Victory in Europe – 75th Anniversary

As you may be aware Friday 8th May 2020 has been set aside as a public holiday to remember the Victory in Europe at the end of World War II. With having to stay home and keep safe because of the Coronavirus there won’t be any community events taking place in schools, village halls or public spaces like the Library.

So here is a short article to relive the Victory celebrations and to recall a few war time memories to show how the men, women and children at home lived through the war here in the North East and further afield.

If you have any stories why not tell us via [email protected] or if you know someone who remembers these times then why not get in touch with them by telephone or social media and ask them to tell you their memories and stories so these are not lost.

Victory Celebrations 1945

Now it is 75 years since the end of World War II which is a few generations ago. Depending on your age that might have been when you, your parents, grandparents or even your great grandparents were around and lived through the war years.

On the eve of VE Day the Prime Minister Winston Churchill interrupted radio programmes to announce that Germany had been overcome and it was a time to give thanks. You can hear his short broadcast from Downing Street which lasts 48 seconds via the BBC archive https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/anniversaries/may/ve-day- broadcasts (Ctrl + click to follow link or right click and open the hyperlink. Once you have viewed it just click onto the backward arrow symbol “” at the top left of the screen to return to the article). The war in the Far East still continued but Victory in Europe (VE) was celebrated on 8th May 1945 as this date was seen as the end of the war in Europe because the war theatres were quiet and the Germans had surrendered to Allied Forces.

On the balcony of Buckingham Palace Winston Churchill with crowds at Whitehall Source: Imperial War Museum Ref: MH 21835 Source: Imperial War Museum Ref: H 41849

On 8th May 1945 thousands of people gathered outside Buckingham Palace calling for the King to come out onto the balcony. In all, the Royal Family made eight balcony appearances during the day. There were also crowds In Whitehall to see Winston Churchill and his cabinet colleagues. Winston Churchill gave a speech which included these monumental words:

“This is your victory! It is the victory of the cause of freedom in every land. In all our long history we have never seen a greater day than this. Everyone, man or woman, has done their best. Everyone has tried. Neither the long years, nor the dangers, nor the fierce attacks of the enemy, have in any way weakened the independent resolve of the British nation.”

Again you can actually see the film footage taken from outside Buckingham Palace and Whitehall, as well as late into the night in central London where crowds celebrated out in the streets and in their homes. The film clip lasts just under 10 minutes and can be found on YouTube via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rePb2NadxQw (Ctrl + click to follow link or right click and open the hyperlink. Once you have viewed it just click onto the backward arrow symbol “” at the top left of the screen to return to the article).

“Throughout the north of the end of the war is declared by the local mayor and special church services are held. Spontaneous dancing breaks out in many town streets and flags are flying almost everywhere, notably from the winding gear of local pits. A fanfare of trumpets hails the end of the war in and the Mayor of raises the flags of all the Allies on the Town Hall. A warship in Sunderland harbour accidentally fires shells into the town during the celebrations, but fortunately nobody is hurt. Many street parties are held on 9th May, the day after VE Day”. (Source: England’s North East website). Victory Parades 1946

One year after VE Day there were planned parades across the country. The main one was of course in London in front of the King George and Queen Elizabeth, along with diplomats and other royal dignitaries from all around the world. The parade was led by Field Marshal Montgomery also affectionately known as “Monty” pictured below:

“Monty” in his military uniform London Parade 1946 Source: Courtesy of Wikipedia Source: Courtesy of the Naval History website

The parade had groups from all the armed forces and ancillary forces from all corners of the world as well as the machinery that helped to win the war.

The streets were lined with thousands of people as you can see for yourself if you watch the 8 minute film coverage from the British Movietone collection https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEavcsrMoMw (Ctrl + click to follow link or right click and open the hyperlink. Once you have viewed it just click onto the backward arrow symbol “” at the top left of the screen to return to the article).

As well as the parade in the capital there were victory parades in other major cities including Newcastle. There were men and women from the armed forces along with civilian representatives and floats including police bands, nursing units, boy brigades, land army, and industries. There were floats for NEI Reyrolle paying tribute to the women who worked in heavy industry during the war. Also coal trucks with the banners saying “Jobs for All. Coal and Success” and “A Worthy Peace Means Coal. Coal Spells Victory”.

An amateur film of the Newcastle parade captures the crowds and the sense of pride in everyone’s efforts made during the war. The 12 minute film can be viewed via the Yorkshire Film Archive website along with more detail of the parade itself using this link http://www.yorkshirefilmarchive.com/film/victory-parade-newcastle-upon-tyne-8-june-1946 (Ctrl + click to follow link or right click and open the hyperlink. Once you have viewed it just click onto the backward arrow symbol “” at the top left of the screen to return to the article).

