future event Vigil for the 70th Anniversary of the start of the Blitz

[Andy Brockman]

Vigil for the 70th Anniversary of the start of the Blitz at Firepower on Tuesday 7 September at 4.30pm

 

I am sorry for the short notice [and also for not posting on the forum for a while] but I just wanted to bring this event to the attention of forum members in the hope some of you might be interested or able to attend.

 

The Digging Dad's Army Project and Firepower-The Royal Artillery Museum are organising an informal vigil to remember the start of the Blitz on London, which began exactly seventy years ago in the late afternoon of September 7th 1940.

 

The first raid on "Black Saturday" targeted Woolwich Arsenal and the Docks and we inviting anyone who wishes to mark the anniversary to meet at Firepower- The Royal Artillery Museum, at 4.30pm on Tuesday 7 September in order to hold two minutes silence at 4.43pm, the moment the Air Raid Sirens sounded.

 

We will also be opening a "Blitz Memory Book," so that people can either record their own or family memories of the Blitz, or describe what the story of the Blitz means to them today and how we should regard it as an event and the human stories behind it, as we look to the future.

 

This is a short, informal, secular, non political commemoration and is open to anyone who would like to attend.

 

We appreciate it is a working day and this has been organised at short notice, but we hope people might want to attend or, if they cannot join us at Firepower, we would welcome any messages, thoughts or stories to add to the Blitz Memory Book.

 

It is not strictly necessary to RSVP, but if people were to drop us a line if they are planning to come it would help us judge numbers.

 

Please feel free to come in period clothing if you feel it is appropriate. [Civilian, 1940 allied military or civilian services please- we acknowledge War has many victims and reenactors of other nations, including Axis and US Reenactors are welcome in civilian clothing or as your 21st century selves]

 

Please contact me if you wish to bring an Early War period vehicle.

 

Andy Brockman

[Andy Brockman]

Ref: Vigil to remember Black Saturday at 16.30 on 7 September 2010 at Firepower the Royal Artillery Museum

 

Interest in the 70th anniversary is growing and we are delighted that we will be joined at the vigil by the Deputy Mayor of Greenwich, Councellor Jim Gillman.

 

Berkeley Homes who are redeveloping the Arsenal site have also kindly agreed to cease noisy work for the duration of the vigil as a sign of respect.

 

The vigil will end with the firing of one of the guns from the Firepower collection in salute.

 

Do come if you can.

 

Andy Brockman

 

pp Digging The Blitz Project Team