The Keep Military Museum in Dorchester marked the 75th anniversary of the battle of Kohima by unveiling its new Second World War Gallery.

The gallery spans the whole war, from the Dorsets’ gallant rearguard action in the retreat to Dunkirk to the final victory in Europe and in the far east, in which seven battalions of Devons and Dorsets and the gunners of the Dorset Yeomanry all played a brave part. Devon and Dorset soldiers fought in most of the major campaigns.

On May 13, 1944, the 2nd Dorsets’ victory on the tennis court was the turning point in the battle of Kohima. The actions of the Devons and Dorsets were therefore pivotal in winning the campaign.

The children of several distinguished veterans were at Monday’s opening of the new gallery, including the family of Sergeant Gerry Waterhouse. Gerry’s courageous and skilful handling of his Grant tank on the tennis court clinched the Dorsets’ victory at Kohima.

Janet Fox, 67, the youngest daughter of Gerry Waterhouse, lives in Leeds and discovered the Keep when she came on holiday to Dorset four years ago.

She said: "I knew my father was in the Dorsets but I didn't know a lot about what he did in the war because he didn't talk about it, the men didn't really talk about it in those days.

"I went in to see if they had any information on Kohima because I knew he fought there. I met the museum curator and he said that he had been searching for our family for some time and he showed me all of this information about my father I didn't know."

Gerry's other daughter, Pat Rolfe, 79, said: "The exhibition is wonderful, it's been a real eye opener."

Richard Toomey, Chairman of Trustees at the museum, said: "When we were reflecting on D-Day and the upcoming anniversary we realised that our Second World War collection was rather tired so we hatched a plan to renovate it for no more than £20,000. We only achieved this because of donations and volunteers.

"I want to say thank you to Dorchester Town Council, the Alice Ellen Cooper-Dean Charitable Foundation, the Dorset Regimental Charity and the Friends of the Keep Museum. It would not have been possible without them."