Warwick military museum to commemorate 80th anniversary of VE Day with events
A military museum in Warwick will be hosting talks, a community project and a new exhibition to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
Warwickshire’s infantry regiment museum, The Fusilier Museum in Jury Street, will be welcoming its visitors to commemorate VE Day 2025, which remembers the official surrender of Germany and subsequent declaration of peace in Britain and Europe at the end of the Second World War.
In the build up to VE Day on May 8, the museum will be working with Westgate Primary School, to explore the achievements of local hero and pivotal Second World War figure Field Marshal Montgomery, and why he is still relevant today.
Pupils will also get the chance to ‘meet the commander himself’, in the form of a local Monty impersonator, Alan Oliver.
A new temporary exhibition will also be installed at the museum, taking visitors back into the final moments of the Second World War.
Victory 80: The Royal Warwickshire Regiment and the End of World War Two
The new exhibition will be open from May 8 to July 22 and will explore the role of regiment in the final stages of the war, highlighting some of its key individuals and the role they played.
It will include rare and remarkable objects linked to the surrender of Germany, including pieces of tile from Hitler’s cloakroom in the Chancellory in Berlin. The exhibition will also reveal the true story of how the regiment acquired a live antelope, its iconic mascot, from a Hamburg Zoo.
There will also be an event taking place at the Court House in Warwick on Saturday May 10 from 11am to 3pm.
Speakers listed for the event include: the grandson of Field Marshal Montgomery, Henry Montgomery, 3rd Viscount of Alamein, and author Peter Hart.
They will offer vivid details of the final days of the war, from personal stories to tactical analyses, and the crucial contributions of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
Here are the topics of the talks:
- Henry Montgomery - 'My Grandfather's Role in the Final Stages of WW2'
- Peter Hart - 'The Role of Tanks and Artillery in Securing Victory in Europe'
- Tony Rich - 'From Wormhoudt to Normandy - the Key Achievements of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment Before the Advance into Germany'
- Jon Davy - 'End Game: The 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment's Advance into Germany'
Tickets for the event at the Court House cost £27 and includes four talks, a buffet, and free admission into the museum.
Tickets are available through Eventbrite at: https://bit.ly/3FslwuC or via the museum.
Victory 80: Half term activities
During the May half term, families with young children will have a chance to take part in some craft activities at the museum.
As well as the usual exhibits at the museum, there will also be VE80 activities which will include making flags and medals. The crafts are aimed for children aged five to 11 years olds.
There will also be an opportunity to interact with Field Marshal Montgomery and his war office colleagues in their ‘War Room’.
The Fusilier Museum is open from 10am to 5pm, Tuesday to Saturday. Admission to the temporary VE Day exhibition will be included in museum ticket.
For more information go to: https://fusiliermuseumwarwick.com/