The Tank Museum in Dorset is opening its new World War Two exhibition with a live, online tour on YouTube on Thursday May 13 at 11am to get a first glimpse of the WW2: War Stories exhibition.
During the tour, museum curator David Willey and Richard Cutland, from sponsors World of Tanks, will highlight compelling and moving stories with live interviews with veterans who actually used some of the 57 vehicles in the exhibition.
A huge swastika flag and a Union flag both at the Siege of Tobruk are among the items on display, and details given about this battle of attrition in 1941.
If lockdown is lifted as planned, visit the Bovington museum in person from May 17 and see the new WW2 exhibition.
David Willey, curator of The Tank Museum with two flags associated with the siege of Tobruk in WW2. They form part of the new World War II exhibition.
First-hand testimony from tank crewmen is at the centre of the displays which will take visitors in chronological order through the war.
Each battle is represented by objects, graphics and vehicles – telling the story of the Royal Armoured Corps.
The exhibition plots the war from the start, when experimental vehicles were developed, to the end when tanks helped liberate the concentration camps.
The Tank Museum’s latest exhibition will be opened live on YouTube
David Willey said: “There has been a lot happening behind the scenes during the latest lockdown and it includes the new exhibition which is the culmination of three years’ planning.
“We have used our online profile to great effect over the last year and we decided to open the exhibition online. Also, we have followers around the word who are unable to visit, so our online offering is of interest to them, and students studying the war also find our output of use.
“As ever, we want to tell the human stories and not just show off the hardware and vehicles – although of course there are many on show. That is why we wanted to include interviews with veterans actually there, and we have several who will be involved.”