VE Day
This post comes from Auntie Katy. It’s a lovely read all about her VE Day Celebrations, thank you Katy for the contribution and brilliant images. Ryan and I had a quiet one - but we did get a really good look at the Red Arrows as they went past. We’ve also fully immersed ourselves in The World At War - the ambitious and perfectly made seminal documentary on WW2 narrated by Laurence Olivier. It’s a great choice if you’re feeling very trapped and want something meaty on the telebox.
KATE ELIIS
VE 75
It was raining, windy, and I was feeling lockdown blue, when our Warren Close WhatsApp group pinged with the VE75 day, DIY, socially-distanced, celebration programme and a short “Anyone up for this?”. A quick check of my diary and, what luck, I realised we would be at home on 8th May 2020. Even luckier still, I remembered we had Union Jack bunting, left over from the Olympics 2012, somewhere in the garage, if only I could unearth it……
In a flurry of eleventh-hour activity, flowers were arranged, scones were baked, as was a Victory sandwich cake (red jam, white icing, blue smarties) and sandwiches (triangles, no crusts) mustered. Strawberries and cream and a sherry trifle completed the menu. In honour of the occasion and, indeed, of the great lady herself, Granny Hanney’s china tea set and cut-glass cake stand were dusted off, along with some of her vintage linen. Tables were prepared on our front lawn and under the bunting across our driveway.
More Union Jacks, and Welsh and Canadian flags were to be seen adorning the gates to the Close and neighbours’ homes, as we assembled to mark the two-minute silence at 11.00a.m.. Tea followed the BBC broadcast of Winston Churchill’s VE day speech. Neighbours mingled, at a distance of 2metres, and Pimm’s began to flow. After HM the Queen’s address to the nation (a smile would have been nice), and the National Vera Lynn singalong, we finished the evening around the home fire, burning at the bottom of the garden.
My day had begun very much earlier, driving Sophie to work at the BBC in Portland Place, something Geoff and I have been doing regularly since lockdown began.
I have come to enjoy viewing London landmarks free from the throng of tourists and commuter traffic. Our route takes us down the Cromwell Road past grandiose, deserted Museums, the rainbow fronted windows of an empty Harrods, along Piccadilly, past the Ritz, shuttered against the world (no tea there today), and finally around Eros, who must be wondering why it isn’t just like Piccadilly Circus, into Regent Street. Magnificent, Portland stone, domed and turreted buildings, previously unnoticed by me, are adorned with amazing friezes and the mosaic over the arched windows of the Apple store is breath-taking. I share the road with a few buses and taxis, several cyclists and the occasional pedestrian. Pavements are empty, except for the odd film crew and, sadly, the homeless rough sleeper at Oxford Circus, who has not deserted his post despite lockdown.
As we arrived at the BBC, I was seized by the notion that I would like to capture some pictures of London, spared from the Blitz, and yet so quiet in comparison with the celebrations of VE day, exactly 75 years ago. Outside the BBC, Sophie took a couple of snaps then, on my way home, I parked off Pall Mall in Waterloo Place. I managed a few more pictures before greeting the smiling (don’t they look young!) policemen, and heading off to avoid my arrest for breaking lockdown. At the back of St James’ Palace, armed police on duty there, grinned as I wished them a Happy VE75 Day.
Driving home, dressed ready to party, I listened to a sobering Radio 4 interview, recorded a few years ago, with four WWII veterans who had been prisoners in Japan. They spoke of their experiences and suffering with such dignity and an incredible sense of duty and acceptance, that I was reminded of the true point of the day. We have freedom at great cost, we should never forget the sacrifices of those who fought to defend it, nor give it up lightly ourselves.
