Celebrating victory in Europe: 70 years on

Reader remembers historic day with a personal poem

Celebrations are taking place across the country to mark the 70th anniversary of VE Day. 

It was a day that saw millions of people erupt into celebrations in the streets, as the end of the Second World War was formally announced. VE Day, on May 8th 1945, was a day where more than one million people celebrated in the UK, with more across the planet from America to Russia.

In London, people took to Trafalgar Square and The Mall towards Buckingham Palace, where King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and Winston Churchill appeared on the balcony to cheering crowds.

On April 30th, Adolf Hitler had committed suicide and his successor, Karl Donitz, authorised the unconditional surrender.

This year marks 70 years since the ending of the war in Europe, and a three-day weekend of events will mark it, with more than 100 beacons being lit on Friday, May 8th, to mark the occasion. 

For more information, go to gov.uk/government/topical-events/ve-day-70th-anniversary.

The public are being encouraged to celebrate with members of their communities who contributed to the war effort. Are you doing anything special today? Or maybe you even remember VE Day? If so, get in touch on (01234) 713298 and let us know.

Below one of our readers Ron Groom wrote a poem about his experience on the day...

323 wing, RAF Foggia, Italy - May 1945

VE Day was voiced, we cheered and rejoiced (we'd just had our ration of beer), 

But in Sergeant’s Mess, I have to confess, I sampled the wine there I fear. 

When men asked for a glass to them I would pass a bottle, no less “oh no fee”,

 The word spread around, faster than sound, “go there as quick as can be”,

 The chaps crowded in for wine from the ‘bin’, and space was just getting too short,

 So we had an idea, the tables to clear, and “out through the window? Good thought!” 

We were two storeys high so that's of course why the courtyard next day was a dump,  

And I'd drunk quite a lot, and felt sort of hot. My head, well it started to thump! 

I crawled to my bed, but let it be said, that day I remember so well. 

I was posted next day, though still feeling grey, but I had a great story to tell!