VE DAY: Amphibious WW2 vehicle driven through Peterborough villages to celebrate 75th anniversary

In the two years leading up to the D-Day 75 events, Graham Smitheringale renovated a Second World War amphibious vehicle from a rusty wreck to being roadworthy. DUKWs served as “floating lorries” in the Italian campaign, then D-Day and the crossing of the big rivers on the way to Germany.

They were operated by the RASC, the lorry drivers of the army, and ferried General Montgomery and King George VI to shore to inspect the Normandy beaches, and after dropping their freight took the wounded back to the ships bound for home.

The renovation of IKE (once a Hunstanton pleasure ride DUKW) was completed in time to take part in the D-Day 75 commemorations at Portsmouth, alongside all the official events for veterans.

And to mark the 75th celebration of VE Day, the DUKW, with patriotic singer on board drove slowly around the villages of Helpston and Etton while recording to a Facebook feed so that people could participate safely during the current lockdown.

Helpston resident Rachael Peat was on board to do the singing,

The DUKW was already due to be driven through Etton, but the decision to bring it into Helpston was made thanks to the intervention of local history enthusiasts.

But the DUKW was not the only attraction in Helpston on Friday, with a series of attractions raised by history enthusiasts.

Emma Long and her partner Stuart are members of a living history group called the GI4145 which represents units from the 2nd Armoured Division and 2nd Evacuation Hospital in Normandy, France, 1944.

They are also members of the Helpston Community Activity Team (HelCats), a group of volunteers who organises events in the village and raise money for local organisations.

Emma explained: “We were due to be at many events this weekend honouring those who fought and lost their lives during the Second World War and educating people so that what happened is never forgotten and never happens again.

“Lockdown is a difficult time for all of us and it can be difficult to keep our spirits up. So, as a way to mark VE Day and to lift people’s spirits, we put together a schedule of activities that people could do in their own homes.

“However, we felt we needed something that ‘brought everybody together’ while we were all celebrating at home. Graham was supposed to be displaying at the gala so we asked him if we could drive the DUCW around the village.

“He was delighted to be involved and was already doing something similar for Etton.

“We then realised the DUCW was big enough for us to have a singer and dancers while maintaining a two meter distance from each other.

Graham drove the DUKW through Helpston after the two minute silence at 11am, with the village continuing its celebrations all day as many residents dressed up in a 1940s’ outfit.

The DUKW then toured Etton at 3pm.

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