大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Nadine from the People鈥檚 War team on behalf of Marion Galbraith and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

With the imminent arrival of the end of the War in Europe, my uncle who worked at the House of Commons (not an M.P.) contacted me in Oxford where I was working.
My uncle told me to bring a friend and come to London to witness something special at the House.

I need no further bidding and asked my school friend, Christian Rycroft who had served some 3 years in the W.R.N.S. to join me for a very early train to London on May 8th. The train was packed out, I sat on the floor. It seemed half the country had converged on the capital 鈥� the streets were a seething mass of people.

Somehow we reached the House of Commons and Uncle met us saying that at 10 o鈥檆lock that morning he, Christian and I were to line the corridor along which shortly before 11.00 am, the Prime Minister - Mr Churchill, Mr Attlee, the rest of the Cabinet and Members of Parliament, would pass, two by two, on their way to attend a service of Thanksgiving at St.Margaret鈥檚 Church, Westminster, Parish Church of the House of Commons.

Excitement and anticipation grew. We stood, backs to the walls on both sides of the corridor. Then came whispering, a murmured 鈥淭hey鈥檙e coming鈥� and then Mr Churchill and Mr Attlee came into view, slowly advancing.

Mr Churchill was on our side. He passed within a foot of me. I could have put out my hand and touched him. But my eyes were fixed on his face; no sign triumph 鈥� just a deep thankfulness to Almighty God that the war in Europe was over.

I have no recollection of what happened next or where we listened to Mr Churchill鈥檚 speech at 3.00 pm that day. I remember clearly that we made our way down to Buckingham Palace through throngs of people, many in uniform, children of all ages, most singing down to the Palace to shout, as we did. 鈥淲e want the King!鈥�
The pressure of people was so great that, together with a few others we formed a square so as to get some air 鈥� we were up against the railings.

When the King and Queen came out and Princess Elizabeth in A.T.S. uniform and Princess Margaret, the crowd, ourselves included, 鈥渨ent mad鈥�, but when Mr Churchill joined them on the balcony, a mighty roar went up and shouts of 鈥淕ood old Winnie鈥�, as he gave his famous 鈥淰鈥� for Victory sign.

The rest is history. But for one, I shall never, ever forget the enormous privilege of being so close to Mr Churchill, in my humble opinion, the greatest Englishman that ever lived. At boarding school we were all allowed to come downstairs in our dressing gowns to listen on the radio at 9.00 pm.

On May 8th 2005, I telephoned Christian in Canterbury, still a close friend
- at 10.00 pm to ask if she remembered what we had been doing 60 years before? She said she had thought of phoning me but wasn鈥檛 too sure鈥�.. so she was very glad that I was able to fill her in.

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