V.E. Day, a poem by Jean Amor

V.E. DAY 

I'm glad I lived through all those years of great and bitter war, 

I saw a nation strive and pray like it never had before 

Its youth shone forth with valor, every boy a man, 

A unity between us, we fought as no other can. 

We worked the fields together while they fought high in the sky.

We saw the hand of death, but with spirits ever high -

Watched destruction to our land until nothing looked the same. 

Gallant heroes dearly loved within the halls of fame -

Gave their lives so freely, They only knew the Spring 

Side by side we toiled, only labour could soon bring -

An end to the fighting, an end to all the strife. 

How the years dragged on taking precious days of life 

But how we loved and shared our every hope and dream, 

Devoted to our cause. all together as a team, 

The ever tightening bond that joined each one of us 

How we faced all dangers without fuss 

Oh! yes I'm proud that I once saw the rising of this Nation 

Jean Amor, 
Eton Wick. 

V.E. Day in Eton Wick

A day long programme of events to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day had been organised by the Eton Wick Village Association. Their Facebook page has details.

Tuesday MAY 8th, 1945.  V.E. DAY.

With the declaration of a two day holiday the nation commenced its celebration with church services which many attended to give thanks for victory and deliverance from tyranny. Flags and bunting appeared on the Tuesday morning in Windsor and Slough giving the streets a look of carnival. Celebrations had started quietly in the early part of the day, the crowds gathering during the early afternoon after the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, had broadcast to the nation that all hostilities in Europe were at an end. Nightfall brought more people onto the streets to cheer and dance. Bonfires were lit at many places, with the Mayor of Windsor lighting a huge bonfire on Batchelors Acre, Windsor, the signal for the start of celebrations that went on into the early hours on Wednesday. Other hastily gathered bonfires appeared onto which went effigies of Hitler and his cronies. Eton College boys had commenced their celebration of victory on Monday evening when the first news of the surrender was heard.

Alma Road VE Day Party held at the Village Hall

The use of buckets of water and stirrup pumps by the Boys did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of revellers who had to run the gauntlet along the long wall and Keate’s Lane. The next day they were given a holiday and immediately set about building a huge bonfire on Fellows Eyot which was lit in the evening. The scene was one of merriment with people dancing around the fire enthused with the excitement of the occasion. As the fire died away many boys linked arms to make a triumphant march up Eton High Street to Windsor where they met another joyous crowd coming from Windsor making their way to Slough. Many of the boys carried on their celebrations with a triumphant march over Windsor Bridge to Castle Hill.                           

VE Day Party at Somerfield Road, Eton Wick

The local Windsor and Slough papers reporting on the Victory Revels said that a two day holiday was declared and the joyous population danced, sung, cheered and wept celebrating the news. Church Bells rang out from Saint Georges Chapel and from all the parish churches around. It was a beautiful warm day with the temperature much higher than the average for the time of year. At nightfall the celebrations took off with a bang as rockets exploded in the sky. Men, women and children thronged the streets of Windsor, Eton and Slough in a night of sheer happiness that the war in Europe had ended. No more would there be anxious days when bomb or rocket would bring death and destruction. By late evening many of the pubs had run dry but the festivities continued to the early hours of Wednesday morning. No-one wanted to go home. The only floodlit building in Eton was the College Chapel but elsewhere floodlighting and fairy lights appeared. Among buildings lit were High Duty Alloys on the Trading Estate, Slough Town Hall and the Windsor riverside with colourful fairy lights. Army searchlights added to the illuminations. Villages around the district were also celebrating with bonfires and parties and impromptu dancing on the village greens and in the streets. The sky reflected the glow from the multitude of fires which in some villages were huge. The very large bonfire on the village green at Datchet commenced a night of celebration which continued through until Wednesday night when there was the added attraction of dancing to the music of the Royal Artillery band from the local Ack - Ack batteries.  For many children this was the first time to see lights in shop windows and such an outburst of gaiety.  Informal street parties and celebration teas for the children took place with tables and chairs and often a piano being brought from the houses. Street parties at Brocas street and Tangier Lane were arranged for the children who in addition to the tea were given an orange and one shilling.   

