VE Day: Beacons lit up across Cambridgeshire as Ely Cathedral bathed in red, white and blue
Beacons across Cambridgeshire were lit last night (Thursday) to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day.
Just like in 1945, the nation came together to honour and pay tribute to the millions of people across the UK and Commonwealth who served in the Second World War.
Residents and visitors, local dignitaries, Armed Forces personnel and veterans gathered at Castle Mound in Cambridge to commemorate the historic occasion.
One veteran in attendance was 101-year-old Douglas John Hayward, one of the last surviving members of the Essex Yeomanry who landed on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day in 1944.
Following music and an opening speech delivered by Christopher Walkinshaw, Deputy Lieutenant for Cambridgeshire, the beacon was lit alongside others across the UK, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
The lighting of the beacon symbolised the coming together of community and the ‘light of peace’ that emerged from the darkness of war.
Cambridge mayor, Cllr Baiji Thittala, closed the ceremony and, in his speech, reflected on VE Day as an opportunity to learn from the past to help create a better future for our communities.
Mr Walkinshaw added: “It was an honour to attend the ceremony and light the beacon to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
“VE Day is an event which holds deep significance for our nation and for communities across Cambridgeshire. It was great to see so many people come together to pause, reflect and remember the generation that changed the course of history in Europe to secure the freedoms we enjoy today.”
The ceremony was organised by the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Armed Forces Covenant Partnership, in collaboration with Cambridgeshire County Council and Cambridge City Council.
There was also a day of activities in Ely to mark the occasion, culminating in the lighting of the beacon.
The day included a service of celebration at St Mary’s Church, a lunchtime recital at Ely Cathedral and performances from the Sing! choirs. The cathedral was also lit up with search lights and in red, white and blue.
AstraZeneca in Cambridge marked the event with a moment of silence across its sites and a commemoration at The Discovery Centre (DISC), where staff were joined by Julie Spence OBE, Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire.
Later the DISC was lit up in red, white and blue as part of a nation-wide lighting of beacons.
For those wanting to connect with Second World War histories, there are a range of resources available online and in libraries across Cambridgeshire.
All Cambridgeshire libraries have free access to the British Newspaper Archive, as well as family history sites Find my Past and Ancestry to help residents discover local and family Second World War connections.
