We are not able to celebrate the 75th anniversary of VE Day as we intended, but nevertheless, some celebrations will take place around the parish. We’d love to collect photos of any of these. Please share them with us.
In the meantime, here is an article written in 1945, by the vicar of All Saints’, Daresbury, reflecting on the events of 75 years ago.
My dear Friends,
V.E.Day has come and passed. “England has saved herself by her exertions and Europe by her example” Victory in Europe Day and V.E. plus were spent in thanksgiving, as a short time of relaxation, and in providing teas and treats for the children and for social gatherings. The spirit of gratitude was very evident at the Service of Thanksgiving on V.E. Day and at the services on Victory Sunday. There was, too, the recognition of the great cost and hard struggle that nearly six years have meant to millions, of the price in life of hundreds of thousands of brave young people, and of the necessity to break the aggressor’s yoke in the Far East. In Europe victory at all costs, in spite of all terror, at the end of the long hard road, has been achieved outright – victory “against the most monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime” – civilisation has been snatched from the jaws of death and breathes again. Once again,as in the days of the Armada and of Trafalgar, this little island and Empire, for a long while alone in the world, and afterwards with our Allies have crushed the tyrant. We have now to strive for V.Z. Day to complete the task of freeing the world from tyranny, and to “build Jerusalem in England’s green and pleasant land” and in our world. Let us remember