Pembrokeshire great-grandmother recalls VE Day joy outside Buckingham Palace

Pembrokeshire Herald

08-05-2025

'You can never understand what VE Day was like unless you experienced it,' says 99-year-old Margaret Johns
A PEMBROKESHIRE great-grandmother who partied outside Buckingham Palace on VE Day has shared her vivid memories of the historic moment, saying the sheer joy and relief of the day is something 'people will never understand'.
Margaret Johns, 99, was working as a nurse in London on 8 May 1945 when news broke that Nazi Germany had surrendered to the Allies, bringing an end to nearly six years of war in Europe.
The Haverfordwest resident jumped on the Tube to central London and joined thousands gathered at the palace, celebrating long into the night.
'They should have given us the day off the next day,' she laughed.
Mrs Johns' journey through the war was remarkable. Though a strong student, her formal education ended at 16. During the peak of World War Two, she spent two years at the Royal Aircraft Establishment in Aberporth, Ceredigion, testing ammunition—essential and dangerous work that played a critical role in the war effort.
In 1944, she moved to London to begin training as a nurse, working through relentless blackouts and bombings in the capital's hospitals. She served on the wards for five years before returning to Wales, where she continued to care for others well into her 80s.
Reflecting on VE Day, Mrs Johns said: 'You can never understand what VE Day was like unless you experienced it.'
Pictured above:
Margaret Johns was a nurse in London during the war and recalls celebrating VE Day at Buckingham Palace, partying well into the night (Image: BBC)
The Pembrokeshire Herald's coverage of the VE Day 80 commemorations are kindly sponsored by PMR