6th May 2025

Thoughts for VE day 80

8 May 1945, VE  day, was a date for national celebration marking the WW2 Victory in Europe. It was a date that remained in the memory of all those who witnessed it and those, as the years pass, that have not. It meant then an end to nearly six years of a war that had cost the lives of millions; had destroyed homes, families, and cities; and had brought huge suffering and privations to the populations of so many countries.

Millions of people rejoiced across the UK and Europe in the news that Germany had surrendered, relieved that the intense strain of ‘total war’ was finally over. In towns and cities across the world, people marked the victory with street parties, dancing and singing.

My father was called up to join the fight on the 21^st June 1940 with an ‘order’ to report 6 days later, for training at the headquarters of the Somerset Light Infantry in Taunton on the 27^th June at 10.00! Not exactly a lot of notice, and he remained on duty with the  8^th Army throughout all their actions, including El Alamein, with no leave, until the 8^th May 1945. 

My mother was part of the ’Home Guard  Auxillary’ in Liverpool and witnessed as well as survived some relentless and highly destructive air raids at that port.

Churchill said "This is your hour. This is not a victory of a political party or of any class. It's a victory of the great British nation as a whole." 

Today is the 80^th anniversary of VE day, my father is of course no longer with us, indeed very few of those who fought are around today and that is why I felt today many advisers in our community, who will have had parents and grandparents who took part and possibly even gave their lives in the fight against Nazism could take a moment to reflect.

The words of the 'Kohima epitaph’ so clearly express the thoughts that all of us in the UK should reflect upon today. 

When you go home
Tell them of us and say
For your tomorrow
We gave our today

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