The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Week-long exhibition will recall region’s experiences in Second World War
Diaries, photographs and other war artefacts will be unveiled in an online showcase to mark the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day.
A week-long exhibition will show items highlighting experiences in Angus during the Second World War.
The Angus Alive showcase, set up to replace the planned physical commemorations, features war diaries and photographs of King George VI in Forfar, where he inspected Polish forces.
Craig Pearson, archives and local history lead, said: “We hope to encourage virtual visitors to connect with this historically significant event through our online feature which showcases documents and photographs from our extensive collection.”
Friday marks the 75th anniversary of VE Day, when more than one million people celebrated in the streets to mark the end of the European part of the war.
In Angus, commemorations begin on Monday, featuring a selection of war diaries from archive collections, alongside an account by David Kerr, who served in the Royal Navy during the D-day landings, who will share his experiences of the day.
Tuesday’s post will look at one of the many Luftwaffe air raids which targeted Angus towns during 1940.
On Wednesday, Angus Alive looks at the 10th Polish Mechanised Brigade, who from 1940 until 1942 were based in Forfar.
One of Brechin’s most famous sons, Robert Watson-watt, will feature on Thursday. His contribution to the war effort, through the development of radio direction finding and radar, assisted the Royal Air Force and ultimately the defence of the nation.
The archive’s regular Friday Feature takes a closer look at the home guard, who were the last line of defence in the event of enemy invasion.
Also on Friday, to mark Sir Winston Churchill’s address to the nation, a video will be posted of images from across Angus during the Second World War, accompanied by a recreation of Churchill’s famous words, delivered by Ronnie Proctor, provost of Angus.
Mr Proctor said: “Still being able to mark VE Day in some way through these online activities helps us ensure it still gets the focus and attention it deserves.”
Concluding the week, on Saturday, Angus Alive will highlight the Red Lichtie, the Spitfire paid for by the residents of Arbroath and named in their honour.