Churches across the diocese marked VE day 80 years on with special services, acts of remembrance, the ringing of bells and the lighting of beacons. It was a chance to come together with communities to reflect and give thanks for the peace that so many sacrificed their lives for during the Second World War. Below are some of the stories from around our churches. Find all the photos here.
St John’s Church, Hartley Wintney
The war memorial outside the church was the focus of a service and act of remembrance. Members of the church were joined by residents, passing dog walkers and even workers setting up a nearby funfair.
Led by Revd Helen May and Revd Amy Bianchi, the service included a bible reading about the prodigal son, homily, prayers, the laying of wreaths and a time of silence.
Revd Helen said, “I think as a community this service really draws us together and welcomes people from outside of the church. It’s us showing the community that we love them, and we care about the things that they care about. It’s giving them a time to remember and we’re also honouring God in all of it as well.”
The church had worked alongside representatives from the Royal British Legion and the Parish Council to organise the tribute. Pupils from Greenfields Junior School sang two songs.
Ian Wilson, Chairman of the Royal British Legion branch in Hartley Wintney said, “Personally, I’m remembering my father who passed away two years ago and I’m wearing his medals. He fought through Normandy, Belgium, Holland and Germany. He was one of four brothers, two of whom didn’t come back from World War II. I joined the army at the age of 18 and it was the biggest part of my life. I remember comrades who have passed on in other conflicts too.”
Hartley Wintney was the base for around 20,000 Canadian soldiers who were stationed there in tented camps ahead of D-Day. There are 26 names on the town’s war memorial of men who didn’t return home. Those names were read out at the service ahead of the exhortation.
In the crowd was 92-year-old Nigel Pollock who remembers VE day. He said, “I was 7 years old when war broke out. We lived in Surrey on a direct line between the coast and London. I remember planes flying over our house during the Battle of Britain and my parents and I having to hit the ground because shrapnel was coming down. I think as a young child I found the war fascinating and only later realised the sacrifices that had been made. I was 12 years old at VE day, so I remember it very vividly. We had a big bonfire that night. Today is a very big day for me and it was essential for me to be here.”
87 year old Michael Edgar added, “My first recollection was sat on the gatepost of my house in 1940 when I was 3 years old. My father pointed to the sky where there were fights going on. I remember VE day was a fantastic relief to everyone. We had a street party and the euphoria at the end of the war was amazing. Today has meant a lot to me and talking about the prodigal son is so relevant with ongoing wars. We need to come back to a loving God.”
Revd Helen added, “We see so much in the world that people are still suffering with war and still living with the consequences of wars gone by and wars that are currently going on. So, I think we need to remember those people before God and be praying for those countries and those world leaders.”
St Peter and St Paul, Ringwood
The bells of St Peter and St Paul’s rang out at 6.30pm on 8th May, just as they did on 8th May 1945. It was part of a nationwide initiative called ‘Together We Chime’. The church invited the community to pause, listen and remember as they recreated the historic moment on VE day 80 years ago.
Ringing Captain Emma McNally said, “As bellringers, we like to commemorate national events. We rang last year for the anniversary of D-Day. We rang for the Queen’s funeral and King’s Coronation. We try and mark any big national events and also local events, so we’ll ring at Christmas and when we have carols in the marketplace, because it lets everybody know that something is happening. People in the town like to hear the bells and it reminds them that the church is still here and keeps the tradition going.”
Emma added, “Sometimes we have had visitors to the town who didn’t know if there was a service on, but they heard the bells and they came, which is what we’re here for. Although it’s a good hobby and it’s sociable and it keeps your brain going, we’re here to announce that the church is active and functioning and having services, and to bring people in.”
As in the past, the bells are an important way of sharing news and celebrations with the community. The church is currently raising funds to augment the bells from 8 to 10 and is hoping to encourage more people to join the team.
Jeanette Dawson has been a bellringer for around 2 years and said, “I came to bell ringing when I witnessed them tolling for the Queen. I was sitting in the churchyard having my lunch and met a bellringer who invited me to come and look around. I was allowed to sit and witness them ringing which was very special and I haven’t left since. It’s an honour to do this today, and to feel that everyone around the country or abroad is doing all this as well, is quite extraordinary for me.”
St Peter’s, Ropley
At sunset on 8th May, Revd Amber Beresford and the choir of St Peter’s led a tribute to all those who sacrificed so much in war. The community came together at Ropley recreation ground for a short service and moment of silence and reflection.
Revd Amber said, “It’s such a privilege to lead this event, but it’s a very deep and moving moment, and it makes us all think and reflect upon how we’re going to live today by the inspiration of what that generation went through with so much worry and trauma. It’s a real moment to never forget what the Allied forces did and what a whole generation did to bring peace to Europe and victory to Europe.”
Around 100 people came together. They sang ‘God is our strength and refuge’ and ‘I vow to thee my country’. Revd Amber read a tribute, there were prayers and the singing of the National Anthem. In the silence, those present were encouraged to remember ‘those who gave their lives at home and abroad; those who came home, wounded, physically and mentally; the families that lost husbands, wives, sons, daughters; those in reserved occupations and the brave people who kept everyone safe on the home front.’
The short service was part of a number of events organised by the Ropley Fayre committee. Some had shared a fish and chips supper ahead of the event to remember the fishermen who fed the nation and the land girls who grew the potatoes. A remembrance lantern was lit by 88-year-old Humphrey Carr to represent the light of peace after the darkness of war.
He commented, “My father was in the RAF, so he was stationed at Medmenham, but I was away at school in Sussex by the time of 1945. I was there on VE day and I think we celebrated with a nice tea. The fact that people have come here today to remember is obviously important and we want people go on remembering, so that these awful things don’t happen again.”
