VE Day Thanksgiving and Celebration at Our Lady of Compassion - Formby

Victory in Europe Day, better known as VE Day has celebrated its 70th year celebrations this week and today in Formby, the celebrations came to an end with a VE Day Thanksgiving and Celebration at Our Lady Of Compassion Church in Formby Village hosted and organised by The Royal British Legion.

The Mayor and Mayoress of Sefton joined in the celebrations today along with Councillors, members of the public and the RAF cadets who lined the path into Our Lady's. The Royal British Legion showed perfect hospitality at their HQ in Whitehouse Lane afterwards with light refreshments for everyone.

Tuesday 8 May 1945 was Victory in Europe (VE) Day, and it marked the formal conclusion of Hitler's war. With it came the end of six years of misery, suffering, courage and endurance across the world.

May 8th 1945, was the date the Allies celebrated the defeat of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler's Reich, formally recognising the end of the Second World War in Europe.

The Allies had begun to overrun Germany from the west during April as Russian forces advanced from the east. On 25th April 1945, Allied and Soviet forces met at the Elbe River, the German Army was all but destroyed.

Five days later, Hitler killed his dog, his new wife Eva and then committed suicide in his Berlin bunker. His successor, Admiral Karl Doenitz, sent General Alfred Jodl to General Dwight Eisenhower's Supreme Allied Headquarters in Rheims to seek terms for an end to the war. At 2:41 a.m. on 7th May, General Jodl signed the unconditional surrender of German forces, which was to take effect from 8th May at 11:01 p.m.

After six years and millions of lives lost, the Nazi scourge was crushed and the war in Europe was finally over.

HRH The Queen

You can find out more about our Formby British Legion on their website by CLICKING HERE