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At the time the enigma machine was extremely slow and so Alan Turing who’s an absolute genius created the ‘Bombe’ which was a vast machine with six rows of drums at the front and coupling jacks at the back. We had a menu from which to work!

Above all, we missed the camaraderie; the trust and the real friendship which crossed barriers and helped give us all that added strength to get through six years of war.

As the vivid memories of VE day come flooding back, I am reminded of the euphoric joy and relief that embraced us all on that unforgettable day.
Now, 80 years young, I recall with pride and historic event with great magnitude that acclaimed freedom for our nation and her allies after six years of war.
Thousands of our boys had paid the supreme sacrifice in defending us from a brutal Nazi regime and so, today, I remember the relief of unrestrained jubilation on VE Day. I was serving in the WRNS at the time in the P5 category of the enigma. We had just completed the night watch at 8am, but we were gripped by the buzz of excitement that suddenly erupted in the entire country with unanimous and unrivalled celebration.
Together with four friends, we decided we had to be in London.
We travelled on the underground which was already packed like sardines and arriving at Trafalgar square we made for the fountain.
At this point some Canadian airmen approached us, requesting a photograph to send to the families at home. Familiar music and all the wonderful war time songs were being relayed through loud speaker.
The voice of Vera Lynn received tremendous response as we all danced and sang.
Winston Churchill, our Great War time leader, gave his war time speech, which of course received a rapturous reception.
His speeches throughout the war had already claimed legendary status for their strength of delivery, their comfort and their reassurance / and his unyielding statement "we will never surrender"
We had lost track of time we were simply drunk with happiness as we wandered towards the mall in this overwhelming atmosphere of human affection, trust and camaraderie.
Suddenly we were hailed by a group of young people on a massive horse drawn cart.
"Hey there, Jenny wren" they invited and the next moment we were being hoisted unceremoniously to find ourselves in the company of medical students from St Mary’s hospital Paddington.
Somehow, through the dense mass of revelling humanity, we reached a pub called The Bag O'Naills where we all drank to piece - and the horses were fed and watered.
During this period of brief relaxation I had become separated from my friends enjoying the company of the medical students called Martin.
We walked hand in hand along Buckingham Palace Road.
At the palace the royal family and Winston Churchill were on the balcony, responding to the dense crowd who were cheering and shouting for Winston.
We then wandered into Hyde Park where the rest of the world had gathered too.
As we lay in each others arms, we vowed what ever the future held for us, the precious memory of VE day would live in our hearts forever, and we prayed that the dawn would never break.
So began a beautiful relationship.
To this day it lifts the spirit and touches the heart to recall a treasured and meaningful friendship that began on VE DAY.
Let us never underestimate the character of our nation - the true grit that finds its strength and its voice when the dark clouds gather and all seems lost.

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