VE Day

Discussion in 'All Anniversaries' started by LRusso216, May 8, 2009.

  1. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Re... Victory in Europe Day 2018 and 2019 - PublicHolidays.fr

    I did wonder if the "World War II lasted from 1 September, 1939, to 8 May, 1945" bit were just a typo, or evidence that the VE day sentiment in France really meant that on 8th May 1945, WW2 was actually over.

    Anyhow just to see what the wiki had to say... World War II - Wikipedia

    And in one bit it opts for:

    World War II (often abbreviated to WWII or WW2), also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945, although related conflicts began earlier.”

    Or in another bit: "Date 1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945 (6 years and 1 day)"

    Perhaps "related conflicts continued on even after 2nd September 1945" - might be added too.

    Would be nice to see a bit more made of VE day though in the UK - although "closing every shop" doesn't seem like what we'd be doing in the UK even were this so ;-)
     
  2. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

    CL1 and Ron Goldstein like this.
  3. harkness

    harkness Well-Known Member

    One of most moving passages about VE Day I've read - by the men who were there.

    251.jpg
    252.jpg

    'The Story of the Twenty-third Hussars', pages 251 and 252.
     
    4jonboy and CL1 like this.
  4. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Harkness

    My diary reminds me how similar the end of hostilities were both in Germany & italy !

    Wednesday 2nd. May 1945
    Jerry threw his hand in Italy and Austria. Fired all our 2" mortars, phosphorous bombs and verey lights and had bonfires all over the shop.
    Cease fire about 11 pm.


    ( At noon today the Germans signed an unconditional surrender at Caserta)

    Ron
     
    Chris C, bexley84, CL1 and 1 other person like this.
  5. harkness

    harkness Well-Known Member

    Ron,

    An unforgettable day/night.

    This is the 23rd Hussars, C Squadron bonfire at Niendorf, on the Baltic coast:

    misc_04a.jpg

    misc_04b.jpg
     
    CL1, Ron Goldstein and Tricky Dicky like this.
  6. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Harkness et al

    To be completely truthful, the fact that we had been told that ,after midnight (and from thence forth) we would have to account for all of our ammo might have influenced our actions :)

    Ron
     
    Tricky Dicky and CL1 like this.
  7. TriciaF

    TriciaF Junior Member

    We've returned to the UK now, after 16 years in SW France. I had an email from some friends there to say they had their usual celebrations at the War Memorial ( about 3 members of the commune of 100 approx. gave their lives, many more in WW1).
    All sang la Marseillaise, then joined for the 'glass that cheers' in the Hall.
    There are still a few elderly people there who nurse their 'wounds' from those days.
     
    Tricky Dicky likes this.
  8. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

    1940 Oldsmobile
    V-E Day, New York City
    May 8th 1945

    upload_2019-2-19_13-27-10.png
     
  9. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    After five years and eight months, with the unconditional surrender of the Germans on May 8, 1945, World War II came to an end in Europe. It had been the most destructive and cruelest in human history, involving more than 60 nations and some 110 million soldiers, and it is estimated that it exacted approximately 60 million victims, including six million Jews, the victims of the Holocaust.
    http://web.nli.org.il/sites/NLI/Eng...rmany/World-War-2/Pages/World-war-II-end.aspx
     
  10. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Next year's early May bank holiday will be moved back by four days in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to coincide with the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

    Bank holiday changed to mark VE Day
     
  11. Jonathan Ball

    Jonathan Ball It's a way of life.

    Should just give us the Monday and the Friday.
     
  12. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Hope we get another for VJ Day.
     
  13. Shiny 9th

    Shiny 9th Member

    Owen, Is that likely though.Always been the forgotten theatre of the war.
     
  14. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    That is just typical, just as I begin my new four-day week, with Fridays off!!
     
  15. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    When VE Day dawns on 8th May 2020 it will be 75 years since the guns fell silent at the end of the war in Europe. Years of carnage and destruction had come to an end and millions of people took to the streets and pubs to celebrate peace, mourn their loved – ones and to hope for the future, but not forgetting those still in conflict until 15th August when it was announced that Japan had surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, effectively ending World War II.

    The 75th anniversary will provide our nation, and our friends around the world, with an opportunity to reflect on the enormous sacrifice, courage and determination of people from all walks of life who saw us through this dark and terrifying period. To commemorate this important time we are organising VE Day 75, a three-day international celebration that will take place from 8th May to 10th May 2020.


    Home - VE Day 75
     
    JimHerriot likes this.
  16. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/teach/ww2-how-did-the-british-plan-to-celebrate-ve-day/zndn7nb

    Planning for peace
    In spring 1945, war with Germany was drawing to a close.

    While the British government was dealing with a country in the grip of rationing and cities ravaged by bombs, some ministers had to turn their thoughts to how people could celebrate victory after six years of war.

    Enter the ‘Office Committee for the Coordination of Departmental Action on the End of Hostilities in Europe.’

    London.jpg



     
    Last edited: Jan 8, 2020
  17. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    I imagine they started by blowing the dust off files from November 1918
     
  18. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Chris C likes this.
  19. harkness

    harkness Well-Known Member

    Niendorf, Schleswig-Holstein.

    Strukdorf_map.jpg

    VE Day. 23rd Hussars C Squadron celebration bonfire:

    VE_day.jpg
     
  20. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Where are we all going on Friday then ?
     
    JimHerriot likes this.

Share This Page