Today is May 8th, a most important date in Twentieth century history for that was was when after the signing of the Act of Unilateral Surrender, the Second World War that had started in Europe in September 1939, had come to an end.
Much business remained to be concluded such as continued fighting in the Far East until Japan surrendered in August of that year, the actual liberation of chunks of Europe with the people movements across the continent all that involved and the whole nature of the Post War settlement.
And in throws of all of this, caring for those found barely alive in the Extermination and Concentration camps operated by the Nazis and gathering intelligence to hold those responsible for sickening barbarism and inhumanity to account. If you didn't know those there, then frankly you don't know the half of it.
Today as in 1945 from those I know who were there for all of that, then end of war in Europe was to celebrated with relief but trepidation for the shape of things to come but unlike in 1945 they didn't have Coronavirus to contend with so our street parties planned for and parades are cancelled this year which is a huge pity.
We can however still mark it paying our respects to all who fight to defend our Country and then Empire, to liberate Europe from the Nazi occupation and all that went with it plus finally liberating the German people themselves some of whom did suffer under Nazism too.
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