Veterans remember VE Day in Chatham

KentOnline / KMTV

They gathered at the Royal Engineers Museum for the 80th anniversary of the German surrender to the allies during World War 2.  Finn Macdiarmid reports.

Transcript

00:00Victory in Europe Day in 1945 saw parades, street parties and celebrations.

00:05But 80 years on, VE Day has become a commemoration of gratitude and sacrifice.

00:10And here at the Royal Engineers Museum, there hasn't been yet a more important anniversary,

00:15especially here in the local area.

00:17The armed forces run through the DNA of Medway's community.

00:21Medway is my home because my dad was a Royal Naval serving personnel.

00:26So it's important to so many people across our community.

00:29It's really important to take that time to reflect and remember, particularly, of course,

00:33because we're in that sad situation where there are less and less veterans from the Second World War.

00:38So it's so important to share those stories and memories with future generations.

00:44After Mayor Nesterov and Brigadier Peter Gilbert opened the proceedings,

00:47the act of remembrance was read.

00:50They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.

00:55Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

01:00At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.

01:04Those who gave their lives so that we might live ours freely are going to be honoured here today

01:09at the Royal Engineers Museum on the 80th anniversary of Peace, of Victory in Europe Day.

01:15The flag was raised while the bugle played and a two-minute silence followed.

01:20And Peter Gilbert, Deputy Lieutenant of Kent, spoke on the millions who gave their lives to halt and defeat the German threat

01:27and how remembrance isn't just to honour their sacrifice but to protect our future as well.

01:32So, you know, the mistakes that were made in the 1930s are all there in the history books for us to see.

01:38And they're there for us to learn about.

01:40People say history doesn't repeat itself exactly.

01:44But if you make the same mistakes, you end up travelling in the same direction.

01:49And I think there's a massive lesson for us today about where we stand at a crossroads just at the moment.

01:55Raymond Hadlow, a veteran who was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct, gave his view on the day.

02:02I think it's great to remember certainly all of those that have fallen.

02:09I lost some friends in the Borklands, etc.

02:14So, yes, it's a good thing to remember and just enjoy the day as well.

02:22To end the ceremony, a peace poem was read, created by members of the public.

02:26After being apart, a restart, mourning, the pain of coping, surviving and walking to a new day.

02:35Finally, peace, your warm embrace.

02:39Finn McDermid for CAME TV in Medway.

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