The 80^th  Anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day

This May marks the 80^th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, commemorating the end of World War II in Europe when Nazi Germany surrendered to the Allied forces on May 8, 1945. Across Europe and beyond, nations are preparing special tributes to honour this significant milestone.

In London, plans include a national ceremony at Westminster Abbey, with veterans of the conflict—now in their late 90s and beyond—taking centre stage. The dwindling number of living WWII veterans makes this anniversary particularly poignant, as it likely represents one of the final major commemorations with firsthand witnesses present.

Paris will host an international peace forum alongside traditional ceremonies at the Arc de Triomphe, bringing together world leaders to reflect on the lessons of WWII in the context of current global tensions. Berlin's commemorations will focus on reconciliation and the European unity that emerged from the conflict's ashes. In the United States, there will be ceremonies at the National WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C.

In Thurston, the War Memorial, a Celtic Cross of Blue Forest of Dean sandstone, and memorials inside St Peter’s Church, honour those who gave their lives for our peace. 

War came particularly close to Thurston in the summer of 1944 when, just off Oak Road, Little Boy Blue, a B17 Flying Fortress bomber, collided with another aircraft, split in two; 8 out of the 10 crew died: the five bombs on board exploded, enough to blow out a window in St Peter’s Church. A memorial to the crew was unveiled on July 19, 2024, the 80^th anniversary of the crash. Thanks to research by Steven Honeywood, farmer of the land where the crash occurred, family members from every crew member had been found, contacted and attended the ceremony to honour the crew.

As we mark eight decades since this pivotal moment in world history, the 2025 VE Day commemorations serve not only as a tribute to those who secured victory but also as a reminder of the ongoing need to try to secure peace in our fractured world.

In Thurston, the 80^th anniversary of VE day, will be marked on Thursday 8 May, by the lighting of a beacon at New Green (see page 00). Bury St Edmunds has a VE Day 80^th Year Commemorative Trail (see ourburystedmunds.com).

The government has announced a four-day celebration of the 80^th anniversary of VE Day from Bank Holiday Monday, 5 May to Thursday, 8 May and is encouraging street parties to take place.