Mr Addaway, driver of the Blue Bus, had a very excited passenger on V.E. Day. Streaming two strong wartime toilet rolls, Mrs Downs, showing the joyfulness of the day, rode on the bonnet of the bus. Celebration parties at Eton Wick were quickly organized at Northfield Road, the Village Hall and on the common adjacent to the Greyhound public house. Precious tin food that had been purchased on points and stored for this day came from the cupboard. The Victory street party in Northfield Road, organized by Mrs Harman and friends, entertained about twenty children and the same number of adults to a celebration tea with fruit salad from the Azores and a special iced cake in the shape of a victory "V". Private Mills, who was home on leave after three years overseas service, was guest of honour. After tea the children had dancing, races and games ending the day with three cheers for the boys still overseas and wishing them a speedy return.

This is an extract from Round and About Eton Wick: 1939 - 1945. The book was researched, written and published in 2001 by John Denham. 

In 2005 the History Group produced Recall 60 Years On, a book about the lives of the Ex-Service men and women who had made the Eton Wick their home. 52 of the 60 plus veterans provided their biographies and it was published with the support The National Lottery Community Fund.

This photo shows where the veterans of WW2 who were residents of Eton Wick in 2005 saw service. It was taken at the exhibition held to celebrate the 60th anniversary of VJ Day.

Tuesday May 8th 1945 VE Day

With the declaration of a two day holiday the nation commenced its celebration with church services which many attended to give thanks for victory and deliverance from tyranny. Flags and bunting appeared on the Tuesday morning in Windsor and Slough giving the streets a look of carnival. Celebrations had started quietly in the early part of the day, the crowds gathering during the early afternoon after the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, had broadcast to the nation that all hostilities in Europe were at an end. Nightfall brought more people onto the streets to cheer and dance. Bonfires were lit at many places, with the Mayor of Windsor lighting a huge bonfire on Bachelors Acre, Windsor, the signal for the start of celebrations that went on into the early hours on Wednesday. Other hastily gathered bonfires appeared onto which went effigies of Hitler and his cronies. Eton College boys had commenced their celebration of victory on Monday evening when the first news of the surrender was heard.     

The use of buckets of water and stirrup pumps by the Boys did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of revelers who had to run the gauntlet along the long wall and Keate’s lane. The next day they were given a holiday and immediately set about building a huge bonfire on Fellows Eyot which was lit in the evening. The scene was one of merriment with people dancing around the fire enthused with the excitement of the occasion.  As the fire died away many boys linked arms to make a triumphant march up Eton high street to Windsor where they met another joyous crowd coming from Windsor making their way to Slough.  Many of the boys carried on their celebrations with a triumphant march over Windsor Bridge to Castle Hill.   

The local Windsor and Slough papers reporting on the Victory Revels said that a two day holiday was declared and the joyous population danced, sung, cheered and wept celebrating the news. Church Bells rang out from Saint Georges Chapel and from all the parish churches around. It was a beautiful warm day with the temperature much higher than the average for the time of year.

At nightfall the celebrations took off with a bang as rockets exploded in the sky. Men, women and children thronged the streets of Windsor, Eton and Slough in a night of sheer happiness that the war in Europe had ended. No more would there be anxious days when bomb or rocket would bring death and destruction. By late evening many of the pubs had run dry but the festivities continued to the early hours of Wednesday morning. No-one wanted to go home.

The only floodlit building in Eton was the College Chapel but elsewhere floodlighting and fairy lights appeared. Among buildings lit were High Duty Alloys on the Trading Estate, Slough Town Hall and the Windsor riverside with colourful fairy lights. Army searchlights added to the illuminations. Villages around the district were also celebrating with bonfires and parties and impromptu dancing on the village greens and in the streets. The sky reflected the glow from the multitude of fires which in some villages were huge.  The very large bonfire on the village green at Datchet commenced a night of celebration which continued through until Wednesday night when there was the added attraction of dancing to the music of the Royal Artillery band from the local Ack - Ack batteries.

For many children this was the first time to see lights in shop windows and such an outburst of gaiety.  Informal street parties and celebration teas for the children took place with tables and chairs and often a piano being brought from the houses. Street parties at Brocas street and Tangier Lane were arranged for the children who in addition to the tea were given an orange and one shilling.    

