VE Day: We Were There

World War Two veterans tell their remarkable stories for future generations.

VE Day at 80 across Europe

We Were There

Veterans' stories

Women at war

The Royal Air Force

Read more stories

    1. An elderly bald man in a suit looks off to the side of the camera

    • Two men standing in military uniforms and holding up flags n the Villa Marina Royal Hall. They are standing next to blue and white drums, which has a red wreath been placed on one, and there is a large band sitting behind them.

      • An elderly man in a maroon jumper and tie looks off the side of the camera

        • A bald elderly man with a beard smiles into the camera

          • An elderly woman looks off to the left of the screen

            • A bald elderly man in a dark jacket looks past the camera

              • An elderly man wearing an RAF hat and a dark suit looks off to the side of the camera

                • An elderly woman wearing glasses looks off camera

                  • Prudence sits on a wicker chair in her garden. She is wearing a pink suit and pink lipstick.

                    • Annie Duplock in Land Army uniform watering her garden.

                    • The Manx flag flying at full mast in the wind, it is a red flag, with a white triskellion in the middle and golden knees and feet.

                      • A black and white image of an older man, wearing a checked shirt and gilet, imposed onto a white and red striped background.

                        • An elderly man wearing glasses and a cardigan looks past the camera smiling

                          • UK
                          A Red Arrows plane flying over London, from the view of another Red Arrows jet

                          • Jane Darlison, wearing a blue jumper and chain necklace, looking off-camera with a window to a garden behind her

                            • An elderly woman wearing a flowery top looks at the camera

                            • A black-and-white photograph from 1945 showing a group of cheering young women in overall type gowns standing in a line holding a garland and waving British flags

                            • Mabel sits on a chair wearing a blue jumper, a beige patterned scarf, and a black gilet. She has short grey hair and glasses.

                            • A black and white image of Bill Tutte on a first class stamp. He is wearing a shirt and a blazer, and machinery used in Bletchley Park is behind him. It says 'William Tutte, Codebreaking the Lorenz cipher machine at Bletchley Park' on the bottom left of the stamp.

                              • UK
                              King Charles in the garden of Buckingham Palace

                            • A stamp which features a black and white picture of Dame Vera Lynn.

                            • Staffordshire Lord Lieutenant Ian Dudson wearing ceremonial uniform with medla and a black cap with a red band around its rim, is stood in front of a museum display cabinet and a a purple banner for the King's Award for Voluntary Service.

                            • Six stamps show black and white photographs from VE Day 1945. You can see women working the land, people celebrating and Winston Churchill and the Royal Family waving at the crowds in London.

                            • A bronze-coloured sound mirror situated at Dover's Marina Curve.