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[News] VE Day 2020



jakarta

Well-known member
May 25, 2007
15,738
Sullington
Thought this needed its own Thread as it will be on us in 90 minutes

This is going to be a strange occasion, so many things should have taken place that will now not happen.

Such a contrast to 1945 when everyone came out onto the streets to be together and celebrate.

Will personally be raising a glass to Sgt Jack Barnes of the Cheshire Regiment who did the lot from 1939 in France (out via Dunkirk) to 1945 in Italy via North Africa.

My Grandad. :salute:
 






Swansman

Pro-peace
May 13, 2019
22,320
Sweden
One of the greatest days in the history of Europe!

I will raise a glass for...... hmm...

Im just gonna do a walk of shame.
 




jakarta

Well-known member
May 25, 2007
15,738
Sullington
Thought this needed its own Thread as it will be on us in 90 minutes

This is going to be a strange occasion, so many things should have taken place that will now not happen.

Such a contrast to 1945 when everyone came out onto the streets to be together and celebrate.

Will personally be raising a glass to Sgt Jack Barnes of the Cheshire Regiment who did the lot from 1939 in France (out via Dunkirk) to 1945 in Italy via North Africa.

My Grandad. :salute:

Oh and hanging out a couple of Union Jacks off of our front gate.
 






AmexRuislip

Retired Spy 🕵️‍♂️
Feb 2, 2014
34,776
Ruislip
A certain percentage of the military that would've been participating in the celebrations, are being utilised elsewhere.
Still marvellous people though.
 


Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
NSC Patron
Apr 5, 2014
25,940
I'll raise a glass to my late uncle who went over on DDay +6 and was among the group who liberated Belsen. He never spoke to me of his experiences and I only heard second hand of the horrors.
 




albiongirl

Well-known member
Jul 10, 2003
2,310
mileoak
I'll be thinking of my grandad he would have been 100 in January he died in 2013. Like Captain Tom he was in India. I feel for all the organisers and all the veterans missing this monumental occasion as this would have been the last celebration. Rememberance Sunday if goes ahead will be emotional.

Sent from my SM-G770F using Tapatalk
 


Icy Gull

Back on the rollercoaster
Jul 5, 2003
72,015
I love the way really old people tell you how old they are at the first opportunity :lolol:

Looking forward to watching today’s programmes, loving the 102 year old Sergeant Major lady! How great to still have all your marbles at that age!
 


el punal

Well-known member
Aug 29, 2012
12,551
The dull part of the south coast
I love the way really old people tell you how old they are at the first opportunity :lolol:

Looking forward to watching today’s programmes, loving the 102 year old Sergeant Major lady! How great to still have all your marbles at that age!

I’ll have you know Sonny Jim, when I fought in the Boer War . . . . . :cool:
 




el punal

Well-known member
Aug 29, 2012
12,551
The dull part of the south coast
I’ll be raising a glass today for my Mum and Dad, both sadly gone many a year ago.

For my Mum, today is her birthday and she would have been a 100. Happy Birthday Mum!

For my Dad, an RAF pilot in the war who was shot down and sent to Stalag Luft III, famous for the Great Escape, for the duration. Well done Dad, thanks for doing your bit and thanks to all who helped us preserve civilisation - we are eternally grateful. :bowdown:
 


Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
NSC Patron
Apr 5, 2014
25,940
At first I wasn't sure what the VE day holiday was celebrating in the modern era. Then I saw some of the footage and realised it's about them not us. It's the relief we feel for our parents and grandparents that something terrible is almost over. It's about the respect I have for my uncle who was among those who liberated Belsen but could never talk of the horrors. It's about the fear that my dad experienced when dodging a lone wolf's machine gun on his way back from school. It about the fearless nature of my grandma who ferried kids coming out of the nearby school into her house to avoid them being mowed down by the bullets of a German gunner.

So I don't feel proud in a PPF fist waving on the white cliffs way. That's not my thing. Ultimately nobody wins. Someone just ends it. I just feel happy for 1945. I think we should toast the end of their suffering and everything good that came after- and of course be forever thankful to the few who remain and served us so well.
 


Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat
I find it strange celebrating VE Day nowadays when it wasn’t celebrated before. Remembrance Day was always the day for looking back.
My Dad would have been 100 now, serving from 35-68 in the RN, but sadly died 22 years ago. There are very few left now. He would have been puzzled by today.
 




Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
NSC Patron
Apr 5, 2014
25,940
I find it strange celebrating VE Day nowadays when it wasn’t celebrated before. Remembrance Day was always the day for looking back.
My Dad would have been 100 now, serving from 35-68 in the RN, but sadly died 22 years ago. There are very few left now. He would have been puzzled by today.

It is the way I felt too. Then there's the worry that the boneheads will hijack it.

But i think if we remember who in our line were there, whether serving or not, and try to feel their happiness. Then it makes you want to get the wine glass out, raise it, and say 'Well done everyone, you made it through- and then we got to live because of it. Cheers ! '.
 


Seasider78

Well-known member
Nov 14, 2004
6,011
Wish the media would stop trying to draw parallels between the war and the current situation. Sat at home with all of your luxuries, plenty of food and technology linking you to anyone you want to see and speak to is not in anyway comparable to family members being called to the front line to what could easily be their death why the remaining families contend with bombing raids.

It is days like today that if anything should remind us how lucky we really are we have not had to go through what our grandparents did
 


Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat
Wish the media would stop trying to draw parallels between the war and the current situation. Sat at home with all of your luxuries, plenty of food and technology linking you to anyone you want to see and speak to is not in anyway comparable to family members being called to the front line to what could easily be their death why the remaining families contend with bombing raids.

It is days like today that if anything should remind us how lucky we really are we have not had to go through what our grandparents did

It's the jingoism in the media that I find so galling. I have seen several references to Victory over Europe, when it stands for Victory in Europe. There's hardly any reference to the Allies.
At the Cenotaph in November you will see representatives of the Commonwealth who fought alongside us, Free French and Poles, plus mentions of the Resistance movements.

Peace is the celebration, not nostalgia.
 


jakarta

Well-known member
May 25, 2007
15,738
Sullington
I find it strange celebrating VE Day nowadays when it wasn’t celebrated before. Remembrance Day was always the day for looking back.
My Dad would have been 100 now, serving from 35-68 in the RN, but sadly died 22 years ago. There are very few left now. He would have been puzzled by today.

I may be wrong but I'm sure the 50th anniversary was commemorated as well? And that is what I feel today is, a commemoration of the Day rather than a celebration. I am sure my Grandad would have appreciated that.

Remembrance Day is for all conflicts e.g. Malaysia, Korea, the Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan etc.. Or at least that is my reading of it.

EDIT: Found two more Union Jacks in garage so those are going either side of the front door!
 




Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat
I may be wrong but I'm sure the 50th anniversary was commemorated as well? And that is what I feel today is, a commemoration of the Day rather than a celebration. I am sure my Grandad would have appreciated that.

Remembrance Day is for all conflicts e.g. Malaysia, Korea, the Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan etc.. Or at least that is my reading of it.

EDIT: Found two more Union Jacks in garage so those are going either side of the front door!

There was a commemoration of 50th anniversary of Dday and subsequent years of that.
I'm not entirely comfortable with all the Union flags flying when it was the Allies who won the Peace not just Britain.
 


portslade seagull

Well-known member
Jul 19, 2003
17,952
portslade
Don't forget the spitfire flyover in Worthing for the ' Care for veterans rest home' around 1.20 ish. Flying from the east so should spot it in Brighton
 


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