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Anthony Simmonds, 86, lives in West Dene, outside of Brighton.

Anthony kept a war diary throughout the war and Brighton Museum has this diary on display. The museum also has a ‘listening point’ with recordings of him reading from his diary and a display about him.

He recalls how he had started working at Lloyds Bank after leaving school. He was awaiting a call up into the RAF. It was announced on the wireless (radio) that 8 May 1945 would be a public holiday but to Anthony’s disappointment the bank manager told his staff that the bank would be open for business.

He was junior in the bank at the time and he remembers the postmark on the post had images of victory bells. His manager said they could all leave early, at 3pm, provided everything was in order.
So, all the staff rushed around to complete balancing the books and the manager told them they could leave at 3 o’clock. They went over the road to listen to Churchill's speech, which was being broadcast over loudspeakers in public places.

That evening the celebrations were in full swing with bonfires, cheering and dancing in every street. He later wrote an account of it in his diary which is on display in Brighton Museum.

Anthony says he sometimes gets confused between VE and VJ Day, but thinks it was on VE Day that there was a dancing conga from Brighton station to the clock tower.

He slept well that night knowing he wouldn’t be awoken by sirens instructing him to go to the air raid shelter. It was the first time he slept with peace of mind for nearly six years.

Image: VE Day celebrations

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