"The church bells are ringing out this afternoon. The peals of victory all over Great Britain and Ireland."
The letter was written by my grandfather, William John Dawes, to his son, my father, William Edward Dawes, on VE Day. It was posted to my father on 10 May 1945. My father was in D Squadron of the 1st King’s Dragoon Guards and was in posted in North Africa and then travelled up through Italy.
My grandfather described the celebrations on VE Day where he lived in Bristol as well as the events taking place nationally.
The letter was found when we were sorting my father’s effects following his death in 2004.
Transcript:
Tues May 8th 1945.
Dear Ed
This is VE Day. Victory in Europe, it is now about 10 to 8, and giving promise of a fair day, at 3 o'clock today, Mr Churchill is broadcasting the official announcement of the unconditional surrender of all the German armed forces to the British, Americans and Russians and their allies.
Today and tomorrow has been declared general holidays, and all workers are to get two days holiday, with pay, and those who cannot have the days off are to get double pay, and get two day holiday later.
The King is broadcasting to the British Commonwealth, and to the World tonight at 9 o'clock double summertime.
Today and tomorrow are to be days of general rejoicing and Thanksgiving. In all the churches and chapels throughout the country there is to be thanksgiving services held tonight at 7.30 and 8 P.M.
The cinemas are to be opened all day, all restrictions as to lighting are taken off and flood lighting is to be allowed on a small scale, they are to be allowed to make use of Searchlights and to make bonfires, but must not use anything that is good for salvage.
I just heard the 8 o'clock news. They started celebrations last night in London. They had bonfires and fireworks there. The Centre here is to be fully lighted tonight. And I hear that Cabot Tower is to be flood lighted.
The flags and bunting are flying everywhere, the bungalows just below my allotment on the same side got bunting all along the front and a flag up on the chimney.
[unclear]. I had to leave this to go shopping and to see the decorations. Most of the shops have closed at 11-AM. Stapleton church Bells were ringing for about an hour this morning, there is crowds of people about, there is hardly a shop but what is decorated some only slightly and some are done well, Station Av and Lambrook Road are decorated well. Pound Lane is not so bad.
Con and Irene are busy making a streamer of flags of the Allies to hang from our house to Turners and we got some small flags out of the front bedroom window.
It is lovely and fine now, I suspect there will be crowds in town tonight. The flood lighting is to be an hour after sunset until 11.30.PM both tonight and tomorrow night. Mum and I will go to town tomorrow all being well. I called at Dickinson and paid for 200 Players No 3 Cigarettes to send to you, they said they would reach you in about three weeks.
At 3.PM Mr Churchill made the announcement of the official end of the war in Europe which ends officially at 1 minute after midnight tonight the 8th of May. The cease fire has been sounded, and obeyed all along the front, except a small patch of Prague. The B.B.C. broadcast a thanksgiving service from an Aircraft Station in England, and now they are giving us a part of the rejoicing in London, at Bucking Palace, Trafalgar Square, and then to Edinburgh, then to Cardiff and Belfast.
The church bells are ringing out this afternoon. The peals of victory all over Great Britain and Ireland. Mum and the girls been busy all the morning altering the curtains, and re-fixing them after taking down the blackout and the side shutters in the front room, we are going to have tea now, Con, Gwyneth, the girls and a teacher from Staple Hill are going to town and Mum and I will go out for a walk and then to a service in our chapel tonight.
Thanks for the letter we received from you last week, we were very glad to hear that you were OK, although you had been moved, very glad to tell you we are all OK here.
Irene received your two letters to her yesterday morning. The noises and sounds I'm hearing as I am writing this is annoying cannot describe it must now close wishing you all the best and fondest.
Love from Mum and Dad.
Tagged:VE Day
Contributed by:Lynne Dawes
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