The coronavirus epidemic is already looking like it could be the greatest crisis facing this country since the war – one of those extremely rare occasions when normal life is swept away. I’ve sometimes wondered what living through a war must be like, and it feels like we’re getting an inkling right now.
There were two celebrations marking the end of World War II, VE Day and VJ Day. VE (Victory in Europe) Day, on 8 May 1945, was when people celebrated the Allies’ formal acceptance of Germany’s unconditional surrender the previous day. This year’s May Day holiday was moved from Monday 4 May to Friday 8 so we could celebrate again on that 75th anniversary. But with an embargo on gatherings as we struggled to cope with our latest crisis, commemorations became low-key and reflective, rather than celebratory. That was maybe no bad thing.
The war did not end in May, as Japan fought on until atom bombs were dropped in August. VJ (Victory over Japan) Day, on 15 August 1945, marked the day Imperial Japan surrendered, although final signing was 2 September on the deck of US battleship Missouri.
My late father-in-law was away from these islands for five years on military service, fought at Tobruk and 2nd El Alamein, returned home to marry in November 1944, then promptly left again. My beloved wife was born 20 days after the ceremony aboard the Missouri. She was nearly a war baby. Against this backdrop of warfare, just what happened in Berkshire?
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