Welcome

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 to celebrate peace, mourn their loved – ones and to hope for the future, but not forgetting those still in conflict.

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.

It will be an opportunity for us all to remember the enormous sacrifices that were made at home and abroad and to joyously celebrate as people did 75 years ago, the arrival of peace in Europe.

We will remember the members of the Armed Forces and Merchant Navy from many countries who gave their lives or returned home injured in body and mind, the hard-working women and men who operated the factories, mines, shipyards and farms, and age ARP wardens, police officers, doctors, nurses, fireman, local defence volunteers and others who toiled selflessly on the home front during difficult times.

Friday 8th May 2020, has been designated by the Government as a Bank Holiday to enable as many towns, parishes district, community and other councils, along with individuals, voluntary organisations, the holiday and hospitality industry including pubs, clubs and hotels etc, to join in the VE Day 75 celebrations, so we do hope that you will take part over the VE Day weekend of the 8th – 10th May 2020, providing you with the opportunity to pay your personal tribute to those who gave so much to ensure we all enjoy the freedom we have today.

Commemorations will continue at 10.30am on Sunday 10th May with a service of remembrance and thanksgiving on board, with a bugler playing the Last Post and a veteran reading out the Tribute to the Millions. The final act of the day will see a wreath of poppies placed in the water.

We are already starting to receive various activities from all over the UK and other countries around the world in this anniversary, and for example, Marion and Alistair Walker will pay their personal tribute to the community of Pembrokeshire, Wales, aboard their beautifully restored 1944 RAF Air Sea Rescue Launch over the VE Day weekend. At 2.55pm on 8th May a local bugler will play the Last Post and Reveille from the deck of their launch at the Milford Haven Pontoon on the Cleddau River.

Stuart and Daphne King from Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, will be travelling to the Sandbostel WW2 memorial (also the memorial for Camp Marlag and Milag) near Hamburg, Germany. They will both raise a glass of refreshment and undertake the Nation’s Toast’ to the Heroes of WW2, in loving tribute to Stuart’s father George Arthur King (from the rows of Great Yarmouth) who served on HMS Bedouin(Tribal Class Destroyer).

His ship was deployed (just a month after his wedding in Ipswich) to ensure the safe arrival of a convoy of food ships for the people of Malta. George’s ship was torpedoed and sunk but he survived the cruel seas for 8 hours. After being rescued he was a POW for 3 years in Italy / Poland (Lamsdorf/ Lambinowice) and finally Sandbostel((Marlag/ Milag) near Hamburg.

He endured terrible suffering and had to witness terrible things to secure peace for Europe.

At 3pm that afternoon a lone piper will play the traditional tune Battle’s O’er and VE 75 Years, a new tune written for the anniversary. A number of WW II veterans will then raise a glass to undertake the Nation’s Toast’ to the Heroes of WW II.

Join the VE Day 75 Celebrations