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V E & VJ Day 2020 celebrations

Ray Griffiths

Ray Griffiths

master brummie
Let me start you off I intend trimming my bungalow up in memory of my dad who play an important part of the celebrations in Birdbrook Rd & Kebworth Close parties.
I will hope to have Union Jack buntings with a picture of King George 6th an Elizabeth, LED light shining on my home with R W B strips.
that's for starters
May 8th for 3 days lets not forget the dark days and the wonder when final victory was achieved and the fuel bills went up.
 
Not sure if anything is planned here in Crete, but will stick it on the agenda for the next Foreign Residents Commitee Meeting, though things tend to be planned at the last minute here! :) Thanks for reminding me, Ray.

Maurice
 
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I've just received my parcel of flags & buntings for VE 75 years celebrations, I've Union Jack , 9 metres of union jack buntings, An Army, RAF, RN flag and a lest we forget Flag. I intend trimming the house up for 8th May as a tribute to my Dad who did it 75 years ago. I will also think of the many who lost lives giving us the freedom we have today even in these tragic times. Hitler missed me I was down the reinforced cellar 2 Sandy Lane when he dropped a large bomb which failed to go off, it landed on the Lichfield Rd. I was down the cellar with my mother, Dad was on Fire watching duty at the GEC Witton Works. That night people wasn't so lucky in Church Rd and Victoria Rd. one family was killed whilst down a cellar, when you come to think a cellar wasn't a very safe place to be when the house above come down you had no way of escape. On brighter theme I will be putting the outside lights on Friday 8th May to remember the lights going on 75 years ago and remember those poor people who didn't live to see this day. Come on join me whilst and put a smile people faces whilst looking through the front windows while in lock down.
 
Ray Griffiths said:
I've just received my parcel of flags & buntings for VE 75 years celebrations, I've Union Jack , 9 metres of union jack buntings, An Army, RAF, RN flag and a lest we forget Flag. I intend trimming the house up for 8th May as a tribute to my Dad who did it 75 years ago. I will also think of the many who lost lives giving us the freedom we have today even in these tragic times. Hitler missed me I was down the reinforced cellar 2 Sandy Lane when he dropped a large bomb which failed to go off, it landed on the Lichfield Rd. I was down the cellar with my mother, Dad was on Fire watching duty at the GEC Witton Works. That night people wasn't so lucky in Church Rd and Victoria Rd. one family was killed whilst down a cellar, when you come to think a cellar wasn't a very safe place to be when the house above come down you had no way of escape. On brighter theme I will be putting the outside lights on Friday 8th May to remember the lights going on 75 years ago and remember those poor people who didn't live to see this day. Come on join me whilst and put a smile people faces whilst looking through the front windows while in lock down.
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what a great post ray....i will be doing the same thing and who knows with a bit of luck the idea will catch on....thank you for caring

lyn
 
Still remember the Bonfires in the middle of the road .Our street was very lucky Inkerman St Vauxhall.But around us suffered.
 
hi ray...just ordered my bunting and flags :) also moving the thread to the events section of the forum

lyn
 
My Dad hauled the radio record player out in the streets on Moat Lane Yardley so we could all dance and celebrate Great fun happy times after all the bombing and tragic times.
 
You might need to keep the bunting up for a while:

Just read the following:
VE DAY 75 CANCELLATION ADVICE
I am afraid that the terrible Coronavirus emergency and consequent Government guidance means that we must advise participants to cancel or postpone the majority of the VE Day 75 community celebrations due to take place on the bank holiday weekend of 8th – 10th May. It is right and proper that people should be kept safe and healthy.
My sincere thanks to everyone who registered their events and were looking forward to celebrating VE Day 75. I know how disappointed you will be that these cannot now go ahead as planned. However, we are still encouraging solo pipers and town criers to continue to mark the occasion from a safe and suitable location.
I am hoping that all the events you have carefully planned can be moved to the weekend of 15th – 16th August when we will be able to celebrate VE Day and VJ Day, both momentous points in our history. I am in ongoing communication with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport regarding this and hope to be able to give you more news in the coming days.
With my very best wishes,
Bruno Peek LVO OBE OPR
Pageantmaster VE Day 75
 
