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大象传媒 Essex Special Pearl Long鈥檚 Story

Pearl Long attended a VE Day party at Ensham School. Some of her memories 鈥 in her own words 鈥 鈥渨ouldn鈥檛 go on tape鈥. Her father, John Long, was a driver in the army and was at the Belson Prisoner of War camp. On VE Day, they opened the camp; freeing the prisoners and tried to help the survivors, and dealt with the corpses. John鈥檚 entire unit was given a bottle of spirit that night. He was given a bottle of brandy and his comment in a letter home said: "I had the mother of all hangovers; no man should have been asked to see what we have seen today." Image: VE Day street party held in the playground of Ensham School, Franciscan Road in Tooting London SW17