We visited some residential areas during our daily walk and saw a lot of bunting and flags put out for VE Day 75. This display is in St John’s Road.
We walked down Geoffrey Barber Road where, in places, every other house had a flag or bunting outside. Winston Churchill’s speech was playing on a loudspeaker at 3 pm. A lot of people were sitting in their front gardens for the celebration.
Elsewhere we saw people out in front gardens having picnics and talking to neighbours at a social distance.
East St Helen Street had people sitting out on their doorsteps with bunting on their houses. In West St Helen Street the drum major from the Oxford Caledonian Pipe Band had draped a Union Jack from his window. He also played the drum before and after the 2 minute silence at 11am.
We had a discussion about what people in Germany felt about VE Day. I was interested to then read the new Abingdon Museum Blog as it gave a German perspective to VE Day.
The Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire said in a video speech that VE Day 75 is an important time of remembrance and celebration. We remember the sacrifice that people made on the front and at home in WWII. He drew a parallel to the Covid-19 pandemic and said the people working for the NHS are on the front line. (Picture of wreath outside Abingdon Royal British Legion)
Steve King has written a book called Fifty-Six telling the story of the men from Abingdon who died on active service during WWII. They gave their lives so that we could have peace.
The Guild of Town Criers released a video with a Virtual Cry for Peace. It remembered the sacrifice made by women at home during WWII …
