I have Mum's diaries for 1945 and 1946 so I thought I would share with you what she had written for the 8th, 9th and 10th May 1945.
After all this time I don't think she would have minded. She was in Leicester during the whole length of the war. My father was at first in the Home Guard until he was called for service in the Royal Army Medical Corps.
I think she spread her entry for Tuesday the 8th over two days.
She writes 'Great excitement V.E. Day coming the war is over. Reg came back after 2½
years abroad. V.E. Day celebrations flags out what a day to remember'
Reg was my Mum's brother-in-law. My Aunt Rose and Uncle Reg also lived in Leicester.
On the 10th she writes
'Still celebrating back at the office. Letter and hankies from Harry'
My Dad was somewhere in North Africa as in a later entry she writes
Friday 20th July 1945
'Surmise Harry would be home about June next year'
Saturday 21st July 1945
'Letter from Harry in Alexandria (which she'd crossed out and replaced) Cairo'
My father, Harry is in the middle.
He finally came home on 18th July 1946.
My father, Harry is in the middle.
He finally came home on 18th July 1946.
Such wonderful keepsakes. Our generation have had such a good life and can never know what hardships our parents had to endure.
ReplyDeleteBriony
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Thank you Briony, I still have loads of her things, I need to find a home for them. My Dad died age forty five when I was just five and Mum married again and we moved from Leicester, She did have 40 years of happiness with my step father:)
DeleteHow special to have such a personal memento of those times. I rather wish that my mother had been a regular diary-keeper. As it was she was a great story-teller so I know that in 1945 her father had a village pub which was much frequented by Canadians from a nearby airbase. Times were hard and my grandmother was delighted that they'd sold out of beer, though less happy when she discovered just how much of it my grandfather had given away free!
ReplyDeleteThank you John, it sounds as if your mother was a great lady full of stories to tell, at least she passed them on verbally to you, I had an aunt who told wonderful stories and had such a dry sense of humour which as a child I sort of understood and appreciated:)
DeleteLovely to have your mum's diaries and to read them today on such a special day. In Jersey we celebrate tomorrow for the end of the occupation. Flags are flying everywhere.B x
ReplyDeleteThank you Barbara. She seemed to save just those two from those times. Hope your celebrations for Liberation Day go well:)
DeleteHow wonderful to be able to read your dear Mums diary from such a momentous celebration.
ReplyDeleteThank you MM it's good to have them:)
DeleteHappy VE Day!!!!
ReplyDeleteLovely, lovely treasure!
My husband and I were alive in WWII. He was older and remembers more, of course. He actually heard about the Japanese bombing Pearl Harbour... Sitting at the kitchen table, listening to the radio. He ran and told the adults, who did not believe him at first.
Happy Happy Anniversary to you!
Gentle hugs,
🌸💜🌸💜🌸💜🌸
Thank you WoW. love the story about your husband not at first being belived about what he had heard. I was born five years after the war ended, a late baby for my Mum and Dad:)
DeleteWonderful keepsakes. I telephoned my parents this morning to ask what they might have remembered. My dad was a boy of 10 living on the prairies and he has no recollection of VE day, but my mother remembers streamers and joy in the streets of Vancouver. I'm glad I asked them about this.
ReplyDeleteThank you Lorie, it's good to ask those questions whilst you can, there is so much I wish I'd asked. My Mum's diaries are full of almost mumdane things but this entry stood out:)
DeleteAmazing that you have got those diaries.What a piece of history.Fascinating.Can you share more with us?
ReplyDeleteThank you Barbara. Most of her entries are quite ordinary, every day events like working, cleaning, shopping, knitting for and visiting her friend across the road who'd just had a new baby, family visits and travelling by train between Leicester and Nottingham on her way to visit them. She seems to have gone to the cinema two or three times a week too:)
DeleteYou can just sense the excitement after all those bleak dark days and all the waiting for news. A great post for VE Day. 😊
ReplyDeleteThank you Karen, she does seem to reflect the euphoria of the day but is also quite sad as she knows my Dad won't be home for another year:)
DeleteWhat a lovely post to commemorate VE Day and what a treasure your mum's diary is. You must be so glad she gave it to you. I do have a journal Dad kept for a while when he first joined the navy and also some photo albums of his time serving in WW2 but unfortunately nothing about VE Day.
ReplyDeleteThank you RR, I have boxes full of Mum's 'stuff' jewellery, powder compacts, purses, hankies and old birthday and valentine cards, books, photos and etc. As well as china in the cupboard. I really need to find a home for them all soon. Good to ahve your Dad's journal and photos too:)
DeleteVery emotional Rosie, how wonderful to have these mementos of such a special time.
ReplyDeleteA lovely photograph of your father. Everyone looked so well dressed and smart.
Thank you Julie, such ordinary words amongst the ordinary entries and yet it meant so much:)
DeleteWonderful treasured memories of your Mum. A lovely photo of your Father too. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Simone,I treasure all the things I have belonging to them:)
DeleteWhat a wonderful piece of history. Thank you for sharing, Rosie.
ReplyDeleteThank you Marie, I was happy to share:)
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