Victory Parties 1946 and onwards

As well as the big formal parades there were also street “parties held in every part of the country. Many in the North East took place in the back lanes between streets. Tables, chairs and white table cloths came out of everyone’s home. Decorations were quickly made or old pre-war bunting from perhaps the King’s Coronation of 1937 was put up in the streets and Union Jacks were prominent. Food was still rationed but families shared what they had to provide a celebratory tea”. (Source: Summerhill Books - Wartime Memories by Andrew Clark).

A VE Party in Morpeth. Thick-cut slices of bread and home-made cakes are on the tables.

Source: Courtesy of Summerhill Books

Victory Parades continued years after to commemorate and celebrate the victory, two photographs from Libraries local history archive show children dressing up for parades in in the 1940’s and 1950’s:

Source: Images courtesy of ’s Local History and Heritage

Letter from King George 1946

The Victory in Europe was also commemorated in writing, King George wrote a letter to all school children to express thanks for sharing in the hardships and dangers of the war and that everyone should be proud.

The letter which was sent out on 8th June 1946 carried the royal crest and his personal signature.

On the reverse side it had a list of key dates in the Second World War, a copy of the letter is below:

Source: Images courtesy of Museum & Art Gallery

V for Victory

Source: BBC Archive

V for Victory was originally used by the BBC during the Second World War as a rallying symbol for the resistance against the enemy. From an article on the BBC World Service History webpage it is said that:

“In a BBC broadcast on January 14th 1941, a broadcaster encouraged his compatriots to show their defiance to the Germans by painting Vs wherever they could.

The campaign spread to other BBC European services that broadcast to occupied areas and got its own “sound” as well. The letter V in Morse code is three dots and a dash – the opening notes of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony”.

If you want to hear the letter V in Morse code (…_) played on a timpani which is a type of drum, click onto https://youtu.be/ZZi_6FUbo-Q (Ctrl + click on follow link or right click and open the hyperlink. Once you have viewed it just click onto the backward arrow symbol “” at the top left of the screen to return to the article).

The two-fingered V for Victory gesture was then famously and enthusically adopted by Winston Churchill as you can see in the picture below:

Source: Courtesy of Wikipedia

Winston Churchill called the V sign “the symbol of the unconquerable will of the people of the occupied territories.” War Times 1939 – 1945

Food Rationing

For the people living in Britain daily sacrifices had to be made, food and other items were in extreme shortage because of the war. A system of rationing was introduced by the government for food, clothing and other things such as petrol.

Households were issued with ration books like the one below:

Source: Image courtesy of South Shields Museum & Art Gallery Source: Image courtesy of South Shields Museum & Art Gallery

This particular ration book was issued on 7th July 1941 to Robert Piper who lived in South Shields. Inside the book would be pages with stamps or coupons which were numbered and specified the food item you could get with it such as cooking fats, butter and margarine.

Mr Piper would have been registered to use certain shops, and when he went to the shop to get his shopping he would have had to present his ration book and the shopkeeper would cancel the coupons

(like in the photo opposite). Source: Courtesy of Wikipedia With food being scarce people had to be more inventive with it and stretch ingredients out. The government produced handy leaflets on recipes that were based on the food rations; maybe the “first celebrity cook” was Marguerite Patten.

During the Second World War she had a radio programme which helped educate people on how to cook with rations. The BBC programme was called “Kitchen Front”.

After the war she appeared on television and over her long career wrote more than 170 books which were sold around the world, over 17 million copies.

One book which was a compilation of her war time recipes was aptly named Source: The Telegraph “The Victory Cookbook”.

Carrots were used a lot in wartime cooking and baking.

Carrots are very high in beta carotene which converts to vitamin A. Just one medium size carrot provides the recommended daily intake of vitamin A.

They were home-grown and very versatile, so versatile in fact, that they often found their way into desserts, cakes and puddings.

One of the recipes promoted by Marguerite Patten and in her cook book was Carrot Scones.

The ingredients and recipe are below if you fancy trying them out! Source: Octopus Publishing Group Limited

Ingredients: 12 tbsp self-raising flour and 1 teaspoon baking powder – sifted together (or ½ wholemeal) 2 tbsp softened butter (or margarine) 4 tbsp sugar 8 tbsp grated carrot A few drops of vanilla flavouring (essence) Source: Pinterest Recipe for Carrot Scones:

It is important that the carrots are freshly grated and not put into water before use. • Pre-heat oven to gas mark 6 / 200°C. Grease a baking tray. • Leave the butter out so that it become nice and soft to work with. This makes it easier to mix in the sugar. Beat these until they are light and creamed. • Add in the grated carrot, a bit at a time. It will not look like the prettiest thing in the world – but stick with it. • Add in the vanilla. • Slowly add the sifted flour. The more you beat, the more moisture the carrots will release to bind the mixture together. You will be left with a kind of sticky carrot flecked dough. • Pinch and roll the desired amount between your hands. You should get 12 scones from this recipe. • Place on baking tray and sprinkle with a little sugar (optional). • Cook in the centre of the oven for about 20 mins. • Once firm on top and at the sides, they are done. Remove from oven and cool. • Enjoy - perfect with a nice cup of tea.

