VICTORY IN EUROPE DAY

I wanted to do something to commemorate VE Day as it is such an important day in the life of the UK, marking the end of World War Two in Europe - today is the 75th Anniversary of that important date.   

First of all, we went for a short walk when I took Mr. HCB, once again, to my sanctuary, but on the way, we stopped at Michael’s and I gave him a copy of my Blip from two days ago, which showed his garden.  I introduced Mr. HCB to him and we just chatted for a few minutes.  Michael told us that they were having a street party this afternoon, and there was quite a lot of bunting up across the street - at least it looks as if the weather will be good.  There is certainly a lot more traffic about today - and lots of lorries, even though it’s a Bank Holiday.

We then went on our walk around the field and I made a video of Mr. HCB walking in front of me - which I thought I could use when we do our morning exercise - so now all I have to do is work out how to get it up onto the television, but I’m sure I can do that.

When we got back, I remembered that there was a photograph of Mum, her father,  my grandfather, who was in the Royal Navy and her brother, Alfie, who was in the Army - all in their military uniforms.  It’s at times like this when I wish I had spoken more to Mum about her life in the ATS - the Auxiliary Territorial Service, which was the women’s branch of the British Army during the Second World War.  It was formed in September 1938 and existed until February 1949 when it was merged into the Women’s Royal Army Corps.

I found a copy of the photograph, although it’s not that good but then I had a great find!  In all Mum’s papers was an enveloped marked “Family History” and inside was supplement that appeared in the Evening Advertiser, our local paper, in 2008 and this contained a facsimile of the newspaper, showing the front page, a “Victory Special” for Tuesday, 8th May 1945 - costing 3½ pence.  I decided to make a collage so here is my Blip for VE Day.  

It was interesting to read “Swindon gave a riotous welcome in red, white and blue to Victory in Europe Day.  Flags and bunting, relics of forgotten wars, coronations, and those Christmases when the boys were home, made their appearance.  From ten o’clock onwards to-day the centre of Swindon was thronged with people admiring the decorations and wondering just how they would spend their day.  Apart from the clubs and public-houses, the only entertainment offered them was by the cinemas and the Playhouse (a local theatre), which carried on as usual.  Most of the cinemas have arranged to keep open until 11 o’clock tonight.  Many of the licensees are concerned lest their supplies of beer and spirits should prove unequal to the demand, and some took the precaution of remaining closed last night.”

The Royal Family has taken part in the celebrations since the very first VE Day, when  Princess Elizabeth, now Queen Elizabeth II, and her sister, Princess Margaret went on to the balcony at Buckingham alongside King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.  In those days, they were very patriotic and there is a photograph of the King and Queen on the front page of the Evening Advertiser - I wonder if our Queen will be on the front pages of the newspapers tomorrow?  We will certainly be listening to her speech to the nation this evening at 9.p.m. the very time her father, King George VI gave his speech to the nation. 

Further on, there was another snippet from 1946 that was interesting, especially in these present times, when we are championing our NHS -  “The standards of care received by 50,000 Swindon people under the GWR (Great Western Railway) Medical Fund were held up as a national example in 1946.  The Fund became regarded as a model for a proposed free national health scheme for the whole of Britain.  In 1947, Labour MP Aneurin Bevan, acknowledged as the principal architect of the NHS, visited Swindon to see for himself how the Great Western Medical Fund worked.  Shortly afterwards the National Health Service as we know it, with its principle of free care for all, was born.”

Another article in the paper quotes, “Our town got off very lightly during the war compared with other places in the UK - throughout the war only 104 bombs fell on the town, sadly killing 45 people and injuring 105, of whom 38 suffered serious injuries.  A total of 50 houses are destroyed and 1852 were damaged.”  

Mr. HCB’s Uncle Dick and Aunt Etty’s house in Drove Road was one of those damaged when a bomb was dropped on a house just over the road.  Mr. HCB was only 3 years old at the time so can’t remember much about it, but remembers hearing about it in conversations within the family.  Like today, I'm sure most families were affected in some way.

We may feel we are “hard done by” now and especially during these difficult and challenging times, but most of us are still able to get the groceries we need to live a good life, whereas during the war years, the quantities allowed per person weekly were: Bacon and ham - 4oz, sugar 8oz, tea 2oz, butter 2oz, margarine 4 oz, cooking fats 2 oz, cheese 1 oz and meat 1s 10d (9p) worth.  I doubt anyone starved as the housewives of the day were very creative, as we are having to be today, and many of the men, once they were back from the war, grew vegetables in their gardens or had allotments.  

I apologise that this is a long journal entry, but hope you may find it interesting.  For those of you who have parents still alive today and who remember the war years, do try and speak to them about it, if they are willing to talk about it - once they are gone, it’s too late!

“God bless you all. This is your victory! 
It is the victory of the cause of freedom in every land.
In all our long history we have never seen 
a greater day than this. 
Everyone, man or woman, has done their best. 
Everyone has tried. 
Neither the long years, nor the dangers, 
nor the fierce attacks of the enemy, 
have in any way weakened the unbending resolve 
of the British nation. 
God bless you all.”
Words spoken by Winston Churchill 
from the balcony of the Ministry of Health, Whitehall 
on 8th May 1945.