大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Elizabeth Perez of Stockport Libraries on behalf of Elizabeth Chapman and has been added to the site with her permission. She fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

The great day that everyone remembered was Tuesday, May 8th, 1945. The war was finally over!

That evening in London, Winston Churchill, our great war-time Prime Minister, addressed the crowds that had gathered in Whitehall. From a balcony at the Ministry of Health, he told them: "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 deep resolve of the British nation. God bless you all".

The country gave itself up to great rejoicing. What happened? What didn't happen! There were street parties, pub parties - every kind of party! Bunting and red, white and blue decorations were everywhere. Amongst other festivities, I was invited to a Victory party in a neighbour's house where again, despite rationing, cakes, jellies, sausage rolls, trifles, all sorts of goodies had been conjured up from goodness knows where and there was great merrymaking.

A little country pub the 鈥淔armers Arms鈥�, not far from my home was surrounded by a picket fence. Everyone of the struts had been painted red, white and blue. Union Jacks hung out of every window. People lit bonfires. Black-out curtains were taken down and thrown away for ever. It was double British Summer Time at that period so it stayed light until quite late, ten-thirty or thereabouts. At their parties and bonfire people sang all the songs that had become popular during the war years: 鈥淏less 鈥榚m All鈥�; 鈥淲hen the Lights Come on Again鈥�; 鈥淲e鈥檙e Going to Hang Out the Washing on the Siegfried Line鈥� and the never-failing and everlasting 鈥淩oll Out the Barrel鈥�! What a celebration!

So it was all over at last! The world could get on with its business of living a normal and fulfilling life. There would be great readjustments to be made by everyone, but they would be made with a happy heart from now on.

As for myself, my childhood had disappeared with the war years. School was now behind me. I was almost an adult! I was on the very brink of a whole new life and I couldn鈥檛 wait to get started.

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