Derby War Memorial Village celebrates 70th anniversary

A village created solely for those left badly injured during World War Two has been celebrating its 70th year.

Construction started on the War Memorial Village, near Derby, in 1949 after the public rejected a new war monument in favour of helping veterans.

Hundreds of people attended a commemoration event that featured a military band and a flypast by a Dakota aircraft.

The "unique" village still provides homes for ex-military personnel.

A military band took part in the celebrations

Ross McCristal, a War Memorial Village trustee, said: "A lot of people just think we're a retirement village; they don't realise how special it really is.

"We are celebrating because we're doing a remodelling of the village with a huge investment of £1.1m - we want to make sure the accommodation is fit for heroes in the 21st Century."

In 1949, Derby Borough Council, as it was then named, donated about 20 acres of land in Shelton Lock for the development of the village.

John Jennings, vice-chairman of the village, said: "After the Second World War it was proposed to build a new monument in [Derby] marketplace, but that didn't go down too well with the citizens at the time.

"The people said, 'No, we want something more tangible, we want to provide homes for disabled people'."

The War Memorial Village was founded in 1949

The then Princess Elizabeth laid the foundation stone in June 1949 and the first 20 families moved to Edinburgh Crescent near Allenton, Derby, in 1952.

The village was completed three years later.

Mr Jennings said: "We thought it was time to raise the profile of the village and get the public spirit going again to help us go forward to the future."

The first veterans moved into their homes in 1952