Astoness said:
my bunting arrived this morning :)
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Lyn, you reminded me to try to coerce Graham into going into the loft sometime soon. I kept all my bunting from various royal weddings and I seem to remember making some too, so I hope I can find it. However, I do remember where my Union Flag earrings are and I shall be wearing them! I put them in for the Olympics, Commonwealth Games etc. and any other excuse.
 
dont forget folks...put your flags for friday the 8th or thursday night ready for friday as i will be doing....what a hellish 6 years for everyone but somehow they came through it god bless them...it was my moms 16th birthday on the 7th..what a party she must have had...song below from the great dame vera lynn.. ps i didnt realise until i played it but can spot at least 2 shots in the video that are of birmingham bomb damage


 
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Lady Penelope said:
Me again Lyn. Was the hole filled with water in the video somewhere near Newtown Row?
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spot on pen...at the corner of brearley st and hospital st the pub on the corner was the rose and crown which was damaged repaired and re opened....hope you all have a lovely party...will anyone be dragging out the old piano into the street lol
 
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Astoness said:
spot on pen...at the corner of brearley st and hospital st the pub on the corner was the rose and crown which was damaged repaired and re opened....hope you all have a lovely party...will anyone be dragging out the old piano into the street lol
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No piano sadly Lyn, but we have found all our WW2 CD"s so will turn up the volume!
 
fantastic pen what a great idea...wish i could be there but i will also be playing some ww2 songs and watching some old pathe videos as a tribute to those who came through the war not forgetting that we do have a few members on the forum who did just that

lyn :)
 
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As one who did - although I can't claim any credit for that, it was wholly my parents who got me through it unscathed, never really hungry, cold, unhappy or terrified, how lucky was I? - my main contribution will be a further couple of additions to my interminable "75 Years Ago Today" thread.

Look away!!

Chris
 
absolutely agree chris...it was the parents who bore the brunt of the worry of surviving WW2...i think some children quite understandably saw it as a great adventure...my grandad fought in WW1 and came back although being gassed a couple of times took its toll on his health...he passed away in 1938 aged just 50 leaving my nan who had already gone though ww1 and avoided the spanish flu to bring up 3 young girls one of those girls being our mom..nan never remarried and at one time was holding down 3 jobs to make ends meet..(no social security in those days) i can only take my hat off to them all...will look forward to reading your latest post chris..

lyn
 
In my fathers family he had seven brothers and three sisters. Five brothers were in the armed forces in WW2, one was medically unfit (ear problems) and the last to be born was too your and evacuated to Herefordshire. I do not know what his sisters did, presumably worked in factories. Ak five returned from the cnflict but one had a few issues, which he got over once he married, due to his service in the Tank Corps.
My wife's family was not so fortunate. The youngest son of four sons who was 18 years old, was killed in a tip and run raid on a shipyard on the River Dart in 1941. I can see the church where his grave is situated.
City's are often considered when talking of bombing but many coastal and inland towns were bombed due to their perceived importance by the Luftwaffe or simply by jettisoned bombs when German aircrews were unsure of their location.
 
during my research over the years i have found some pretty awful and sad losses due to the bombings of WW2 this is just one family who lost so many...the astles from guildford st...father george has not been confirmed as surviving and if he did how on earth would he have coped with the loss of his wife..his mother and 6 children...so when the rest of the country were celebrating the end of the war we must remember that so many were still grieving...god bless them all for paying the ultimate sacrifice


Last NameForename(s)Date of InjuryLocation of InjuryAgeCivil Defence Status
AstleDavid01/11/19404/142 Guildford Street, Lozells7CivilianView
AstleGeorge01/11/19404/142 Guildford Street, Lozells10CivilianView
AstleGeorge01/11/19404/142 Guildford Street, LozellsCivilianView
AstleHorace01/11/19404/142 Guildford Street, Lozells9CivilianView
AstleLeah01/11/19404/142 Guildford Street, Lozells36CivilianView
AstleMaureen01/11/19404/142 Guildford Street, Lozells2CivilianView
AstleRaymond01/11/19404/142 Guildford Street, Lozells8CivilianView
AstleSusannah01/11/19404/142 Guildford Street, Lozells62CivilianView
AstleThomas01/11/19404/142 Guildford Street, Lozells10CivilianV
 
difficult to decide which rendition of land of hope and glory to put up but decided on this one...come on folks lets all sing along to this tomorrow especially given the difficult times we are all going through

 
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