Trails link WW2 remembrance sites with stories

The nave of Royal Garrison Church in Portsmouth was bombed in 1941 and its ruins have been separated from the chancel by a wall since the 1960s

Two new trails connecting World War Two monuments, historic landmarks and personal stories have opened to walkers.

The routes in Hampshire and Devon, covering 6.18km (3.8miles) in Portsmouth and 8.47km (5.2miles) ​​in Dartmouth have been created to highlight the impact of the Second World War in the two areas.

Four students from Portsmouth University have gathered stories and plotted the trails, the first to be set up in the UK, as part of the Liberation Route Europe network.

Liberation Route Europe is a series of trails stretching 10,000km (6,213 miles) across Europe connecting WWII remembrance sites and stories

During the Second World War Dartmouth Castle was reactivated and equipped with two quick fire guns

Ben Mayne, director of LRE UK said the students "should all be proud of their role in keeping the local history and heritage alive.

"We hope many people follow these trails, and what better time than during the 80th Anniversary of VJ-Day, marking the end of the Second World War, to remember the sacrifices made for our freedoms today."

Friday 15 August 2025 marked 80 years since victory over Japan, the moment the Second World War finally came to an end.

The Community in War-Scarred Portsmouth route takes in areas in the city targeted by the Germans during the Blitz, the beach where thousands of troops left for D-Day, and Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

The Dartmouth at War​ route explores the town's secret naval operations, the arrival of evacuees and personal stories of resilience and wartime military and civilian life.

Both routes can be followed online or via an app with interactive maps.