'VE Day Knees-Up' gave the community a chance to celebrate the event with live music, food, as well as tours of the Fort's tunnels, which have been restored to their original wartime appearance.
Tim Forster reports.
Tim Forster reports.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye.
00:04The 8th of May marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.
00:08Here at Fort Amherst they've organised special celebrations honouring the event.
00:13It is a huge event for me to pay thanks to the armed forces and everything they do to protect Britain and on this day Europe.
00:23We've had music, we've had some fun entertainment and we've just all had a laugh really. It's about getting the community together and really enjoying ourselves.
00:32During the Second World War, Fort Amherst played a vital role here in Kent for British defences both as an ARP station and an anti-invasion headquarters.
00:42With a focus on the war overseas, the fort instead aims to look at the unsung heroes on the home front.
00:49Alongside today's celebrations, the fort's tunnels have undergone a historic restoration.
00:54On the ground here in the tunnels you had the anti-invasion headquarters for the Chatham garrison
01:00who were going to coordinate the defence of the Medway towns if the Germans had actually landed.
01:05The rooms we're in now form part of what is called the Medway Group Control.
01:10This was the control centre for all the air raid precautions activity in the Medway towns
01:16throughout World War II right until the end of the war. All the bombing incidents were coordinated here, the rescue responses.
01:24The tunnels have been restored to a specific date, the 28th of August 1940.
01:29This was the day that the ARP network very nearly collapsed with bombing across Medway stretching the emergency services almost to breaking point.
01:37But why is the anniversary so important to remember? And what makes the event so special?
01:42This could be our last opportunity to say thank you to our veterans that have gone past for World War II.
01:51After this we will continue to celebrate the veterans but this is a big day for us.
01:58Tim Forster at Fort Amherst for KMTV.