'We just went wild': how children celebrated cakes and peace on VE Day

Metro

08-05-2025

Peter Bourne was just a child when he witnessed an RAF pilot eject from a fighter jet, only to be shot to pieces in mid-air.
But as large swathes of the country were celebrating VE Day in 1945 that haunting image was all the 10-year-old could think about.
Peter, now 91, and the rest of his traumatised local community in Hurst Green, East Sussex, did not join in the street parties and late night dancing enjoyed everywhere else.
His sombre end to the Second World War stands in stark contrast to the joy recalled by others who told Metro about their childhood memories of VE Day.
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Yet they all recalled surprising memories more complicated and nuanced than the photos and news reels suggest.
Not long after Peter witnessed the airplane horror in the skies, a German Messerschmitt pilot crash landed outside the village.
Peter said: 'The pilot had survived the crash, but it mashed his legs up.
'He crawled out onto the steps of the police station and was begging for help.
'Then a chap from the crowd came forward with a shotgun and shot him.'
Hurst Green was on the flight path of German planes targeting London, so the village regularly fell victim to bombs and other violence.
It is no surprise then that even as a child, Peter's VE Day was characterised by relief.
He told Metro: 'We felt totally relieved. I thought at the end of it all, thank Christ I'm still here.
'At the end of the war we felt totally bitter, everybody felt the same.'
As for celebrations, that is one thing his neighbours decided not to do.
'They never happened,' he added.
'There were street parties, but a lot of us felt we didn't want to celebrate after what we'd gone through.
'The attitude was why do we need to celebrate after we suffer such a horrendous time?'
While the announcement of the German surrender gave way to silent reflection in Hurst Green, it sparked huge joy in Sylvia Yarwood's street in Cardiff.
She too had had close shaves with fighter jets during the Battle of Britain, as she lived near the valuable docks in the Welsh capital.
Sylvia, now 91, told Metro: 'We had the air raid shelter. I remember being dragged down to the shelter when the sirens went.
'One time, we must have missed the siren. We were late running down the shelter and the Germans were roaring overhead.
'The searchlights were out and the guns were firing.'
These frightening scenes were long in the past by 1945.
By that time everyone had read the 'huge headlines' that Hitler had died at the end of April, and everyone was waiting for the war to officially end.
Just 11 at the time, Sylvia remembers the moment her family heard the radio confirmation of victory from Winston Churchill himself on VE Day – and the joyous outburst it triggered.
'We're glued to the radio, waiting for Churchill's speech' Sylvia said.
'Until that happened, I don't think anybody believed it was over.
'As soon as it was announced, everybody ran out into the street and was shouting and shaking hands and hugging each other.
' So we kids just went wild. You cannot describe the relief.
'Kids were dancing around and that.'
Her street's VE Day was touched by sadness too.
Their neighbour, Albert Elkins, remained a prisoner of war in Japan and many wanted to respect his parent's grief.
Their real joy came when Albert returned after the Japanese surrender in August 1945.
Sylvia explained: 'When he arrived at the station, we all lined up and clapped and said, 'Well done, Albert, our hero'.'
For Pamela Attrill, who was just 10 at the time, it was not the end of the war but the sweet treats that she was celebrating on May 8 1945.
She lived in the heavily bombed city of Portsmouth during the war, which left her 'very scared' as her family often slept in the caged air raid shelter in their home.
But her relief at the end of the war was that she could finally taste sugary food again.
The now 90-year-old told Metro: 'As a kid, all you can think about is parties.
'We'd been deprived of jellies and special treats for a long time.'Cakes and jellies?
'We could not believe our eyes. It seems nothing to you now, but at that time it was important. And as kids we loved it.'
Sugar was a key restricted in the British rationing system, introduced to ensure a fair distribution of scarce resources.
It was followed by a rationing of sweets and chocolate from 1942.
But in anticipation of the end of the war, the local mums had 'saved up their baking goods and baked in advance'.
Ready for the big day, her street put on a giant celebration despite the noticeable limited resources.
She added: 'The mothers made dresses, believe it or not, out of crepe paper.
'They even brought out the old piano, we had a piano in our house, so they brought the piano out so that everyone had a sing song afterwards.
'As children we adored it, it was such fun.'
While many would have been sad that day, Pamela thinks they maintained a stiff upper lip so the kids could enjoy the day.
'I think the mums all got together to make it great for the children,' she added.
'Obviously they would have been sad , but they didn't show it to the children.
'Nearly everyone would have lost someone, but they had to come to terms with it.'
'I think they were very brave and putting on a brave face.'
Even with the loss and scarcity of the war, Gary Garfoot remembers the war as largest party the country had ever put together.
The danger of the bombs and the air raids in his hometown of Rugby had not phased Gary, who was also 10 by the war's end.
'We were excited more than scared of the bombs.
'We thought it was a great game hiding away in the shelters.
'You just had to sit and wait, hearing the airplanes coming and being warned that they were on their way and the air raids siren would be going all the time.'
That lack of fear showed when the great highlight of his VE Day was a giant bomb.
Made by his craftsman father for the street, they paraded a large model bomb, which the kids all got inside and posed with it.
It was labelled 'the only bomb that ever dropped in Winfield Street,' where they lived.
These joyous and light-hearted moment was a sign that many could finally breathe a sigh of relief when end of the war was confirmed on VE Day.
Gary told Metro: 'Everybody let their hair down. They were dressed up red, white and blue.
'The church bells were ringing, it was something to behold.
'The ladies did their best. We were still in rationing then so we didn't get the sort of party you would get today. More Trending
'But it was a brilliant party. Everybody was so happy.'
The celebrations did not end there. They continued around the country on May 9.
When the Japanese surrendered, the country came together again for a Victory over Japan Day on August 15.
Gary remembered it well: 'VJ Day was just as good. It was an incredible party too.'
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