VE Day: Coventry joins together for 80th anniversary event
The 80th anniversary of VE Day was marked in Coventry with a city centre street party.The event marked 80 years to the day since Germany's surrender of its armed forces to signal the end of World War Two in Europe.It also honoured the contribution of South Asian communities during the war with a performance of Bhangra dance.The evening closed with Coventry joining other towns and cities in lighting a Lamp Light of Peace before a collective rendition of singer Vera Lynn's We'll Meet Again, followed by the national anthem.
"As a city that suffered so greatly in the war and emerged with a message of peace and reconciliation, it is so fitting that we host a party in the heart of the city to mark the 80th anniversary of such a momentous day in our history," said Councillor Abdul Khan, deputy leader of Coventry City Council. "It gives us a chance to look back and remember and give thanks for the peace that the people of those years fought so hard to give us."
Entertainment during the evening was hosted by BBC CWR.Editor Sophie Cook said: "VE Day stands as a powerful reminder of the courage, sacrifice and resilience shown by so many during one of history's darkest times."BBC CWR is proud to join Coventrians together to pay tribute to the Word War Two generation and ensure their legacy is remembered."
Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
36 minutes ago
- BBC News
Normandy beach plaque remembers Surrey D-Day veterans
A plaque unveiled at Gold Beach in Normandy to remember Surrey's D-Day veterans is a "wonderful honour", the family of one of the late soldiers blue plaque reading "Surrey Square – the spiritual home of all Normandy Veterans", was installed in Arromanches on the French coast to remember those who took part in the Normandy landings on 6 June, members of Surrey's D-Day veterans joined in 81st anniversary commemorations on Friday morning as a bagpiper played to remember the fallen soldiers from the military Allen, whose father-in-law Fred Lee took part in the D-Day landings, said the plaque was a "wonderful honour" for those who fought on the Normandy beaches. He added: "I was fortunate enough to come over with the Surrey Normandy Veterans who used to come here every 6 June."The plaque all happened very quickly. I do get emotional." Mr Allen, who travelled to Arromanches with his wife Katrina to remember her father and the other Surrey veterans, said he had helped to bring over the former World War Two soldiers to Normandy for previous D-Day museum has recently been replaced with a new multi-million euro building, leading to the current memorials being new plaque was installed alongside the relocated Allen said that some of the army uniforms of those who had previously travelled over to Normandy were now kept in the new museum, adding he "can't help but be emotional when you walk past that".The D-Day landings, one of the biggest ever military operations, was one of the turning points for Allied victory on the Western Front.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Homeowners at war with council over 45ft high 'Jack and the Beanstalk' oak tree as bosses refuse demands to cut it down despite fears it's a 'danger to life'
Homeowners living on a historic road are in a row with the council over a 'Jack and the Beanstalk' oak tree they say is a danger to them. Residents living in the terraced properties in Winchester are surrounded by the 45 foot high tree and have branded the decision to issue a preservation order as 'grotesquely irresponsible'. They claim the oak - which is still relatively young and grew six feet last year - was planted around 50 years ago by a previous resident who thought it was a 'good idea at the time'. But it has continued to rapidly grow to the point that it is now 'out of proportion' to the surrounding properties and totally dominates the small garden it sits in. The current homeowners Orla Williams, 40, and her partner moved into the terraced Grade II Listed home on Canon Street two years ago and applied to have the tree felled. However, the Winchester County Council put a preliminary protection order on it and cited that it was 'appreciated' by the residents on a neighbouring street. The decision has been slammed by neighbours - who live on one of Winchester's 'most prestigious roads' - who said that they are not the ones who will be forced to deal with the repercussions if it were to topple over. The street, where the average house price is more than £600,000, is just yards from Kingsgate Street, and was where Admiral Nelson's mistress Lady Hamilton once lived. The doctor said that after moving in, she was approached by several neighbours who raised concerns about the tree. The mother-of-two said: 'They were concerned that it is getting very large and that it could cause damage to their properties and potentially harm to people if it gets any larger, so they wanted it to be taken down. 