Grandad’s Diary. VE Day 1945

Entries for 7-9th May 1945

7-9th May – V-Day. St. Nich full of excited drinking people. Flags dancing cafes full. Civvies relieved not so us. Much damage caused by underground movement burning and destroying property of collaborators. No police action and watched by crowds. Very puzzling to me to see such fine property destroyed. Foresee much trouble in Belgium between these parties. Excuse for looting, etc.

After all that.

2 stints of active duty overseas in war. Risking his life for King and Country for nearly a year.

And when it’s over Grandad is in a foreign country watching something that ‘puzzles’ him – behaviour that he foresees will cause much trouble in the future.

This is a far cry from the VE day that I was hoping for.

Grandad’s Diary. 6th May 1945

Entries for week beginning 6th May 1945

Many celebrating V day but not official. People waiting for announcement parading the streets and standing in crowds.

Ah. The calm before the party… A full week ago Grandad observed the Dutch partying prematurely, and now the Belgians are at it. I wonder how much premature partying happened on the streets of the UK at this time. Tomorrow’s post on “V-Day” is strange because there is some confusion about whether VE day is 7th or 8th March.

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