Companies of paratroopers stood ready for drills. Air raid sirens pierce the air as firefighters rush to douse flames.

Military convoys rumble through the streets, while the occasional crack of gunfire echoed around the buildings. But this wasn’t wartime—it was the Village at War event, an immersive tribute to life in the Surrey villages, towns and countryside in the 1940s.

The 2025 event at the Rural Life Living Museum marked a historic double anniversary: the 25th Village at War, which coincided with the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

Hosted by the Rural Life Museum, Village at War is one of the UK’s leading Second World War re-enactment events. In this milestone year, it paid tribute not only to a quarter-century of living history but also to eight decades since the end of war in Europe.

At the museum, visitors explored military encampments, a wartime control room, and a range of interactive exhibits showing life both on the front line and at home. A dramatic mock air raid—with warning sirens, smoke, fire engines, and casualties stretchered to safety—brought the tension of the Blitz into sharp focus.

Inside the Frensham Dance Hall, instructors led wartime dance lessons, while the tea room served traditional cakes and tea in vintage style. In the War Room, guests discovered how the RAF coordinated its defence during the Battle of Britain, gaining insight into the strategy behind the scenes.

Everyone was welcome to dress in 1940s attire—though it wasn’t essential—to fully immerse themselves in the atmosphere.

One of those who came in authentic attire was Philip Tracy, 80, of Elstead who was dressed as a village policeman, complete with an authentic 1940s Raleigh bike.

Mr Tracy, who volunteers at the museum, said: “This is my favourite event of the year here.

“There is a fantastic atmosphere, everyone really puts in the effort to recreate the 1940s.”

Event organiser Dave Allaway, dressed as a member of the US 28th Infantry, known as the Bloody Buckets after being badly mauled in the 1944 Nazis winter Ardennes Offensive.

He said: “We’ve been jampacked with the public, which is great. The re-enactors are really enjoying themselves. There’s loads of displays, loads to look at - vehicles, weapons, we even have an air raid with smokes and bombs.”

“The importance of events like this is so that people don’t forget the sacrifice of 80-odd years ago and before.

“We need to keep the spirit alive the best we can and the way we do it is to try to recreate the atmosphere, just to give people a taste of what it may have been like back in 1944 to 1945.”

Commemorating two major anniversaries, Village at War 2025 was more than a re-enactment—it was a moving celebration of resilience, remembrance, and the enduring spirit of a nation. A day to remember for families, history lovers, and anyone inspired by the legacy of wartime Britain.