'We applied to the council to have it removed and someone came to look at it. '[The tree officer] said that they want to put a tree protection order on it.' The homeowner said that an 'awful lot of detritus' falls from the oak in the autumn and winter, and she is concerned about the droppings which fall down from wildlife like pigeons and squirrels. She added: 'We appreciate that the tree is beautiful but it's the wrong tree in the wrong place. 'It is quite sad to remove something like that but it is only going to get bigger and potentially cause damage to lots of properties which is the main concern. 'The council said they were concerned about removing it because it's one of the only trees in the area. 'All of the local residents seem to be of the opinion that unfortunately, it's the wrong tree in the wrong place.' According to a council report, the tree officer visited Ms Williams' address after receiving notice from the couple that it was due to be felled. After visiting, he found that that tree met the criteria for a provisional protection order, which was issued in February of this year. A Winchester County Council meeting will take place next week to confirm whether or not the order will remain in place. In total nine residents objected to the order. They all live in the centre of the cathedral city on roads which sit just yards away from Winchester College - the country's oldest public school and Rishi Sunak's alma mater. Mark Pocock, a retired resident living on Canon Street, branded the council's decision to protect the tree as 'ludicrous'. 'As trees grow older they become more brittle,' he said. 'If it were to fall and damage properties or persons, I would say the responsibility would be entirely with the council - not the owners of those properties. 'I think putting a tree protection order on is grotesquely irresponsible of the council. 'It could be a danger to property and life.' Nick Goff, 80, moved into his property on the road adjacent to Canon Street just over a year ago. The retired British Airways pilot said he is worried that if the tree continues to go, the roots underneath will damage a medieval wall in his garden, which was built in the Tudor era. Mr Goff said: 'The issue is that in 10 years' time, that will be double the height and double the width. 'It put on six feet last year it it's going to put on another six feet this year.' The homeowner commissioned an independent report from a tree consultancy business who found the oak is still a 'teenager'. The report found that while the tree is in 'good physiological condition', it is 'a large sized tree in a very small area' and so the tree protection order is 'unjustified'. It also said that 'the possibility of longer term damage to the retaining walls and footings of the adjacent properties as entirely foreseeable'. 'Some guy planted this as something to do 40 years ago,' Mr Goff continued. 'Now, we have got Jack and the Beanstalk. It's not a historic tree, it's a silly mistake.' The council report issued ahead of next week's meeting stated that the tree officer believed the concerns raised over the tree were 'speculative'. It said that while it is 'not historic', the tree 'contributes meaningfully to local biodiversity and visual amenity'. The report also stated that it is 'clearly visible' from residents living on a neighbouring private road, where it is 'appreciated'. It added: 'It is also the last significant tree in an area of land between Canon Street and St Swithun's Street, enhancing the character of the conservation area.' Retired resident Graham Rule, 62, said the decision by the local authority was 'irresponsible'. He said: 'We all love trees but that shouldn't be there. 'The people who want the protection order, they don't live here - its totally irresponsible.' Mr Rule said the tree was planted in the early 70s by a former resident. He added: 'Like a lot of things, it seemed like a good idea at the time. 'I'm a huge fan of trees but at the end of the day that tree shouldn't be there.' The conclusion of the tree officer's report stated that if the provisional TPO is not confirmed at the council meeting, it will be 'left vulnerable to being removed'. The report added: 'The removal of this tree will have a detrimental impact on the biodiversity and also character of the conservation area.'
