Remembering VE Day

Yesterday was a special day here in the UK. There were celebrations as we remembered the events which took place seventy five years ago to mark the end of World War II in Europe.

Here in our teeny, tiny village there was no formal occasion in these COVID 19 times, but the bunting came out, as for all special events. We put up bunting on our very old garage which is too small to hold one of today's cars ..

and on our front door too.

A bit of bunting though was only a small gesture.  I can only imagine the joy, the relief , the giddy excitement of those celebrating the end of war after nearly six years of  families being torn apart , rationing, hardship and above all, loss on such a huge scale.

But I can't forget the stories of some living locally in 1945. They will forever be etched in my mind.

Five years ago, I was asked to make a series of stories commemorating VE Day for BBC Radio, stories of people's reminisces the end of the war. Yes, there were stories of street parties from those who were children at the time, but as I found out, some of the  adults had very mixed reactions to VE Day and how it affected their future.

People like Betty and Hans. A couple who were on different continents on VE Day, whose families had fought in opposing armies, and Hans had even been one of Hitler's bodyguards. Hans is now dead, but when I met them they were in their late eighties, a lovely couple,who were willing to take part in a recorded radio interview, but didnt' want  their photograph taken. Luckily I persuaded them and they posed outside by their shed - I love this photo...

 Terry Harrison and I both had tears in our eyes  as he  told me the story of his parents. They lived in a village in Leicestershire, and had five children. As the end of the war approached though, his mother was terrified of her husband coming home he didn't know there were two extra children in the family house. They were twins, and it was plain to see that he couldn't have been the father.

Ken Harrison was a widower when we met. He had been fighting in Germany but had been on leave as the war ended.Instead of being able to celebrate VE Day, he was on a train back to Germany ...but  managed to celebrate in a very different location.
















And I can't forget dear Ruth Tucker, a lovely lady in her eighties when we met. On VE Day she was a fifteen year German girl who had escaped war torn Berlin and was on the run to evade the advancing Russian forces when the end of the war came.


Below is the link to their stories, which have been saved for future generations. I would love you to hear them....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02qt7nz