RBLI and TfL partner for VE Day 80

Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) is proud to partner with TfL to pay tribute to servicemen and women ahead of the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE Day) on Thursday 8 May.

Military veterans working at RBLI’s social enterprise have created special editions of their iconic Unknown Tommy and Unknown Woman in War figures to act as silent memorials for the anniversary.

London’s transport network will mark VE Day from Monday 5 May with five silent memorials featuring the Unknown Tommy and Unknown Woman in War figures on display at Baker Street, Balham, Bethnal Green, Charing Cross and Tower Hill Tube stations.

The displays will run until Sunday 11 May. They will be placed by memorial plaques at these five stations, which were particularly impacted during the war, resulting in the tragic loss of life for civilians and transport workers.

On Thursday 8 May, a two-minute silence will be observed across London’s transport network at midday and London’s Transport Commissioner, Andy Lord, along with a member of the London Transport Old Comrades Association and TfL veterans, will lay a wreath at Charing Cross Underground station. The station was bombed in 1940 and seven people who were sheltering in the station tragically died.

Lisa Farmer OBE, Chief Executive of RBLI, commented: “Our enduring mission to support and care for those who have served to defend our freedoms continues to this day. Acknowledging sacrifice is an important aspect of remembering those who have served, and VE Day offers a perfect opportunity for that. We hope that the Unknown Tommy and Unknown Woman in War serve as a means to inspire reflection to all those who will see them on the TfL network. We are so proud of our affiliation with TfL and their support for our work. As a major employer of veterans, TfL has a significant impact in this area.”

You can purchase your own Unknown Tommy and Unknown Woman in War figures online at www.rbli.shop.

More information about the figures and the role played by the five stations during World War Two at www.rbli.co.uk/veday80tfl