Although the media is saturated with virus-focused news, I wanted to draw the attention back to VE Day; for a few reasons in particular.
This one, for me, will sadly be the first one I have spent without my ultimate war hero; my Dad. At 94 years old, he’ll be seeing in VE Day at home with my Mum, staying safe during these unpredictable times.
Each year, we reminisce about his own VE Day memories (one of the very few stories he tells about his time during the war). On April 25th 1945, my Dad was shot down from the sky. For some reason, he was taken to Cornwall (to this day he’s still unsure why but I could think of worse places to be, in all honesty). Here he was convalescing and on 8th May 1945, he heard Churchill’s announcement on the radio. I can only imagine the immense relief he felt. The fight was over. He could finally go home.
Ironically now, the world is battling a different war; an invisible struggle where front line fighters are armed with masks and ventilators instead of helmets and artillery.
I think it only fitting that we remember here; we have seen war before. We got through it. And we WILL get through this virus. These are resonated by the positive words of my fantastic Father and on this day, perhaps more than ever, I am so incredibly proud of him.
