65th Great Victory Anniversary: US Marine Veteran to attend VE Day celebrations in Europe

This week one of America’s former top military commanders attended a special ceremony near Londonderry, Ireland to mark the 65th anniversary of VE Day.

Lt General Martin Berndt, who retired in 2005, was the guest of honour at the commemoration event. The General brought with him various articles donated by the US Marine Corps museum for display in Beech Hill’s permanent Marines exhibition, including a dress uniform from the Second World War era.

He is also helping to publicize an archive system to help people in the US trace family roots or connections with Ireland. Between 1939 and 1945 in this small town in Ireland was located the site for the first US Marine base of World War Two in Europe, called Europe Base One. More than 500 Marines were based at Beech Hill. Many of them married local girls and their descendents now come to look around.