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Metro
08-05-2025
- General
- Metro
The centuries-long Navy rum tradition the Wrens were allowed to join on VE Day
Something unheard of happened in Mabel Kidney's Navy barracks on May 8 1945 – she was given rum. The Women's Navy veteran had never had a lick of the alcohol in her life before VE Day 1945. But that all changed at the end of the Second World War, when she and her fellow Wrens participated in a renowned Navy tradition. Mabel had joined the Women's Royal Naval Service, affectionately called the Wrens, when she was just 17. 'I felt I had to do something to help the war effort,' the now 99-year-old told Metro. 'I came from a Navy family, joining the Navy is what you did.' Her life during the war had not been easy as a young teenager. Mabel's hometown of Fratton was mercilessly targeted by the Germans looking to destroy a nearby dockyard before she moved to HMS Daedalus barracks in Lee-on-the-Solent. When the whole country was going mad with celebration on May 8 1945, the vibe was different to begin with in her Navy barracks. On the day Germany formally surrendered, HMS Daedalus was 'eerily quiet'. She added: 'There was nobody out. 'We were all relieved more than anything else, because you never knew what Hitler was going to do next. Everybody felt relieved.' Mabel's role was in the canteen and it was during food service when she was allowed to do something they had never done before – drink with the men. It might seem unusual now, but sailors in the Royal Navy had a daily allowance of rum, called a 'tot' and equivalent to about two shots. But on special celebratory occasions, the order was given to 'splice the mainbrace' and extra tot of rum was handed out. And on the day of national celebrations, VE Day 1945, Wren's were allowed to get in on the fun. 'The Chief Wren put a mug on the counter for each of the sailors as they came along. 'Then the Wrens were given a tot of rum too. We had to split it between four of us. 'That was the first time I had rum, that day. We knew there was not going to be war on our land anymore.' The day did then unsurprisingly pick up after that first alcohol beverage. She remembers how 'you got drawn into a crowd wherever you were' in Portsmouth. The veteran left the Wrens soon after, but ended up marrying a Navy sailor. She now lives at Admiral Jellicoe House care home run by The Royal Naval Benevolent Trust. Mabel recalled to Metro how she witnessed the wild VE Day scenes from London on TV and radio. 'It was madness. Half were naked, half did not know what they were doing. 'There were sailors and servicemen with other countries, all mixed up there. Everybody was kissing and cuddling everybody.' Joining the unhinged celebrations on that day, but from half way around the world, was D-Day hero John Roberts. Now a 101-year-old Rear Admiral, the then 21 Sub-Lieutenant was in Montreal, Canada, when news of Germany's surrender in Europe spread. John had been in one of the support ships for the Normandy landings, bombarding Sword Beach before the invasion began. But he was in Canada training to be a pilot when all hell broke loose in Montreal – and when a fire engine swooped by at the perfect moment. He told Metro: 'For two or three months we could all tell the Germans were getting beaten. I knew it was going to end quite soon. 'But when it came, Montreal was just as excited as London was. 'I hopped on a fire engine and I went around the town on it. 'Thousands of people were on the streets – all pointing and laughing at us. 'The firemen were happy we were celebrating with them. It was a great day.' John and his other fellow Navy mates rode the fire engine for about 15 minutes when they were eventually kicked off. The fun did not stop there, John added: 'I think we then went to the nearest bar. 'During the week when we were flying we did not drink at all, but being from abroad we had more coupons than other people.' It might all seem like joyous celebration, but the World War Two veteran was actually very melancholy at points too. 'On VE Day I was very conscious of the numbers of people who lost their lives. Many people were sad, they could have lost a husband or a father.' John himself witnessed an Norwegian destroyer be torpedoed before his very eyes during the D-Day landings, when half the ship's crew died. He had an very close shave too: 'Soon after that we received a signal that a torpedo was approaching our ship, so we all braced ourselves, which meant that we bent our knees to absorb the shock of the impact.' But the missile missed, and John was alive to think of fallen friends at the end of the war. After the mixed emotions of that day, he was back to base shortly after to prepare to fight the Japanese. The Allies battle against the Japanese Empire lasted three more months, until they surrendered in August 1945. John stayed in the Navy until April 1978, by which time he had become Captain of the Ark Royal and had been promoted to Rear-Admiral. The 101-year-old has regularly returned to the scenes of his former battles through the work of the Royal British Legion. More Trending The charity runs countless events for veterans, and their Tea Party at the National Memorial Arboretum is likely to be the largest gathering of Second World War veterans on VE Day. Mark Atkinson, Director General of the Royal British Legion, said: 'This is one of the last chances the nation will have to pay tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of the Second World War generation, and to thank the small number of veterans still with us today. 'Victory would not have been possible without the contribution of Allied Forces from the Commonwealth and beyond. 'By bringing the nation together to celebrate the entire Second World War generation on this momentous occasion, we can hear their stories and learn more about how that diversity of contribution from Commonwealth countries led to Victory in Europe.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: VE Day 1945 live: World wakes up to victory after Germany surrenders to the Allies MORE: I lived in a post-war 'flatpack' home – prefabs were built for heroes MORE: How the royals celebrated VE Day back in 1945
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Former Wren, 99, remembers VE Day celebrations 80 years on