Mr. Addaway, driver of the Blue Bus, had a very excited passenger on V.E. Day. Streaming two strong wartime toilet rolls, Mrs. Downs, showing the joyfulness of the day, rode on the bonnet of the bus. Celebration parties at Eton Wick were quickly organized at Northfield Road, the Village Hall and on the common adjacent to the Greyhound public house. Precious tin food that had been purchased on points and stored for this day came from the cupboard. The Victory street party in Northfield Road, organized by Mrs. Harman and friends, entertained about twenty children and the same number of adults to a celebration tea with fruit salad from the Azores and a special iced cake in the shape of a victory "V". Private Mills, who was home on leave after three years overseas service, was guest of honour. After tea the children had dancing, races and games ending the day with three cheers for the boys still overseas and wishing them a speedy return.

 

More articles on how Eton Wick celebrated Victory In Europe Day can be read here.

This is an extract from Round and About Eton Wick 1939 - 1945 written by John Denham.

While Eton Wick was celebrating the Victory in Europe May 1945 Signalman John Denham had become a front line solider in Burma following the reoccupation of Rangoon.

Wartime memories - V.E. Day in Eton Wick and Eton

Tuesday 8th May 1945 marked the end of the war in Europe. After six long years of the second world war the Germans had surrendered unconditionally, and although fighting continued in the Far East until 15th August (V.J. Day), for many people Victory in Europe day was the beginning of peace. V.E. Day was celebrated across the land, and in this article John Denham describes what took place in Eton and Eton Wick.

Local celebration of the Victory in Europe had a quiet start. Many people went to church that morning to give thanks that hostilities in Europe had ended. Church bells rang out from Saint George’s Chapel and from all the parish churches around. It was a beautiful warm day with the temperature much higher than the average for the time of year.

After the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, had broadcast to the nation that all hostilities in Europe were at an end, the crowds began to gather during the early afternoon. Flags and bunting appeared in Windsor and Slough giving the streets a look of carnival. By evening, the gathering of people onto the streets had become a merry throng cheering and dancing. Bonfires were lit at many places, with the Mayor of Windsor lighting a huge bonfire on Batchelors Acre, Windsor, this being the signal for the start of celebrations that went on into the early hours on Wednesday.

When the news of the surrender was heard Eton College boys commenced their celebration of victory with the use of buckets of water and stirrup pumps, which did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of revellers who had to run the gauntlet along the long wall and Keate’s lane. A huge bonfire lit in the evening on Fellows Eyot engendered a scene of merriment as people danced around the fire enthused with the excitement of the occasion. As the fire died away many boys linked arms to make a triumphant march up Eton High Street over Windsor Bridge to Castle Hill to carry on their celebrations, meeting another joyous crowd coming from Windsor crossing the bridge making their way to Slough as rockets exploded in the sky. By late evening many of the pubs had run dry, but the festivities continued and no-one wanted to go home. The only floodlit building in Eton was the College Chapel, but elsewhere floodlighting and fairy lights appeared. Army searchlights added to the illuminations.

Somerville Road V.E. Party

For many children this was the first time to see lights in shop windows and such an outburst of gaiety. Informal street parties and celebration teas for the children took place with tables and chairs and often a piano being brought from the houses. Street parties at Brocas Street and Tangier Lane were arranged for the children who in addition to the tea were given an orange and one shilling.

Mr Addaway, driver of the Blue Bus, Windsor to Eton Wick service, had a very excited passenger on V.E. Day. Streaming two strong wartime toilet rolls and showing the joyfulness of the day, Mrs Downs of Eton Wick rode on the bonnet of the bus from Windsor to the village!

Alma Road Victory Party

Celebration parties at Eton Wick were quickly organized at Northfield Road, the Village Hall and on the common adjacent to the Greyhound public house. Precious tin food that had been purchased on points and stored for this day came from the cupboard. The Victory street party in Northfield Road, organized by Mrs Harman and friends, entertained about twenty children and the same number of adults to a celebration tea with fruit salad from the Azores and a special iced cake in the shape of a victory "V". Private Mills, who was home on leave after three years overseas service, was guest of honour. After tea the children had dancing, races and games ending the day with three cheers for the boys still overseas and wishing them a speedy return.

A ‘Welcome Home’ party was held at the Church hall Eton in May 1946 for the returning service men and women. Over one hundred men and women from Eton Wick served in the armed forces of whom twelve died on active service.