VE Day display moves visitors to tears at Bomber Command Centre

An installation of more than 20,000 ceramic poppies has been unveiled at the International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC), in Lincoln.

Each poppy has been handcrafted, and some have been laid out in the shape of a Lancaster Bomber.

Nicky van der Drift, chief executive of the IBCC, said: “People are stunned. It has great impact. They’re very moved. We’ve had people in tears.”

Military personnel laid some of the final poppies at the installation on Friday.

There are 617 handcrafted poppies on the Memorial Spire, in honour of 617 Squadron (the Dambusters).

The display is part of VE80 Lincoln, a project marking VE Day.

It was created by Lithuanian artist Darius Sirmulevicius, who moved to Lincolnshire in 1998.

He said he was pleased with people’s reactions to the display, and added: “I have put my heart and soul into this.”

Ms van der Drift said she hoped it would show people the “power of remembrance”.

She added: “Now more than ever, with everything that is going on in the world, we need to remember why we need to avoid war, and do everything within our reach to find peaceful solutions.”

The installation will be on display until the end of August.

Each poppy will be sold to raise money for the IBCC, the British West India Regiments Heritage Trust and the Wooden Spoon Trust.

VE80 Lincoln is a collaboration between the IBCC, Francourt Events, Sage Blue and Lincoln Rugby Club.