Rochester lights up the sky for VE Day

Searchlights were brought out across the Maritime town.   Finn Macdiarmid reports.

Transcript

00:00The skies above Rochester would have once been crowded with the sounds of

00:06planes and gunfire. And now church bells, the marching of a parade and cheers fill

00:14the air instead, as Medway pays tribute 80 years on from victory in Europe.

00:19A procession made their way through Rochester's high street, turning to salute

00:23Mayor Nessarov on their route and ending outside Rochester Cathedral for the VE

00:27Day service that saw soldiers, cadets, veterans and reserves in attendance.

00:32We're doing the main parade and laying a wreath at the cathedral. The poppy wreath that we

00:41have is by the Royal British Legion, it's a special Royal Navy one that we put a message

00:47there so I wrote it and basically it says thank you to those who fought and toiled for

00:55freedom to mark today, VE Day, 80 years on, all those courageous people who we owe our

01:07freedom to today.

01:08With Kent's unique position as the closest part of Britain to occupied Europe, it had

01:13to be prepared to defend the country's skies and seas around the clock, even at night.

01:18So at the end of the VE Day celebrations, six searchlights from across the Medway towns all

01:24switched on to commemorate the monumental anniversary, swivelling to meet each other's beams in the

01:30same point in the air.

01:31Well, I think we've got a long history of beacons, but actually for this year, I think

01:35something slightly different. So actually we've got this new approach and we'll be lighting

01:39up the night sky as part of that national recognition at 9.30 to say very clearly as a community

01:46here in Medway. We're proud of our armed forces here at Heritage. We're proud of the contribution

01:51that residents here made 80 years ago to win that peace. But of course we think about those

01:56who we've lost and made the ultimate sacrifice in defending our democracy and freedom. Doing

02:01that collectively in the way we will be at 9.30, something I'm incredibly proud of.

02:06The sight of searchlights piercing the clouds and scanning the skies is something you would

02:10have only seen in World War Two. And now they've been brought into the modern day not to spot

02:15enemy aircraft, but instead to highlight the sacrifice of those who gave their lives during

02:19World War Two and ensured that 80 years ago there was peace in Europe.

02:25Medway is only connected by land and by river, but for our soldiers on the 80th anniversary

02:29of Victory in Europe Day, it was connected by the sky too. Finn McDermid for KMTV in Medway.

02:36Okay.

02:37Anyone else is connected?

02:38Jihy- sun?

02:39Ho!

02:40Igor!

02:41Jihy-

02:54chm.