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This story is submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by a member of Market Harborough Branch, Royal British Legion on behalf of Ken West and has been added to the site with his permission. Mr West fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

Ken West鈥檚 VE Day.

3 o'clock train from London Road (Leicester) station. After a most miserable journey we arrived at Victoria Station where normally every pass and paybook was scrutinised most meticulously by the 'Red Caps', this time it was "straight through lads" without a single check. They just wanted rid of us. As the train passed through London, the whole of the capital seemed to be on fire. Great bonfires burned at every street corner where crowds of people danced and sang, waving and cheering us as we passed, just a brief half hour of celebration on a miserable journey.

At Dover, the usually officious RTO's were missing and we were on to the ferry in double quick time. Like everyone else they wanted us out of the way. A troop train awaited us at Calais and we were off into the night. Dawn had scarcely broken as we halted at the sidings of Armenti猫res, the normal stopping place for the change of engines or re-fuelling. We were told there would be a two-hour wait.

Carriage doors flew open, a mass of khaki de-trained and were over the fence and across the road to the cafes, where the locals were still celebrating from the previous day. Toasts were drunk and we danced with the mademoiselles of Armenti猫res as they celebrated their liberation.

Shouts of "All aboard" caused a scramble back over the fence to catch the train as it slowly drew away, with everyone happy that we'd celebrated VE Day, albeit a day late!

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