Remembering VE Day – 80 years on

Matt Limb OBE, creator and host of the podcast Veterans Voices UK, shares veterans’ memories on this special anniversary.

8th May1945, Victory in Europe Day, often known simply as VE Day. A day that marked the long-awaited end of the war in Europe. After nearly six years of conflict, Germany’s surrender was signed and announced, sparking celebrations across Britain and beyond. Germany’s unconditional surrender was signed on 7th May 1945 in Reims, France. It became effective on 8th May 1945, at one minute past 11 that night.

From Downing Street, Prime Minister Winston Churchill addressed a war-weary nation, declaring the fight in Europe was over. In a stirring speech, he acknowledged the immense effort of the British people, adding, “Everyone, man or woman, has done their best. Everyone has tried. Neither the long years, nor the dangers, nor the fierce attacks of the enemy, have in any way weakened the independent resolve of the British nation. God bless you all.”

Crowds filled the streets, church bells rang out and for a moment, the hardships of war gave way to relief and happiness.

Yet, even as Europe erupted in celebration, the war in the Far East was far from over, with brutal battles continuing until Japan’s surrender in September 1945. For many service personnel, the promise of going home remained a distant dream amongst the VE Day celebrations.

Last living links
Now, as we witness the 80th anniversary of VE Day, the voices of those who lived through that day, our World War II veterans, must take centre stage. They are the last living links to that great moment in history, their memories a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made and the resilience of a generation that shaped the world we live in today.

It is a generation which has seen profound change, with many speaking of fathers serving in the Great War. Sadly, we do not know how many of this generation remain; as their stories fade from living memory into history, this 80th anniversary may be our last chance to hear first-hand from those who served – men and women who answered the call without hesitation, never counting the cost, or questioning the cause.

Over the years, I have had the great privilege of meeting many veterans, not only the heroes of World War II but also those who served in more recent conflicts.

Among World War II veterans, one question has often arisen: “Where were you on VE Day and what do you remember?” I am delighted to share just a few of those remarkable memories.

I clearly remember meeting Ernest Tryner for the first time while researching my book on World War II veterans. Ernest, who will turn 100 later this summer, spoke with both pride and passion about his service during the war.

His family hailed from the Lincolnshire-Leicestershire border, with ties to the Belvoir Estate, and he shared fond memories of his father’s service in the Great War. Ernest, however, followed a different path, training to be a teacher.

Because of his teacher training, his conscription was deferred, but he remembers vividly being told about the D-Day landings while training at Sobraon Barracks in Lincoln. Soon after completing further training he was posted to the 5th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders, joining them in the aftermath of the Normandy landings.

Ernest quickly qualified as a Regimental Signaller and still has the crossed flags he was awarded. He recalled his role during one of the most decisive actions of the war, the crossing of the Rhine. “The bank was probably 15ft-20ft high. We dug in at the bottom of it with our radios, waiting, not knowing what lay ahead. The battalion was behind us.”

Under cover of smoke and mortar fire, Ernest crossed the Rhine and entered a small industrial area, already ablaze. The real battle, however, lay ahead in the village of Groin, which the battalion had to take.

“It was one of the worst days in the war,” Ernest told me. “The casualties were high. I think we lost 26 men, and many more were wounded, around 120, I believe.” He added: “That was the worst night I can remember. The noise, the buildings blazing, the silhouettes of men against the flames – I’ll never forget it.”

As VE Day approached, Ernest’s ordeal was not yet over. He was briefly taken prisoner by a German parachute regiment. Thankfully his captivity lasted only a matter of hours before his battalion advanced, freeing him.

Ernest recalled crossing a narrow bridge and having to step over the body of one of his own men. “He was surely the last of our men to lay down his life, because the fighting ended the next day. We were ordered to do nothing unless attacked – I think it was 4th May 1945.”

On VE Day, Ernest witnessed the surrender of German naval marines. “The marines were immaculate, with polished jackboots and smart uniforms, probably trying to impress us. They saluted every officer, but we weren’t in the mood to be impressed.”

Following VE Day, Ernest was posted to Berlin as part of the occupying forces, before being discharged from the Army in February 1946. He returned to his chosen profession of teaching, a career he continued with dedication until his retirement in 1985.

Coastal Command
While Lincolnshire is famous for its deep ties to Bomber Command during World War II, when I met Arthur Walker I discovered a different side of the Royal Air Force. Arthur, who had just celebrated his 100th birthday, served with Coastal Command and listening to his memories was remarkable.

His story begins during the Blitz in London, followed by evacuation and then a college placement in Aberdeen, with plans of becoming a pilot in the Royal Air Force.

During aircrew training, Arthur was selected to become a pilot navigator, but as he told me, there came a turning point. The RAF was losing many air gunners, and he was asked to switch roles. “To help the war effort, I agreed,” Arthur said, and before long he was at the air gunnery school based in Stranraer, Scotland.

Once qualified as an air gunner, Arthur was told he was lucky as he’d been selected for Coastal Command, rather than Bomber Command. Soon, he was in Liverpool boarding a ship for New York, followed by a train to Miami and another boat out to Nassau in the Bahamas. It was then he realised just how lucky he truly was.

