National Army Museum marks 80th anniversary of VE Day
Thursday, 24 April 2025
To mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, the National Army Museum is pleased to announce an exciting programme of live events including a 1940s-themed VE Day Dance, engaging talks and the launch of a major new digital series exploring the Army's role in 1945.
National Army Museum Historian Dr Daniel Cowling is available for interview on the significance of VE Day for the British Army. To book available interview slots, please contact: nam@suttoncomms.com
The Second World War 80 Years On: Is Remembrance Still Working?
- Friday 2 May, 12.00pm – 1.00pm
- Free
- Book online
Two grandchildren of high-ranking army officers from opposite sides of the Second World War come together to discuss questions of Remembrance.
In conversation with National Army Museum historian Dr Daniel Cowling, Henry Montgomery and Angela Findlay reflect on their grandfathers’ positions and actions in the war, as well as their own lives lived in their wake or shadow, discussing the differences in the histories, legacies and remembrance cultures of the victors and the losers.
During the talk, they explore the questions: Is Remembrance working? How could it become more meaningful and successful for younger generations once the last of the veterans have passed? What lessons do we still need to learn?
VE Day Dance
- Saturday 10 May, 6.00pm - 10.00pm
- £25.00 standard, £20.00 members and students
- Book online
The National Army Museum invites the public to step back in time and celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day with a lively 1940s-themed evening of music and dance.
Marking the historic moment when crowds across the UK took to the streets on 8 May 1945 to celebrate the end of the Second World War in Europe, this special after-hours event will feature live music from the South London Jazz Orchestra, dazzling cabaret performances by the Diamond Girls, and vintage hair and make-up styling from Pretty Me Vintage (from 6.00pm to 9.30pm).
Mission Europe: The Secret History of the Women of SOE
- Thursday 15 May, 6.30pm - 7.30pm
- £14.00 standard, £12.00 members
- Book online
Launching historian Dr Kate Vigurs’s latest book, 'Mission Europe', this talk brings to life the remarkable stories of women recruited by the British for covert missions in occupied Europe to 'set Europe ablaze'.
Working as secret agents and saboteurs, these women provided vital support, weapons and intelligence, but what happened to the women who worked outside France and those who were locally recruited? In this talk, Dr. Kate shares the stories of the lesser-known women who worked across Europe, from the Netherlands to Belgium and Poland to Denmark.
‘Union Jack’, VE-Day edition, 8 May 1945
On This Day: 1945
The National Army Museum has launched a major new digital series exploring the Army's role in 1945, drawing upon its vast collection of objects, photographs and personal testimonies. A new instalment will be released each month throughout 2025, focusing on events from 80 years beforehand.
The series will highlight the everyday experiences of Britain’s soldiers around the world, alongside events of grand historical significance.
Victory in 80 Objects
The National Army Museum has partnered with the D-Day Story, the National Museum of the Royal Navy, the Royal Armouries, the Army Flying Museum and the Royal Air Force Museum to produce 'Victory in 80 Objects'. Drawing on the collections of our leading military museums, this book tells the story of the Allied victories through fascinating objects, archives and artwork.
Notes to editors
For more information, please contact:
- National Army Museum Communications Team: press@nam.ac.uk
- Lisa Thiel, Sutton: lisa@suttoncomms.com
Join the conversation on:
- X (formerly Twitter): @NAM_London
- Facebook: facebook.com/NationalArmyMuseum
- Instagram: @nam_london
About the National Army Museum
The National Army Museum shares the history and heritage of our soldiers and their service in the Army, across the globe and down the centuries. Through our collections we explore the history of the Army from its origins to the present day. We aim to engage and inspire everyone with the stories of our soldiers and how their service shapes our world; past, present and future.
About Dr Daniel Cowling
Dr Daniel Cowling is a Historian at the National Army Museum who specialises in modern British and European history. He completed his PhD at the University of Cambridge, where he wrote a thesis on the British occupation of Germany. His first book, ‘Don’t Let’s Be Beastly to the Germans’, was published by Head of Zeus in 2023.