A great-grandmother who served as a Wren during the Second World War has described how celebrations for VE Day were happy occasions but limited by ongoing rations. Mabel Kidney, from Portsmouth, Hampshire, was only 13 when the war started, and after she joined the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS) at the age of 17, she was based at HMS Daedalus in nearby Lee-on-the-Solent. The 99-year-old said: 'I joined the Wrens to see the world and I ended up over there.' Ms Kidney, who lives at the Admiral Jellicoe House care home run by The Royal Naval Benevolent Trust (RNBT), described how she was in the barracks when the end of the war was announced but she said there were no major celebrations because they were still in a military environment. She said: 'I'm sure I was on duty on the day, I was in the barracks but it was quiet because there was nobody about much and it was just an ordinary day to me. 'There were hooters going off and stuff but you were in a military area so you weren't able to have a knees-up. We weren't expecting it really but it was good news.' She added: 'I was only with a couple of people on duty, we said it was good news and you could hear noises and that in the distance but there wasn't a lot when I was in the barracks, I think the civilians had a better time really.' Ms Kidney said that at around the time of the end of the war, she went on compassionate leave to look after her elderly mother while her father was away at sea. She said that her family managed to celebrate when they were back together. She said: 'We did have a little one in the road because I was home then, looking after Mum. 'It wasn't a party, you had that later on because there was no food, we had it with what we had but it wasn't 'party party', I don't know where I was when all that was happening.' Ms Kidney said that her mother had spoken of her relief when the war was declared over. She said: 'She used to say 'I never thought I would live through another one' because my mum was old and when the war started I remember Mr Chamberlain saying we are now at war with Germany, I can remember my mum, she went over to her neighbour and they both cried together and I said 'They're making a fuss', we thought it was a bit of excitement, really.' She said that her mother said at the end of the war: 'I thought I'd never see another one and I never thought I'd live to see my family through it.' She added: 'Everybody was very kind and friendly, helped each other all we could with everything. We still had rations for three years after the war, it was a long time, we hardly had anything. 'We only had the local boiled sweet manufacturer, as for fruit, you never got any, you couldn't get a banana, the only way you got a banana was if you were pregnant for nutrition value.' Looking into the future as the world marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Ms Kidney said that she was unsure that all the lessons from the war had been learnt. She said: 'It's no good saying it won't come again because all the things are different nowadays, but I still don't think we get it.' Debbie Dollner, RNBT chief executive, said: 'The sacrifice Second World War veterans made to help secure the freedom we enjoy today is almost unimaginable. 'We're incredibly privileged to have Mabel as our resident and are in awe of the stories she shares. 'Although they and others who experienced it will never forget the tragedies and devastation of war, we hope that by holding our garden party, we're helping to recognise and celebrate the vital contribution they made.'
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Wren's VE Day: 'The civilians had a better time'
"There was no food... it wasn't party, party." A great-grandmother who served as a Wren during World War Two has described celebrations for VE Day as happy occasions that were limited by continuing rations. Mabel Kidney, 99, from Portsmouth, Hampshire, was 13 when the war started and joined the Women's Royal Naval Service when she was 17. She said there was a "little" party in the road where she lived when she returned home but that in the years following the war her family "hardly had anything". Ms Kidney was based at HMS Daedalus in Lee-on-the-Solent, near her family home. "I joined the Wrens to see the world and I ended up over there," she said. She was in the barracks when the end of World War Two in Europe was announced but said it was "quiet because there was nobody about much and it was just an ordinary day to me". "There were hooters going off and stuff but you were in a military area so you weren't able to have a knees-up. "We weren't expecting it really but it was good news." She added: "I was only with a couple of people on duty... you could hear noises and that in the distance but there wasn't a lot when I was in the barracks. "I think the civilians had a better time really." She said her mother spoke of her relief when the end of the war was declared. "She used to say 'I never thought I would live through another one' because my mum was old," Ms Kidney explained. When World War Two started, she said her mother and a neighbour cried together. "They're making a fuss," Ms Kidney said she thought, adding: "We thought it was a bit of excitement, really." Rations continued for three years after the war, said the former Wren. "It was a long time... we only had the local boiled sweet manufacturer. "As for fruit, you never got any, you couldn't get a banana. The only way you got a banana was if you were pregnant, for nutrition value." Looking to the future on the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Ms Kidney said she was unsure if lessons from the war had been learnt. She said: "It's no good saying it won't come again because all the things are different nowadays but I still don't think we get it." Ms Kidney lives at Admiral Jellicoe House care home run by The Royal Naval Benevolent Trust. It will be throwing a garden party for residents on the anniversary. Chief executive Debbie Dollner, said: "We're incredibly privileged to have Mabel as our resident and are in awe of the stories she shares." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. King and Queen to host VE Day tea party for war veterans VE Day celebrations across the South announced
