Tomorrow marks the 75th anniversary of the end of WW2 in Europe. A a very young child in London I have vivid memories of an amazing celebration . On the street where I lived huge bonfires (there was plenty of rubble to burn form bombed out building) were lit, pianos were rolled out into the street, and beer flowed it seemed from endless barrels (kegs) of beer as people danced the night away. Houses and streets were decorated with red, white and blue flags and bunting and is seemed everyone knew everyone else in a shared celebration. We endured the effects of the war (rationing, queues, shortages and power outages) up into the 50s but that night belonged to the people. A magical night for a child

Amazing. Thank you for sharing that with us.

I'm still fighting the culture war. When will it end ?

~ ¿ ~ so how old a guy are you OPie ? ~

A bit past my 5th birthday. Don't remember the day to day of the ear but have vivid and sometimes stark memories of some events, especially sounds.

brb ~ doing maths ~

All night parties in the street are scene to behold. It's rare in America to see them. It's just not part of this culture. Except for perhaps Marti Graw or Carnival as the Mexican Catholics celebrate.

But I've heard that in Europe it's more common among the young single hotties, every drinks a lot, especially in France?

Marti Graw? I think I went to high school with her. Good God.

College students in my neighborhood were much subdued.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/2020 10:12PM by caffiend.

Tea and singing: Britain honours 75th anniversary of VE Day:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/ve-day-victory-europe-second-world-war-75-1.5561007

Excerpts:

“The original plans for extensive events to herald VE-Day, when allied forces accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany, were scaled back after the government banned social gatherings from March to curb the coronavirus.

“Britons stood in silence and Queen Elizabeth was to address the nation on Friday's 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, though the coronavirus dampened commemorations for the end of the Second World War on the continent.

"Along with millions around the nation, Prince Charles held a two-minute silence outside his family's Balmoral estate, while military jets flew over the United Kingdom's four capitals, and 1940s-style tea parties plus singalongs were planned in homes.

“A veterans' procession and other events involving crowds were scrapped, but flags and banners still fluttered, and people stuck at home due to the lockdown enjoyed a day of special television and radio programs. On the white cliffs of Dover, a lone piper played bagpipes [“When the Battle’s O’er”] as wartime Spitfire planes flew by.

“The address from 94-year-old Queen Elizabeth was to come exactly 75 years after her father, George VI, gave a victory speech over the radio to the nation.

“Elizabeth, a teenager when the war broke out, learned to drive military trucks and be a mechanic while serving in the women's Auxiliary Territorial Service. She was in Buckingham Palace when it was bombed in September 1940.

“Since becoming Queen 68 years ago, Elizabeth has rarely made broadcasts to the nation except her annual Christmas Day message, but her VE-Day speech will be the third such address since the coronavirus outbreak.

“Last month, she invoked the spirit of the Second World War, calling for the public to show the same resolve and echoing the words of the song We'll Meet Again by Vera Lynn, which became a symbol of hope for Britons during the conflict.

“As part of Friday's celebrations, after the Queen's address, Britons were being encouraged to open their doors and join in a nationwide singalong of Lynn's song.”

*****

CBC TV news covered today’s memorial events. The reporter stated that during the post-war celebration in 1945 Princess Elizabeth and her sister Margaret left Buckingham Palace and joined the massive crowd outside. Elizabeth’s parents, the King and Queen, stood on the palace balcony and waved to the crowd below. The reporter said it was the only time Elizabeth ever got out among the people and felt that freedom and also the only time she ever saw the balcony from that perspective.
Elizabeth and Margaret had been “locked up” for safety at Windsor Castle during the war. Ironically, Queen Elizabeth is “locked up” at Windsor Castle again (with Prince Philip) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a long ago speech, replayed today by CBC, the then Princess Elizabeth said that that celebration was “one of the most memorable nights of my life”.


Spitfires at Dover:

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/dover/news/spitfires-flying-above-white-cliffs-appear-on-tv-for-ve-day-226908/


Andy Stewart: When the Battle’s O’er

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T6Rj7ey5bU


Gordon Highlanders: When the Battle’s O’er

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ1AX9eq3EQ


My grandad was with the Gordon Highlanders. I’ve got his cap.

How I wish my darling mom was here with us today. We’d definitely be slurping tea and eating victory cake – lots of cake – and watching the Queen’s speech. Mom always “kept the faith”.

It can feel like a party now but what an immense tragedy both world wars were (massive understatement). (And all wars). What treasures the world has lost in all the conflicts – we will never know the half of it.

Your comment about suffering the effects of the war into the ‘50s haunts me, kentish. I didn’t realize rationing went on for so long.

I’m in the middle of my third book in a row about the Holocaust. I didn’t plan it that way but it just happened somehow that I bought several memoirs all at once on that topic. I’ve always avoided digging into the details much as I just can’t stand it but we had to take the subject of the world wars twice at school although the classes focused more on history than personal accounts and details. In the current memoir I’m reading the author, who was a prisoner in Auschwitz as a young teen, mentions names of people she knew as a child and in the camp and recounts various other memories. Her recall is amazing. Horrifically, both her parents starved to death, her father in the first few weeks and her mom, so sadly, just a short while after liberation. The author relates her personal history in quite a matter-of-fact way; it seems almost without emotion or even much description. But then every once in a while she makes a statement like “This visits me again in my nightmares”. It is indeed a long time to still be suffering the war’s effects.

We will remember them – a sacred promise.


In the time it has taken me to write this, the CBC article I linked above has been updated. Some of the excerpts above have bit the dust. There was a picture of the piper at Dover but I think he’s been edited out – too bad. The following, after the Queen’s broadcast took place, has been added:

“After the monarch's address, people were encouraged to go out onto their doorsteps to sing We'll Meet Again — which has added resonance as families and friends are separated by coronavirus lockdowns.”


Most generations seem marked by an event for the ages. Adversity does highlight the worst but also the very best of us. People sacrificing themselves for the benefit of others unknown to them. So much sorrow and sacrifice through the ages, up to and including our present day. I trust that most of us realize that and appreciate it and, indeed, will never forget.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2020 05:40PM by Nightingale.