deliriouslove1970. The life & times of Gary and Denise Flanders. (Free and worth every penny. If you would like to compliment the editor, send to garytheflan@deliriouslove1970.com. If you would like to complain, call your mother.)

“VE Day – or ‘Victory in Europe Day’ – marks the day towards the end of World War Two (WW2) when fighting against Nazi Germany in Europe came to an end.

On 8 May 1945, Prime Minister Winston Churchill made an announcement on the radio at 3pm that the war in Europe had come to an end, following Germany’s surrender the day before.”

It was announced on May 1, 1945 that Adolf Hitler shot himself. His suicide was acknowledged by German leadership. His soldiers burned his body and the disposition of the ashes remain somewhat of a mystery.

Once Churchill announced the victory over Germany spontaneous celebrations erupted all over the world.

Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret snuck out of the Royal Palace and walked among the crowds. They danced and celebrated with everyone else.

The future Queen had served as a driver and mechanic during the war for the Auxiliary Transport service. She wore a uniform to blend in.

“We cheered the King and Queen on the balcony and then walked miles through the street. I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a tide of happiness and relief,” she added. 

They even went and did the conga at The Ritz, a luxury hotel in London – Queen Elizabeth described it as “one of the most memorable nights of my life”.

Those of us who were born after World War II do not have a frame of reference for what it must have been like. We have had our smaller wars, police actions, war on…whatever, but we have not had a period when the entire world was fighting. When millions of soldiers, Dads and Moms, Grandparents, Uncles, Aunts were in a foreign land and we had no idea where or how they were living or dying. For us Baby Boomers, that was our Dad’s and Moms.

I came across this song from 1945. I enjoyed it and came to find out it was the song that ‘ended WWII. Of course my Mom and all of her friends loved this song. And Mom loved it every time I sang it.