Archive in Action: VE Day 2020 Commemorations

Friday 8 May marked the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, the long-awaited moment when fighting stopped on the European battlefields of the Second World War. Pubs may have been shut and street parties cancelled, but Britain geared up for a big stay-at-home VE Day party, with numerous channels broadcasting dedicated VE Day programmes.

VE Day programming featuring IWM licensed content

The IWM Media Licensing Team are delighted to have been able to supply unique material for these productions.

VE Day: The Lost Films  Lambent Productions
This is the story of the celebrations on 8 May, 1945 told through the eyewitness accounts and cine films of ordinary people. Rarely seen footage captured by amateur film-makers charts the extraordinary events when the entire nation took to the streets.
Channel 5 on Friday, 8 May at 7pm. Catch up My5. 

Their Finest Hours  Raw Cut Films
How the UK has responded to moments of adversity and crisis, from the Blitz to Covid-19.
BBC1. Five episodes each day from Monday 4 to Friday 8 May at 11.45am. Catch up BBC iPlayer.

Tony Robinson’s VE Day: Minute by Minute  Woodcut Media 
Using archive footage and untold stories from veterans who were there, this one-off special takes a unique look at the pivotal day in modern British history, chronicling all the key events in a momentous 24 hours
Discovery Channel on Friday, 8 May at 9pm. Catch up Now TV.

Captain Tom's War North One
Captain Tom Moore, who raised more than £30 million for the NHS in April, reveals his experience of fighting in the Second World War. The 100-year-old recalls being posted to India, battling through the jungle in Burma, and having his spirits lifted by Dame Vera Lynn.
ITV. Friday, 8 May at 8pm. Catch up ITV Hub.

VE Day 75. The BBC
IWM archive was used extensively by the BBC on 8 May, including a special episode of The One Show and The Queen’s VE Day broadcast.

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Victory 75 / Voices of War

This year, IWM commemorates 75 years since the end of the Second World War in Europe, sharing the personal stories of people who stood together during a time of national crisis and their reflections once the fighting had stopped. A focal point of activity is Voices of War, bringing together first-hand accounts of VE Day from IWM’s extensive sound archive. IWM.org.uk/victory