大象传媒

A LETTER TO MY DADDY ON VE DAY

Margaret Salter, aged 8, wrote to her father in the R.A.F. to describe the VE Day celebrations in Bournville, Birmingham

(She has given full permission to place her story on this site.)

(The Germans signed the unconditional surrender document in the early hours of Monday, 7th May, 1945. A public holiday was suddenly declared for Tuesday to mark Victory in Europe Day. The war in the Far East between the Allies and the Japanese went on until 14th August,1945.)

Dear Daddy,
I am going to tell you about my VE Week, it was such a pity you could not be home. On Tuesday Mummy thought I ought to go to school to know when to go back. There were about ten children there beside myself; two children said they had seen Mr. Hughes (the Headteacher) and Mrs. Lancaster, but they did not come and tell us what to do. After about 20 minutes of waiting, I walked home, and saw Mr. Ward (who owned the electrical shop) putting G.V.R.W.O.B.P. (meaning unknown - was it G VI R?) in lights, and pink flags up on the Green in front of the shops. In his window he had golden crowns with coloured lights for jewels. Mummy bought me a two-shilling Union Jack.

At eight o鈥檆lock (well past my usual bedtime) Mummy said 鈥淲e might as well go down and hear the King鈥檚 speech through Ward鈥檚 loudspeakers鈥�, and we did. When we got down onto the Green we saw a huge bonfire piled up in front of the Manor (an ancient black and white manor house). Mummy asked when it was going to be lit, and she was told 10 o鈥檆lock. So we waited. It was lit with large flares. After a bit we went to see the floodlighting at Cadbury鈥檚. Oh, I forgot to tell you, the fire-engine came, but they did not put the fire out, oh no!. They drove off again. (56 years later, I was told the bonfire had been built deliberately over the fire hydrant.)The floodlighting was simply MARVELLOUS! It lighted up the Works beautifully.(blackout had been enforced for the past six years, and the floodlights must have been erected in a few hours: I had never seen shops or streets lit up.)

When we came back, it was now about 11 p.m. and the Hitler guy was nearly consumed. It was an awfully good Hitler, with a swastika on head and arm. Then we danced until midnight on the Green, and I got an invitation to a Street Party in Maple Road.
So next afternoon I set out with Pam, Alan, and Margaret D., and all the mothers and fathers went too. There were long tables set up down the middle of the street, and everything you could have wished for was on the tables; lemonade, cakes, sponges, chocolate cake, chocolate biscuits, bread, fancy cakes and more.(This was after six years of rationing, where did it all come from? Sugar must have been hoarded for
months, in expectation.)Even when the grown-ups had had their tea, there was a lot left.Then we had games; potato and spoon, potato and bucket races, and more refreshments - icecream, oranges, sweets and lemonade and chocolate. Every child
had a prize. I had a drawing book and two pencils.I have already drawn two pictures.

There was going to be another bonfire, and we came down to the Green to see it. We saw the illuminated bus go by, all decorated with lights and VEs. It looked very pretty. Then we went back to the bonfire, and I learned to dance the Military Two-Step with Mummy. I went to bed no earlier than last night.

On Friday I went to stay with Auntie Bessie and Uncle Billy. On Saturday we went to Dudley Zoo. We had a lovely lunch of liver and mashed potato and cabbage, with lime to drink. It was very nice. Afterwards we went round the Zoo. I had a ride on a little Shetland pony, it was great fun. Auntie and I went up to the keep of the castle. It was a very pretty view up there, you can see for miles. We saw the elephant having an outing, and two bears trying to get each other into the pool.
Very much love from
Margaret xxxxxxxxxxxxx

(Explanatory comments in brackets. My father came home before VJ Day.)

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