08-05-2025
'It was all over' - Colchester veteran, 104, talks about her memories of VE Day
'It was all over' - Colchester veteran, 104, talks about her memories of VE Day
A COLCHESTER woman's VE-Day memories of cycling through town to celebrate the end of the war have been brought to life in a new exhibition.
Blind Veterans UK released illustrations of veteran's memories as part of its After the Darkness campaign, which looks to recognise their service and raise funds for war heroes living with sight loss.
Joan Harding, 104, from Colchester, served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) during the Second World War.
The ATS was a women's branch of the British Army which played a crucial role in non-combat duties such as telecommunications, driving, mechanics and operating anti-aircraft equipment.
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Hero - Joan Harding, 104 (Image: Richard Cannon) But that work came to a sudden end on May 8, 1945, when Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced the war in Europe had come to an end following Germany's surrender.
It started out as a normal day at work for Joan before the news was announced.
She said: 'I can't say I found out the war had ended at the exact moment, but certainly the exact day.
"We all went in to do our work when we were told the news and sent home.
'My husband happened to be on leave at the time - he was in the London Rifle Brigade – so we went over to my mother and father's house.
"We were crying, saying, 'There's no more killing!'"
Celebration - Joan Harding riding her bike to the village (Image: Martin Impey/Blind Veterans UK) Joan immediately cycled to a village pub to celebrate the news with her husband.
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She said: "We went on the village pub and I was crying my eyes out, saying, 'I don't believe it! It's gone on too long!'
"People were giving me drinks - one after the other - so, I suppose I must have been really very high on drinks.
"I was crying with sheer happiness – everybody was happy.
"It was almost as if they'd suddenly seen a rainbow wrapped around them – it was all over!
"There were people lighting bonfires in the roads and we had to keep going round these people, so we really were going round and round and along a little way until we got home."
Joan's story along with twelve other veteran's stories, illustrations and portraits are featured in a special exhibition at The Cartoon Museum in London, which runs until June 29.
