Victory in Europe Day

Brighton’s commemoration of the 80th anniversary of VE Day is taking place this evening on the seafront, near the Peace Statue. It is bringing together the city’s cadet forces, uniformed services, veterans and members of the public for a short service and the lighting of a beacon - joining hundreds of others across the UK. Exactly, 80 years ago today, a young Tony Simmonds was celebrating with his friends near the clocktower, and would write a memorable entry in his diary about the day. 

Victory in Europe Day - on 8 May 1945 - marked the official end of World War II in Europe with the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany, following Adolf Hitler’s suicide on 30 April 1945 and the signing of surrender documents by Germany’s new leader, Karl Dönitz. It ended nearly six years of devastating war that caused millions of deaths and widespread destruction across Europe. The day was declared a national holiday in Britain, where millions celebrated with street parties, dancing, singing, and public gatherings.

However Brighton Beach remained closed (it had been closed since July 1940) - see the 1944 photograph below, available at the Brighton & Hove Museums collection. It would take some weeks/months to be cleared and re-opened. Internet searches reveal only that small sections of the beach had been temporarily opened to the public for swimming in the summer following D-Day in June 1944. However, after VE Day, a full reopening required the extensive and dangerous process of clearing the mines and removing the wartime defences (a postcard dated 23 September 1945 is said to show the the beaches accessible again - see here).

Perhaps if the beach had been open then that is where Tony Simmonds might have been on VE Day. As it happens, he wasn’t too far away - at the Clock Tower. He was just a teenager, having not long since moved from Winchester to Brighton. He kept a diary through the war. Extracts from this can be found online at MyBrightonandHove, and also in my book Brighton in Diaries. His entry for VE Day, though, is especially interesting and engaging. 

8 May 1945

‘VICTORY IN EUROPE DAY - I was at work - when I came back from lunch at 2 pm I found everyone in a hustle and bustle. The Manager said we were going to get out by 3.30. We did. Even then we had time to rush out to hear Churchill’s speech at 3 o’clock and a fine speech it was too.

We all knew something would happen in the evening and it did. It came right up to my fullest expectations. I just can’t describe the scene. I was alone most of the time and spent almost five hours around the Clock Tower. People just went mad - dancing, singing, chanting, shouting - the crowd just surged this way and that - The Academy, the Odeon and the Regent were all floodlit for the first time in almost six years - fire crackers, flares and even pre-war ‘jumpers’ were thrown about the streets - even into busses - all policemen ‘had their eyes shut’.

I left at just after 11 pm leaving behind me a riot going on outside the Regent - where a drunken sailor was protesting against a charge of 10/6d for a dance in the Regent Dance Hall. What a day - I shall never forget it for the rest of my life.’

Our house is decorated up - four flags - a shield and red, white & blue streamers. Even Mrs Guild next door has her standard flying. As for the town itself - well I never knew there were so many flags manufactured. My bike has a big rosette and streamers on its handlebars.’

The ceremony at the Peace Statue this evening is being supported by the Royal British Legion, the Salvation Army band, Sussex Police and Downs Junior School. Rev. David Hazell from St Helen’s Church, Hangleton, is giving a short service. Brighton & Hove Buses is also in attendance with its bus named Stephen Barnwell. Barnwell was a WWII hero. Landing in Normandy on D-Day. He was twice wounded, and much later in life was honoured twice by the French.