'Historic' WWII Sites Given Listed Status To Mark VE Day

A Second World War command post and a London war memorial have been awarded listed status ahead of the 75th anniversary of VE Day this week.

The three-storey command post at the former RAF Hucknall, Nottinghamshire and St Luke’s Church War Memorial in Bromley Common, were granted protection by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Heritage Minister Nigel Huddleston said: "We owe the Second World War generation an enormous debt of gratitude. 

"I am delighted that, as we prepare to mark 75 years since the end of the war in Europe on 8 May, we are protecting these historic sites in this way."

Both sites have been listed as Grade II.

The command post near Nottingham was used as the base's Battle Headquarters.

The headquarters were underground, below the three-storey brick tower that was built in 1940 to help defend the airfield from paratroopers.

The building has a rooftop gun emplacement and there are "very few" sites like it still standing, according to Historic England.

While St Luke’s Church War Memorial commemorates the civilian casualties of the six-year conflict. 

The DCMS granted the listings on the advice of Historic England.

Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England, said "surviving physical evidence" from the Second World War "is all around us, but is often unrecognised".

Two sites have also been relisted - an obelisk, which marks the twinning of Bath with the Dutch city of Alkmaar in March 1945, and Felbrigg Hall’s Grade II listed park and garden in Norfolk. 

The park has two linked avenues of beech trees, which are known as the ‘Victory Vs'.

Cover image: The Command Post at the former RAF Hucknall base (Picture: Historic England).