8 May 1945: The war in Europe is over, but the red glows, searchlights and rockets bring it all back to the roof watchers

The night scene in London - blitz memories

Fleet Street, Monday (Midnight)

From this roof it looks much the same as it did on a medium bad blitz night. The difference is that the dial on the Big Ben tower is shining bright and a great illuminated Union Jack sways over the Cable and Wireless office on the London Embankment.

King to Speak at 9 - archive, 1945 Read more

The tugs and barges on the river are rejoicing in lugubrious moorings. But it is the red glows that bring it all back, and the searchlights and rockets. Some of the glows are on the old places, near Elephant and Castle and out Kennington way. And the bonfire on the north might be on the burnt-out site of the rocket landing that killed many in the Farringdon market. There are bonfires on the Surrey hills; one must be near the Crystal Palace once raised its glass and towers.

Shouts and cries come up from the streets. The celebrations are gathering way. Someone arrives with stories of Piccadilly doings. Norwegian sailors climbing lamp-posts, American soldiers singing “Over there,” Poles dancing, British commenting on the distance they are from Tipperary.

It is the red glares that ring London, however, that hold the roof watchers. But they look up no more, only out and down. The long, long fight is over and won, and it is time to rest.

Parliament and the victory

From our political correspondent

London, Monday

The war in Europe is at an end. The German Foreign Minister, Count Schwerin von Krosigk, proclaimed the fact over the German-controlled radio at Flensburg. He declared that the German armed forces had unconditionally surrendered on the orders of the High Command, acting on instructions from Donitz.

That unconditional surrender is now an accomplished fact is nowhere disputed in official London. What is difficult to understand is the delay in announcing the fact. The British Government had certainly hoped that Mr. Churchill might have gone on the air to-day and made the fact known. However, the announcement of the termination of the war in Europe has to be made simultaneously in London, Washington, and Moscow, and apparently some difficulty has been found in arranging the hour. To-night the difficulty has been overcome and Mr. Churchill will broadcast the declaration at 3 p.m. to-morrow.

Parliament will meet to-morrow as arranged. Mr. Churchill will not attempt anything in the nature of a speech; he will simply report to the House the fact of the termination of the war in Europe and propose that the members shall proceed to St. Margaret’s to join in a service of thanksgiving.

Parliament’s memorable day

However short the proceedings may be they must be for ever memorable in the history of Parliament. As for the Prime Minister, it is impossible to imagine the complex of emotions that will be his when he steps to the Treasury box to-morrow. Never has it been given to a British Prime Minister to see his designs, and designs on so vast a scale, realised with this completeness – a completeness that nearly attains perfection.

It is almost five years ago to the day that he first met the House of Commons as Prime Minister and sought and received a vote of confidence. It was then that he promised his colleagues in the Ministry nothing but blood, toil, sweat, and tears. It was then too that he declared in high and challenging tones that the policy of his Government was victory – absolute victory

How the Manchester Guardian reported VE day Read more

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Goebbels found poisoned

Authoritative quarters in London accept as true the reports that Goebbels, his wife, and children have have been found dead in Berlin. They had been poisoned. The fact, on the other hand, that no remains of Hitler have been traced is causing people more and more to wonder whether he may not have escaped after all.