EXHIBITIONS are now being developed to be at the heart of the Fusiliers' Museum when it reopens in the Arts and Crafts Centre in Bury town centre in 2009.

There will be two main galleries, one dedicated to the Lancashire Fusiliers and the other to the story of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers from their establishment in 1968. While there are many museum objects, archives and written histories for the pre-1968 story, collecting is now taking place for the modern era.

"This is literally history in the making," said Colonel Mike Glover, the museum's curator. "Most of the people involved are still alive to tell us about their experiences and to donate some of their own memorabilia."

Our film crew visited Somerset to meet Colonel Andrew Larpent, the commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion Fusiliers when they were part of Operation Desert Storm in 1990, the name given to the campaign to liberate Kuwait after the country was invaded by Iraq, in what is now known as the First Gulf War. Andrew spoke to camera about his experiences, the conditions that prevailed and the overall success of the mission. He spoke of the friendly fire' incident, which killed 11 Fusiliers and injured 15 others and is immensely proud of the men he led to victory as well as those who were lost. The film will be part of a display called Theatre of War which will bring together soldiers' and officers' recollection from all of the major campaigns since 1968. Donations of memorabilia will be integrated into the display. Helen Castle, who works on museum documentation, has a number of new exhibits which Colonel Larpent has contributed and is pictured with a pair of desert boots and a tee shirt like many others worn at the time by the soldiers' children on their return saying My Dad was there.