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
'They were adrenaline junkies': The remarkable all-female flying team that helped defeat the Nazis
A new episode of the BBC's History's Secret Heroes podcast focuses on the Night Witches, a group of Russian female pilots who bombed German forces under the cover of darkness. World War Two is filled with so many extraordinary tales of heroism that not all of them have got their due. Now BBC Radio 4's History's Secret Heroes podcast, narrated by Helena Bonham Carter, has set out to celebrate these unsung war heroes. And none, arguably, are more remarkable than those covered in a new episode – a squadron of Russian female pilots who flew under the cover of night and carried out covert bombing missions. The Germans would go on to call these women die Nacht Hexen, or the Night Witches. They were an elite band of pilots, navigators, ground crew and mechanics, whose passion for aviation and strong sense of duty led them to break gender barriers. Those who were part of the squadron included aspiring pilots and best friends Polina Gelman and Galya Dokutovich. Both had learnt to fly when young – and when in October 1941, the order was given to famed Soviet aviator Marina Raskova to recruit women into female flying units, including the Night Witches, they jumped at the chance. "They definitely were adrenaline junkies. They wanted to fly, they were crazy about flying," historian Lyuba Vinogradova, author of Avenging Angels: Soviet Women Snipers on the Eastern Front (1941-45), says of the two women. "And second of all they were extremely patriotic. So, they, both of them, volunteered." Their commander Raskova was an inspiration. "She was a great celebrity of her time. Her name, her picture, her face were known all over [the country]. She was a role model. She was a woman that showed that women are perfectly capable of this kind of flying," Vinogradova says. Turning limitations to their advantage The Night Witches trained near the Volga River near Engels, Russia, and had to fit what would have typically been three years of training into just three months. The women found themselves both selected as navigators, rather than pilots, something which initially disappointed Dokutovich – though after she got up in the air, she became more positive about this outcome, writing: "Now I see how exciting being a navigator is! When you have done a little flying you walk around in a dream, and just want to get back up in the sky." Because the Soviet forces were short of aircraft, the women were issued wooden Po-2 planes, which were not fit for battle, having typically been used to spray pesticide. On top of that, they weren't given guns, radios or parachutes. As a result, they prioritised carrying bombs. When it came to their planes, they used their limitations to their advantage: the Po-2s made hardly any noise, couldn't be tracked by radio location, and were too small to show up on infrared locators. So the women were able to fly over German territory, shut off their engines and glide – and more easily release their bombs without detection. According to Vinogradova, the pace of their operations was relentless: "Every four minutes an aircraft would take off, bomb the target and turn back, and the other aircraft would take their place." The Germans spread stories of the attacks across areas they occupied, depicting the Night Witches as a supernatural force. They were given the name die Nacht Hexen, or the Night Witches, because their wooden aircraft were likened to brooms, while their tactics made it feel as if they could appear and disappear without a trace. The Night Witches' victories earned them distinction, and in 1943 they officially became the Forty-Sixth Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment. However, in July 1943, the Germans surprised the pilots with a new tactic: they kept their anti-aircraft guns silent, and instead waged a night fighter air attack against the bombers. Dokutovich was killed on 31 July, along with seven of her fellow "Witches" in what Vinogradova calls "the worst night probably in the entire history of the regiment". Nevertheless, the women continued to fight right up until the Allies declared victory in May 1945. "They were at the airfield ready to fly a mission when it was announced to them," Vinogradova says of Gelman and the other Witches' commitment to the cause. More like this:• How Audrey Hepburn became a secret spy during World War Two• Churchill's secret weapon against the Nazis• The life-changing day World War Two began In October 1945, the regiment was officially disbanded and it would hold the distinction of being the only unit within the Red Army to still be entirely female at the end of World War Two. Gelman would later join the Military Institute of Foreign Languages, and name her daughter Galya after her fallen friend. Gelman died in 2005, and towards the end of her life she reflected on why the Witches were so successful – crediting the fact that they performed their duties voluntarily. Speaking to historian Reina Pennington, Gelman said, "It was their free will, and that which is done at the call of the heart is always done better than that which is done out of obligation." * This article is adapted from a script by Alex von Tunzelmann. -- For more Culture stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
