed distraction in these uncertain times.

"This is a chance to rediscover the Second World War and will be a poignant reminder for us all of the sacrifice our Armed Forces made in honour of King and country.

“The cooperation of these three historic institutions is a fantastic achievement and will ensure that all generations are aware of the importance of VE Day and the unforgettable impact of events which took place 75 years ago.”

The museums are encouraging those joining to share pictures on social media with the hashtag #StandWithYourServices.

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