"At last the day has come, and frankly no-one seems to know quite what to do about it. Last night there were terrific celebrations here, & we were busy with the old beam [searchlight] for a long time."
When my mother died, we found sacks of WW2 letters between her and my father in her loft. During the past few years I have transcribed them all before donating them to Hertford Record Office .
This letter was written by my father on VE day from Vlissingen in Holland. At that time it was censored (by an officer) as he was still not allowed to tell my mother where he was.
Transcript:
Victory in Europe (VE) Day
At last the day has come, and frankly no-one seems to know quite what to do about it. Last night there were terrific celebrations here, & we were busy with the old beam [searchlight] for a long time. I went to an Ensa show in the evening & missed the official declaration, though the behaviour of the civilians didn't leave much doubt. It was strange to feel, as we walked home, that we had really won & that we could at least look forward to seeing home again soon. Out to sea could be heard the ships hooting to each other & they were all giving the V sign, there were the big ships with their bass voices, then the not so bigs chimed in with a lighter note, & finally those ridiculous little hooters on the smaller craft added their shrill note to the din, guns were firing, rockets soaring, in fact everyone seemed to have gone mad, & we kept on walking home, no-one worried about us, & we didn't want it, I'm afraid all our thoughts were at home, & strange as it may seem, we were all horribly homesick. Anyway, we got back to site & fired off a few Jerry rounds, the villagers lit a bonfire, & we played around with our light for an hour or so, & everyone turned out to see the display, & all this before V day, so I don't know what will happen tonight. I know they have a feast, & want floodlighting for the village, what else they have in mind is still a bit of a mystery.
I couldn't get into church, without seeing the vicar, a thing I did not wish to do, they lock all churches over here, which I think is a very poor show. Anyhow, I guess my prayers were just as good outside, for I really meant all I said.
We are not likely to get very drunk, we had a free issue of NAAFI beer, three pints of glorified soda water, two of which have already gone, so you needn't worry on that score my darling, I hope you'll be as sober.
I visited the doctor the other night, he had a bottle of whisky which had been buried during the German occupation & which he had saved for three or four years for the fiest English "Tommies" who were near by on V day.
We spent a very pleasant evening together & heard a few war stories, he was in the underground movement, & do you know they hid a French pilot for three years, keeping him until the British arrived, these folk are very brave, & it is an experience to meet & talk with them.
I will write to you again in a day or two darling, & who knows? May be seeing you soon.
God Bless you.
Censored {by the officers}
View below taken in Vlissingen, Holland in March 1945. The local Police Chief and his daughter are standing on the left. The small boy in the front, aged about 11 years became the troop mascot - his name was Jo.
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