To mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, Bodmin Keep – Cornwall’s Army Museum in partnership with Bodmin Jail and Bodmin Town Council, is proud to announce the launch of the VE80 Photography Trail, a town-wide exhibition that brings to life Bodmin’s powerful wartime legacy through the lens of celebrated photographer George Ellis.
VE80 Photography Trail – Bodmin – Google My Maps
The VE80 Photography Trail showcases a curated selection of wartime images taken by Ellis, a London-born freelance press photographer who moved to Bodmin in 1939. The trail also includes a wedding photo taken by Alan Date, a chemist who owned a pharmacy on Honey Street in the 1930s and 40s. Like Ellis, Date captured many photographs of wartime Bodmin.
Known for his evocative and human-centred photography, Ellis documented life on the Home Front, including Land Girls, evacuee children, and the daily interactions between locals and the British, Commonwealth, and American troops stationed in town at Victoria Barracks.
Bodmin played a key role in the UK’s Second World War efforts. From 1939, over 2,000 troops were housed and trained at Bodmin Keep, Walker Lines and Coldharbour Farm Camps. In 1943, The Keep was handed over to the US 29th Infantry Division as American GIs prepared for the D-Day landings.
Each photograph in the trail is displayed where it was originally taken, offering a unique “then and now” experience and inviting reflection on how the community — and its resilience — have evolved over time.
The trail has been possible thanks to Experience, a project run by Cornwall Council which aims to enhance the visitors’ experience and support local businesses.