When: 3rd – 5th May 2014, open 10am – 5pm with last admission at 3.30pm
Where: Royal Gunpowder Mills, Beaulieu Drive, Waltham Abbey, Essex EN9 1JY
£: Admission costs £9.50 for adults, £8.50 for concessions, £7.50 for children (3 – 16 years) and under 3’s go free
What is it?
Visitors to the Royal Gunpowder Mills in Waltham Abbey will be transported back to the 1940s to join the VE celebrations as part of their May bank holiday weekend event.
The historic site, which played a key role in the Second World War, will be transformed with a series of both military and civilian experiences including street parties, air-raid shelters, jive dancing, songs of the period and battle demonstrations.
Visitors can explore the many living history camps and to talk to the re-enactment soldiers and discover what life was like during wartime as part of this weekend of celebration and remembrance. There will be the opportunity to visit a 1940s general store, toy shop and kitchen, as well as experiencing an air raid warning and taking cover in an air raid shelter. There will also be battle re-enactments between the allies and the axis soldiers on Sunday and Monday afternoon.
Among the highlights of the event will be the presence of Hurricane and Spitfire flying on Sunday 4th and Monday 5th May respectively. This is a great chance to see these vintage war birds in flight (flyovers are weather permitting).
More info: www.royalgunpowdermills.com