Mayor leads VE Day 80 celebrations in St Albans District
St Albans Mayor, Councillor Jamie Day, laid a wreath at the City’s War Memorial to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.
He was joined by Cllr Jenni Murray, the Deputy Mayor, Daisy Cooper, the MP for St Albans, John Gauthier, from the Royal British Legion, and senior officers from St Albans City and District Council.
Canon Margaret Tinsley led prayers at the ceremony by the memorial in St Peter’s Street.
Earlier, the Town Crier Stephen Potter read the VE Day 80 National Proclamation at the Clock Tower at the same time as 300 criers from around the UK and Commonwealth.
Both events attracted a gathering of dozens of residents who came together to pay their respects to the millions of victims of the Second World War.
VE Day occurred on 8 May 1945 when Nazi Germany surrendered to Britain and its allies, bringing an end to the Second World War in Europe.
After the wreath laying, the Mayor launched a display of storyboards at the Assembly Room of St Albans Museum + Gallery.
The photographs and text explore the unique personal stories of eight individuals from across the District with topics ranging from evacuation to life as a Prisoner of War.
After viewing the display, the Mayor hosted a coffee morning for armed forces’ veterans at the Civic Centre.
Inspector Paul Caro, representing Hertfordshire Constabulary, also attended the event and talked to some of the guests.
The Mayor also attended a special Commemorative Evensong at St Albans Cathedral and joined the ringers at the Bell Tower as they joined a national ring-out to celebrate the occasion.
Cllr Day, the Mayor of St Albans City and District, said:
It was a great honour to lead the District’s celebration of VE Day 80, undoubtedly the highlight of my civic year.
I was pleased that so many of our residents joined me at the Clock Tower and War Memorial where we had a very moving service.
It was a fitting tribute to the thousands of men and women who gave their lives during the war in Europe so we could continue to enjoy our freedoms and way of life. We will always remember them.
Admission to the Museum + Gallery display is free and on Saturday 10 May there will be a performance of wartime songs by a local choir.
There will be two sessions, at noon and 2pm, when the community group The Monday Choir will sing the hits of Vera Lynn and other 1940s favourites.
The Charter Market on the same day will be VE Day-themed with traders encouraged to put up red, white and blue bunting as well as other appropriate decorations.
At Wheathampstead, the Parish Council is organising a free VE Day exhibition at Marford Memorial Hall, 11am to 5pm, on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 May.
Curated by the local history society, it will feature photographs, uniforms and other artefacts to bring to life the wartime stories of residents and evacuees.
There will also be a street café selling 1940s style cakes and other treats.
Photos: top, from the left: Daisy Cooper, St Albans MP, Cllr Jenni Murray, Deputy Mayor, Cllr Jamie Day, the Mayor, Canon Margaret Tinsley, veteran John Gauthier, and the Town Crier, Stephen Potter .Below, the Town Crier reads out the VE Day 80 Proclamation at the Clock Tower; the Mayor tries out a World War Two jeep; the Mayor at the Museum + Gallery display; Inspector Paul Caro talks to veterans at the coffee morning.
Contact for the media: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer: 01727-819533; john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.