Gorge to turn back clock to days of war

The Ironbridge Gorge World War Two weekend on May 26 and 27, from 10am each day, will be centred on Dale End Park and although entry is free it will be raising money for the Pilgrim Bandits military charity.

A flypast by a Dakota troop carrier is scheduled for the Saturday, with a flypast by a Hurricane fighter on the Sunday.

Around 30 re-enactment groups will be in the park and shops in Ironbridge are expected to be decorated in 1940s style.

Attractions include a vehicle parade on Saturday and a parade of re-enactors ending in a short service at Ironbridge war memorial on Sunday.

There will be traders and a 1940s-style pub.

The imagined scenario is that it is 1944 and the Germans have occupied Dale End Park since 1940, and each day at 2pm there will be battle re-enactment as allied troops seek to liberate the territory.

"I hope visitors will be both entertained and educated by all they see and hope they will feel free to engage with our re-enactors, who are very knowledgeable and passionate about their particular specialisms," said Dave Adams, chairman of the organising committee.

"Our main aim in organising the event is to raise funds for our chosen charity, the Pilgrim Bandits."

Publicity officer John Casey said: "The bowling alley at Southwater in Telford has agreed that its charity for May will be the Pilgrim Bandits, and on May 4 a group of several members of the organising committee will be at the bowling alley in 1940s gear from 6.30pm onwards, to kickstart their charity month."

The Pilgrim Bandits charity was established by a small group of Special Forces veterans in 2007 with the aim of using their unique training and experience to help and inspire injured personnel to live life to the full.