“Dig for Victory”

Across the country households were encouraged to grow their own food in times of harsh rationing, the campaign was called ‘Dig for Victory’. The campaign’s aims were both to ensure that people had enough to eat, and that morale was kept high.

Open spaces everywhere were transformed into allotments, from domestic gardens to public parks – even the lawns outside the Tower of London were turned into vegetable patches.

As part of the “Dig for Victory” Campaign, South Shields County Borough Council issued certificates to individuals who had done their bit for the campaign like Mr W Gribbin who cultivated a plot on the Town Hall Allotments.

Source: Image courtesy of South Shields Museum & Art Gallery Clothes Rationing

Like food, clothing was also rationed as there was a shortage of materials to make clothes. People were also urged to “make do and mend” so that clothing factories and workers could be used to make items, such as parachutes and uniforms, needed in the war.

Clothes rationing began on 1 June 1941 and ended on 15 March 1949. It worked in a similar way as to food rationing.

Each person was given 60 coupons to last them a year. Later it was reduced to 48 coupons. Children were allocated an extra 10 clothing coupons above the standard ration to allow for growing out of clothes during a year.

To buy a night-shirt or a pair of pyjamas would use 8 coupons if for a man and 6 coupons for a boy.

This example of a clothing ration book had been issued to June Cairn of 13 Source: Image courtesy of South Shields Museum & Art Gallery Dean Street, South Shields.

Source: Image courtesy of South Shields Museum & Art Gallery Other Rationing

In the Second World War there was also rationing of petrol and furniture see examples of permits below:

Source: Images courtesy of South Shields Museum & Art Gallery Knitting for the R.A.F.

The government not only asked the nation to “Dig For Victory” but also to knit. There was a campaign “Knitting for the R.A.F.” and other armed forces.

Here is a knitting pattern which was produced by the Royal Air Force Comforts Committee.

Patterns were for socks, gloves, scarfs and helmets. Everyone had a part to play and all efforts counted.

This pattern cost 1/- or a shilling which was 12 pence and looked like:

Source: Images from All Coin Values Source: Image courtesy of South Shields Museum & Art Gallery Identity Cards

The government introduced the National Registration Identity Card in World War II.

Everyone, including children, had to carry an identity (ID) card at all times to show who they were and where they lived.

The identity card gave the owner's name and address, including changes of address.

The example here is the identity card issued to Joseph R Stewart of 127 Hadrian Road, Jarrow dated 21/5/1940.

When would you be asked to show your ID card? Anytime.

If you were on the bus that ran from Boldon to Washington/Sunderland, there used to be a checkpoint at the aerodrome and the bus would be stopped and you would have been asked by the soldiers to show your ID card.

Source: Images courtesy of South Shields Museum & Art Gallery Air Raids

In Britain there were air raids, London was severely damaged by bombs during the “Blitz” but also other cities and locations were targets. In the North it is thought that there had been 298 air raids during WWII. Targets included shipyards, collieries, ports and large factories in places like Sunderland, Newcastle, and many more.

Heaton, Newcastle after a bomb raid in April 1941 Source: Chronicle Live History web page Ref 11225614

In March 1943 there was an air raid which affected Jarrow, Boldon Colliery and West Boldon, it was estimated that altogether 25 planes took part in the raid.

In Boldon Colliery the bombs wrecked - the Co-operative stores on both sides of the street, the Miners’ Hall, Workmen's Institute, the Police station, a chapel, a public-house, many shops and houses. At least eight streets were involved in this incident, many families were rendered homeless and rest centres were opened. (Source: Boldon War Memories website)

Source: Boldon War Memories Website and Sunderland Daily Echo

On the same night, nine fire pot incendiary bombs and one large high explosive bomb and many incendiary bombs fell at West Boldon. Two males and one female were killed. One house was seriously damaged and thirty received minor damage. Five UXBs fell at West Boldon about the same time. (Source: Boldon War Memories website) During the air raid “all night long wardens and other branches of Civil Defence services were at work helping the injured and homeless. So great was the spirit of neighbourliness shown by all that this morning only a minority were without homes to go to temporary accommodation” (Source: Sunderland Daily Echo 1943).