New Forest Parishes
Just before midday on 8th May, a service was held at the lychgate of Christ Church, Emery Down. In the afternoon, Revd David Potterton also led a service for the residents of Hartwood House Nursing Home in Lyndhurst.
The church has a special relationship with the home and leads a Sunday afternoon service and a Tuesday morning communion service each month.
Revd David said, “Everyone in the room had memories of being children and teenagers during WW2. As children, they had fathers who served in the Armed Forces as well as in civilian occupations. As we listened to a military band, one resident spoke of her father who was a military bandsman, playing the tuba in Malta. Our service was part of a programme of events over a couple of days and enabled a moment’s reflection on the reason for all the celebrations. One lady commented that our freedom ‘cost a great deal’. We sang hymns, read scripture, prayed and remembered.”
St Mary the Virgin, Silchester
In addition to a service of thanksgiving and picnic celebration on Sunday, the village community expressed a wish for a service that was more reflective in nature, and which honoured those who were not able to celebrate the original VE Day in 1945.
Revd Karen West said, “I was very keen that we should respond to this and so designed our liturgy on the outline Church of England service for VE Day at 80. The famous Kohima Epitaph that we say on Remembrance Sunday – ‘When you go home tell them of us and say, ‘For your tomorrow, we gave our today’ was appropriately read by a young person from our congregation and was followed by the laying of a wreath by our churchwarden on behalf of the village and a two minute silence.”
Winchester Cathedral
The bells of Winchester Cathedral also rang out to celebrate the anniversary of VE day. The partner of one of the bell ringers recorded the moment:
Nick Bucknall, Tower Captain, said, “The bell ringers were honoured to ring for the 80th anniversary of VE Day on Thursday 8th May. There is a long tradition of ringing church bells in England to mark important national occasions. During the first part of World War II, all church bells were silenced, to ring only to inform of an invasion by enemy troops. The ban was lifted in 1943 and bells rang out across the country on VE Day.”
A special choral evensong was held on Sunday led by the boy choristers and lay clerks. Members of the Scouts and Guides read the lessons, and prayers were led by members of Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force, police and fire service cadets. The Bishop of Winchester attended the service along with the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire Nigel Atkinson.
Interim Dean Canon Roland Riem said, “We come together conscious of our need for God’s forgiveness for the sin and the desire to dominate others that leads to conflict between people and war between nations. As we remember the many soldiers, sailors and airmen who gave their lives restraining evil and opposing tyranny, we also come in thanksgiving for those who continue to strive for peace on this continent.”
Benefice of Sherfield on Loddon and Stratfield Saye with Hartley Wespall with Stratfield Turgis and Bramley
St Leonard’s Church hosted a community supper on Friday 9th May to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE day. It was organised in association with the Royal British Legion. 80 people from the church and wider community attended the celebration at Sherfield on Loddon Village Hall. There was a free 2 course meal and a raffle and live auction to raise money for the church and the Royal British Legion.
All Saints Church, North Baddesley
About 50 people with the age range from two to 93 years old came together on Sunday 11th May for a party to celebrate 80yrs since Victory in Europe at All Saints Church, North Baddesley.
Parish Administrator Sally Kerson writes, “The church was decorated with the help of the local Brownie group and after a tea of sandwiches and cake there was a poem to remind us of VE Day. This was followed by part of Winston Churchill’s original speech, a voice from the past, which echoed around the church. The Memory Box Foundation, with the help of Romsey Dementia Action Group, took over the proceedings by passing around ‘Memory Boxes’ containing items from 80yrs ago, these provoked many interesting conversations. The North Baddesley History Group put on a magnificent display showing pictures of people in the village during the war. The afternoon finished listening and singing to war time music.”
St Peter and St Paul, Kings Somborne
A VE day exhibition at Kings Somborne Church brought home the realities of war in the village. It was a shared initiative with King’s Somborne CofE primary, the parish council, Royal British Legion and Somborne District Society, who gathered stories, photos and information from the archives.
Churchwarden Joan Appleyard said, “This is so much part of our history and the make-up of our society and it’s great that the children at the school have taken part in putting all this together. It’s part of our heritage and it’s important that we remember sacrifices made.”
500 evacuees found a safe home in the village during World War II and troops were also stationed here in transit camps. 4 German airmen were killed close to the village during the Battle of Britain.
The exhibition had earlier been on display at the primary school and pupils had made their own artwork to commemorate the anniversary.
Stephen Silver-Warner, Chair of the Somborne District Society, said, “We work with the schoolchildren at various points during the year and for them it’s important to know what’s happened so that they can use it in their future. History to them is very important because it’s their roots and they hope to make better decisions. When I walked into the display and saw the colour, the vibrancy, the energy and the joy, it was everything that should be right about VE Day. It’s remembering what has happened and taking it forward.”
Archivist Tricia Silver-Warner added, “Some of the stories we have re-told are quite funny and cheeky and some are very sad. I am aware of the sacrifices that have been made in the past, which allow me to have the life I have now. I think it’s important for everybody, but particularly the children, to understand it in a gentle way and to accept that people’s decisions and what they went through have allowed them to be where they are today.”
On 8th May 1945, villagers converged at the war memorial where the vicar led everyone in the Lord’s Prayer.
Joan Appleyard continued, “The church provides the comfort, support and the inspiration for people living through difficult times. It must have been so hard to live through those times. That spirit of community and common purpose needs to be cherished, and the church is part of that. That generation showed us that, and it’s a lesson that we need to learn.”
