On May 8th the Royal Logistic Corps Museum is proud to open a brand new temporary exhibition – War’s End – to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, and in August, VJ Day.

The exhibition explores the roles of logistics soldiers at the end of the Second World War, and the huge logistical challenge of demobbing soldiers as their work was completed.

‘The end of hostilities was only the beginning,’ says Curator Alex Crisp who created the exhibition. ‘As Europe celebrated VE Day, the work of the British Army was far from over. In the immediate aftermath, the Royal Army Service Corps were tasked with transporting and processing German prisoners of war and providing humanitarian aid to survivors from the recently liberated concentration camps. The Royal Army Ordnance Corps had the daunting task of disposing of 600,000 tonnes of captured enemy ammunition, as well as clearing unexploded ordnance before rebuilding could take place. The Pioneer Corps rebuilt infrastructure with the Royal Engineers and were given the sombre task of burying the dead in newly created war cemeteries. Meanwhile, the Army Catering Corps had to continue to keep everyone fed, including navigating the challenge of meeting the dietary needs of foreign POWs.’

The exhibition follows the story of the rebuilding of Europe in the immediate post-war era, whilst recognising that the War continued in Asia, and is illustrated by artefacts from the museum collection.

Visit the exhibition – the Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9.30 to 4pm.