75th Anniversary of Victory in Europe

Friday May 8th 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the end of six years of War in Europe.  Eleven months earlier the Allies had invaded Normandy in Operation Overlord and had steadily pushed the German forces back across the Rhine.  With Berlin surrounded Adolf Hitler committed suicide on April 30th 1945, and Admiral Karl Doenitz was named as Hitler’s successor as head of state; he sought to seek terms for an end to the war.  A delegation was sent to negotiate at SHAEF (Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force) HQ at Reims on May 4th and at 02:41 a.m. on May 7th, General Alfred Jodl, signed the unconditional surrender of German forces, which was to take effect from mid-night May 8th.

May 8th was declared VE (Victory in Europe) Day and celebrations took place around the world; in Britain it was a Public Holiday. Huge crowds gathered in Trafalgar Square, London during the day and locally people held street parties and danced around victory bonfires after dark. In 2020 plans had been made in the UK for three days of celebrations to mark the anniversary, key to this was the moving of the Early May Bank Holiday, traditionally the first Monday of May, back by four days to Friday to coincide with the date and provide a three day week-end. Sadly all events will now be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has many countries under strict lock-down conditions, these prohibit public gatherings including the planned parades and street parties and have closed the places where events would be held such as pubs and community centres.

Although the war with Germany had ended, the war with Japan had not – it was to continue for a further 3½ months. The Royal Navy continued to despatch men and warships to the Far East to fight with the East Indies and British Pacific Fleets; their war ended in August but many would not return home until mid to late 1946 because when hostilities ended the humanitarian task began. They were to become known as the ‘forgotten fleets’ as life for those back home began to return to some form of normality.

VE Day at Nowra, New South Wales: Captain H C Dickinson, DSC, RN leads the men of disembarked air squadrons and members of ships companies of HMS NABBINGTON and HMS NABSWICK in an Inter-denominational service of thanksgiving. After dark a bonfire and spit roast rounded of the celebrations.  Image © IWM (A 29305A)