Kent celebrates VE Day

Parades and streets parties took place across the county.  Finn Macdiarmid reports.

Transcript

00:00Life in Kent during World War II was tough. The county was closest to occupy Europe and being so

00:08close to London, buildings and people were hit with bombs across the county. Street lamps would

00:13shatter, homes would fall and even school children had to be trained in the case of an air raid.

00:18But the Kentish spirit, just like the rest of the country, meant people refused to give up.

00:23Whether it was gunners and searchlight teams downing German planes, firemen keeping homes

00:28from burning, medics aiding wounded soldiers or even rescuing furniture from the devastation

00:33of the Blitz. And then the announcement came through, and it was over.

00:38Hostilities will end officially at one minute after midnight tonight, Tuesday the 8th of May.

00:49Today is Victory in Europe Day.

00:53When the rubble cleared and crowds lined the streets, the people of Kent no longer feared

00:57the skies and the seas. And now 80 years on, how are we in Kent celebrating and honouring

01:02the day of peace?

01:04Rochester Cathedral, which once had to have walled defences put up outside its near 1,000

01:08year old doors, will now be able to see Medway 6 searchlights lighting up the sky in honour

01:13of our fallen soldiers.

01:15Ashford, which once saw heavy bombing and multiple enemy aircraft crashing into its fields, has

01:19raised the 80th anniversary flag. And children and adults alike will have been able to enjoy

01:24made stone. Maybe not with a cigar this time, but with today's ceremonial flag raising service

01:29in Jubilee Square and a special exhibition with re-enactors. And wherever you are across

01:34the county, people will be holding street parties just like in the 40s, with one Medway

01:38councillor celebrating before VE Day.

01:40It's fantastic to be here in Park Crescent, one of the brilliant street parties that have

01:45been held across Medway, thanks to the local organisers who have invited me along, it's

01:49great to be here. And this is happening across the Medway towns, both this weekend and next

01:54weekend. We're going to be having beacons lit across Medway to reflect and remember those

02:00who made sacrifices 80 years ago for our democracy and freedom, and to give thanks for where we

02:05are now as a country.

02:06For all the music, excitement and fanfare that has rung out across the county today, it's been

02:11coupled with moments of silence, thanks and remembrance for those who gave their lives so that we

02:15might live ours freely.

02:17Finn McDermid for KMTV