'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.
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.
