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VE Day 80 Service held at the Arboretum

Earlier today, on the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe, Baroness Floella Benjamin OM DBE hosted the Royal British Legion’s ‘RBL Remembering VE Day – 80 Years On’ Service at the Arboretum.

The audience at the Arboretum included 48 Second World War campaign veterans several of whom shared their personal stories during the service.

The Service of Remembrance included moving performances of ‘Someone to Remember Me’, ‘Be Thou My Vision’ and the National Anthem from singers Russell Watson and Carly Paoli, accompanied by the British Army Band, Tidworth. Anthonia Edwards, winner of The Voice UK, performed Ella Fitzgerald’s ‘Blue Skies’.

Children from Walton Primary School performed a theatrical piece created as part of an 8-week VE Day 80 engagement programme led by the Arboretum's learning and participation team and Bostin' Creative - Arts & Theatre.

Wreaths were laid by Alastair Carns DSO OBE MC MP, Minister for Veterans and People, representatives from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force, Second World War veterans, Royal British Legion and the Arboretum.

RAF veteran Bernard Morgan delivered the service’s exhortation and Yavar Abbas, an Army veteran the Kohima Epitaph. Yavar, 105, was commissioned into the British Army in Indian in 1942 as a Second Lieutenant and joined the 11th Sikh Regiment. As a combat cameraman he documented the realities of war, from the aftermath of Kohima to major battles in Burma. He was in Delhi on VJ Day and later filmed in occupied Japan, including Hiroshima

A flypast from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight aircraft, a Spitfire and Hurricane, closed the service. 

Watch the VE Day 80 Service of Remembrance

A crowd of Second World War campaign veterans stand together in front of the Armed Forces Memorial.
Forty-eight Second World War campaign veterans attended the service at the Arboretum, including Britain's oldest surviving Second World War veteran Donald Rose, who celebrated his 110th birthday on Christmas Eve
A crowd surrounding by falling paper bunting watch the VE Day 80 Remembrance
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Children from Walton Primary School perform at the VE Day 80 Remembrance Service
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Singers Russell Watson and Carly Paoli sing at the VE Day 80 Remembrance Centre
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Represenatives from the Army, Navy and Army lay poppy wreaths at the VE Day 80 Remembrance Service
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A Second World War campaign veteran talks animatedly to a member of his family
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Second World War campaign veterans watch the VE Day 80 Remembrance Service
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A second World War Campaign Veteran poses for a photograph with other guests at the RBL VE Day Tea Party
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Singer Anthonia Edwards performs at the VE Day 80 Remembrance Service
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Dame Baroness Floella Benjamin OM DBE addresses a crowd at the VE Day 80 Service
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A Second World war campaign veteran lays a poppy wreath during the RBL 80 service
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Second World War campaign veterans Roy and Kathleen Lawrence pose together
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A second world campaign veteran poses with the D-Day darlings.
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A crowd of Second World War campaign veterans stand together in front of the Armed Forces Memorial.
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A crowd of Second World War veterans stand together in front of the Armed Forces Memorial
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A jubiliant group of people walk arm in arm through the streets of London on 8 May 1945

The Year Was 1945...

The Year Was 1945, a series of exhibitions, events, services, talks and tours will open a window in time to 1945, sharing the stories of those who lived and served 80 years ago.


Image: IWM (65948)

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