Below is a picture of Terrace at West Boldon which got hit, this picture is taken a couple of years after the air raid:

Source: Image courtesy of The Francis Frith Collection

When air raids happened like the one in March 1943 across Boldon Colliery and West Boldon, the Wardens would have had to complete a report like the one opposite to record details such as the number and type of bombs, damage, and unfortunately any injuries and fatalities.

Air Raid Wardens were also responsible for patrolling the streets during blackout to ensure no light was visible.

Source: Imperial War Museum -Object 1188 Source: Image courtesy of South Shields Museum & Art Gallery

Civil Defence Many civilians took up roles on the home front to help defend and protect, roles included Air Raid Precautions Wardens, Home Guards, Fire Wardens, the War Reserve Police or Special Constables, and First Aiders some in mobile hospitals.

The Home Guard were volunteers who defended the five thousand miles of Britain coastline in the event of an invasion by Germany. They were originally called the Local Defence Volunteers.

The men of the Home Guard covering East and West Boldon are shown below:

East Boldon Home Guard West Boldon Home Guard

Source: Boldon War Memories website Source: Boldon War Memories website

It is thought that drills of the West Boldon Home Guard may have taken place in the Aubrey Leake Hall, whilst East Boldon Home Guard used St George's Parish Hall where Boldon Auctions is now, although these are not confirmed in writing but there were few buildings in the area large enough to hold the drills.

People in the Civil Defence also did many other tasks as can be seen in the photograph which appeared in the & Shipping Gazette in 1942:

Source: Boldon War Memories website

It shows personnel at East Boldon making toys for war-time nurseries. Scrap wood is being used for model tanks, lorries, engines, and dolls' houses. As well as members of the Civil Defence are making "soft" toys for the smaller children. Gas Masks

There were many pamphlets produced during the war to tell people what to do in certain situations such as air raids and how to protect themselves like the wearing of gas masks. Here are two sample booklets:

Source: Images courtesy of South Shields Museum & Art Gallery

On Saturday 16 May 1942 the Sunderland Daily Echo posted a notice for Boldon which stated "Residents of East Boldon are advised by the Head Warden (Mr H Fewster) to have their respirators tested between May 18 and Thursday May 21 at the Warden’s Post, 7 Ashleigh Villas, East Boldon. The hours will be 9.30 to noon, 1.30 to 4 pm. and 5.30 to 10.30p.m. daily".

Examples of a gas protection for young babies. Source: Boldon War Memories What next?

Find out more …..

There is a varied collection of books in the Library on local history and war times, unfortunately at the moment these can’t be taken out however there are some local websites that you could look up for more facts and figures, personal accounts and photographs. Here are a few:

• Boldon War Memories website http://www.boldonwm.uk/ • Boldon Camp http://www.boldoncamp.co.uk/ • South Tyneside Council Local History and Heritage https://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/article/34346/Local-history-and-heritage • South Shields Museum & Art Gallery https://southshieldsmuseum.org.uk/collections • Archaeology of the Twentieth Century Defence Sites of https://www.newcastle.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2018-12/Tyne_and_wear_defence_sites.pdf • Village Atlas http://cleadon-village.co.uk/ • The Boldons History Society http://www.boldon.yolasite.com/boldons-history-society.php • “The Boldons” blog by Adam Bell https://blog.twmuseums.org.uk/the-boldons/ • The Shields Gazette – 13 reminders of how we all pulled together ...... https://www.shieldsgazette.com/heritage-and-retro/retro/13-reminders-how-we-all-pulled-together- south-tyneside-during-second-world-war-2502450

Cook...... Try the recipe for carrot scones and taste them for yourself. Or search for other wartime recipes and give it a go.

Knit......

Take up the knitting needles and try your hand at knitting a R.A.F. aircraft:

Source: Royal Air Force Museum

The knitting pattern is available at: https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documents/Events/London/Knit%20for%20Britain%20from%20Above%20pattern.pdf Get ready for the VE 75th celebration...... There is an activity pack on the Bletchley Park website which shows how you can make VE bunting, do your hair in the “Victory Roll” style, some typical songs so you can have a sing-along, and how to make cocktails and drinks to get ready for the Nation’s Toast on Friday 8th May at 3 pm. Visit https://bletchleypark.org.uk/blog/celebrate-ve- day-at-home-with-bletchley-park

Solve a Mystery......

Here is a photograph of a group of uniformed men outside the “Ye Olde Grey Horse” East Boldon:

• Do you know when it was taken? • What is the uniform? • Do you recognise anyone in the picture?

If you do know anything about the photograph we would love to hear from you, drop an email to [email protected]

Source: Image courtesy of Mr P Payne

Share......

If you know someone who remembers these times then why not get in touch with them by telephone or social media and ask them to tell you their memories and stories so these are not lost.

Or if you want to share wider why not send in your story or pictures to [email protected] and we will try to pull them all together and showcase them once the Library is back open.