…it was VE Day.
Something to celebrate then, and some survivors could start coming home, and rebuilding lives.
Of course, many wouldn’t be coming home, and many had no home, or country to come back to. And there was still the war in the Far East; and though probably a forgone conclusion, no-one really knew how much longer or how many more were to be maimed or killed before it was all over.
Having interviewed a veteran who flew and fought from 1939 – 1945 this Friday just gone, he was very aware of the gift of a post-war life in a free country, and another chance. He did well, as he knows. Many others on his 1936 pilot’s course did not.
Just a moment’s thought.
By: sea vixen - 8th May 2006 at 23:03
very very sad…
everyone who fought in them dark years are all heroes to me. my grandfather fought in the first world war, i can remember him telling me how hard and sometimes how terrible it was.. i will never forget the brave men and woman who gave there lives for us, and still doing so….
By: EN830 - 8th May 2006 at 22:42
One that didn’t come back 61 years ago May 9 1945. Corporal Albert George Thompson of the 7th Btn Worcester Regiment. Albert was taken prisoner on 26 May 1940 and spent the rest of the war as a guest of the German authorities. Albert was one of 5,000 POW’s marched out of Stalag 383 at Hahenfels before the camp was liberated by the Americans in late April 1945. The march lasted for 13 days before the POW’s were finally abandoned by their captors in Straubing. Albert and a couple of compatriots found themselves in Paris for VE day, and on the very next day, scheduled to fly out from Juvincourt as part of operation Exodus.
Albert along with 25 fellow POW’s boarded a 514 Sqn Lancaster (RF230) to fly home on the morning of the 9th. Unfortunately the POW’s were all placed to the rear of the aircraft and the pilot found the aircraft to be uncontrollable on take off, and it crashed approximately 1 mile east of the airfield killing all 31 on board.
Albert was/would have been my wifes Cousin
By: topgun regect - 8th May 2006 at 10:19
They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and inthe morning, we will remember them
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May 8, 2006 at 8:36 am