At just 18, Arthur was flying in Liberators over the Atlantic, hunting German submarines, conducting search-and-rescue missions and carrying out aerial photography. “I didn’t just sit in the rear turret for 10 hours submarine hunting,” he told me. “We all took turns on the radio and on the early, primitive radar to keep watch.”

I asked Arthur where he was on VE Day. Without hesitation, he replied, “I was flying a photographic flight, listening on the radio with the skipper, when we heard it: The war is over. I shouted it out and the skipper just said, ‘Sod it, we’re going back’. We turned around, landed, the party had already started. It was incredible.” Arthur chuckled as he admitted he surfaced from the free beer many hours later, but the celebrations lasted about three days.

Arthur told me VE Day was one of his most memorable days and the last time he flew in a Liberator. After the war, he returned to Europe, left the RAF, and went on to train as a teacher in York. With time, Arthur became a headmaster in County Durham, retiring in 1985. Looking back, Arthur said: “I loved my time in the Air Force. I had a great time, it’ll stay with me for the rest of my life.”

Royal Navy veteran
Pete Cook, who turns 100 later this year, grew up on the family farm and was exempt from military service, but after seeing many of his friends from the village join up, he was determined not to be left behind.

His father had served in the Great War, as a good horseman, he had joined the Yeomanry. But as Pete recalled, “When he came home, and for the rest of his life, he didn’t say much about the war.”

Pete left home just before his 18th birthday, enlisting in the Royal Navy. It was the first time he had been on a train on his own, travelling to HMS Collingwood near Portsmouth for his basic training. Gunnery training followed at nearby Whale Island, then a posting to Scotland. He was part of a Combined Operations unit at a commando training base, learning to crew various landing craft; a role he later realised was in preparation for the Allied landings on D-Day.

But it was his posting to HMS Loch Quoich, one of the new anti-submarine frigates, that saw Pete finally go to sea. He joined the ship during her sea trials off the Isle of Mull; it was a steep learning curve, as he’d never been aboard a ship before.

When I asked Pete if he remembered VE Day, he told me about the days leading up to it. “I remember a map with lots of crosses on it, we were in the Irish Sea. Being nosey, I asked what the crosses were. ‘Known submarines,’ came the reply. Less than half an hour later, the sirens went – we’d pinged our first submarine.”

On VE Day, Admiral Dönitz, commander of the German navy, ordered all U-boats in the Atlantic and Irish Sea to surface with muzzle covers on. The Quoich’s crew boarded three of them: “They were just young lads like us. We had a language problem, but they followed us as we escorted them to the Foyle Estuary near Londonderry.

“I remember on VE Day, the old man shouted to splice the main brace, we did, heavily. We didn’t splice it again until VJ Day – by then we were in the Far East.”

As Pete reminds us, VE Day was not the end of the war. By summer 1945 he was in the Far East, then after VJ Day his ship sailed between the islands, taking the surrender of isolated Japanese units who hadn’t yet learned the war was over.

In 1946, Pete was back in Portsmouth and home on the farm, where he’s remained ever since. “It was hard getting back to manual work. We were still breeding horses, I’d ride them and break them in. Plus, we had dairy cows to milk every day.”

Pete worked the farm well into his 80s and although he always loved his farm life, he admits: “All that said, my time in the Royal Navy did open my eyes.”

Sacrifices for freedom
As we commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we must not let these memories fade with time.

The voices of our World War II veterans – those who stood in the streets and celebrated, those who were still serving overseas and those who bore the scars of war – are not just stories from the past; they are our living legacies. They remind us of the sacrifices made for the freedoms we enjoy today.

We are often told to wear our poppies with pride, but remembrance should not be confined to anniversaries. Honouring our veterans is not just about wreaths laid at memorials or flags raised on special occasions. It is about ensuring that those who served, whether in World War II or more recent encounters, receive the respect, care and support they deserve every day.

As a nation, we must ask ourselves: Are we doing enough? Many of the veterans who fought for our freedom now find themselves in need, many facing loneliness, struggling with physical and mental health, or battling a system that too often fails to provide them with the dignity they have earned. The way we treat our veterans today reflects who we are, not just as a nation, but as people.

Let this anniversary not just be a chance for a moment of reflection, but a call to action and a motivation, to listen, learn and ensure that those who served our country are never forgotten – in words or in deeds.

Veterans Voices UK – keeping stories alive
During the days leading up to Remembrance Day last autumn, after months of research, planning and preparation, I launched the podcast Veterans Voices UK, with one simple but important goal: to capture and share the personal stories of those who have served.

As a veteran myself, I know military service is about far more than war stories; it’s about camaraderie, resilience and the lasting impact that service has on those who wear the uniform.

Too often veterans’ stories go untold, lost to time or reduced to military records and statistics that fail to capture their fears, thoughts, excitement and the lifelong effects of their service.

Veterans Voices UK hopes to change that. The idea for the podcast came after many years of leading battlefield tours, where I had the privilege of meeting veterans who shared their experiences, often at the very places where history was made. But time and again, I realised that once those conversations ended, so did their stories.

The driving force behind Veterans Voices UK is to ensure these memories are preserved and shared for future generations to learn from. Every episode helps preserve an individual living legacy.

You can listen to Veterans Voices UK on your favourite podcast platform, simply search Veterans Voices UK – or visit www.VeteransVoices.UK

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