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Wrington at War 1939-45 by Mark Bullen |
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Wrington at War 1939-45 by Mark Bullen |
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| Victory at Last | |||||
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| Although people had been anticipating it for some time, when victory at last came in May 1945, the whole country was mad keen to celebrate. Fittingly, the weather was lovely, just as it had been on the day that war had broken out nearly six long years previously. The local paper reported in its edition of May 26: “ Wrington goes gay for victory and for Whitsun. The local Fire Brigade took a hand in setting alight Wrington’s victory bonfire, which as soon as darkness fell on VE-Day, was fired on the quarry site by Captain G.W. Anson. The holiday spirit being in the air all day, there had been music and singing and good fun for the children provided by Mr. Alfred Crook. With the bonfire blazing merrily, the dancing was seen in full swing in the Plough Inn yard, the flames and the floodlights on the neighbouring premises lighting up the scene.” Ken Schroeder recalls simply that VE day was a nice day and that he and his friends “had a few drinks.” He met a girl from Hailstone Cottages and wheeled his bike all the way with her back to there and back again, so it must have been a good day! Other people recall the happy street parties and the general air of festivity and merry-making. There was music, union flags, bunting, fancy dress and rows of tables stretching down much of Broad Street; everyone, particularly the children, enjoyed a splendid tea. Adult celebrations carried on long into the night. So the war had ended at last, leaving Wrington, outwardly at least, largely unscathed by its effects As the bells rang out for victory, the village prepared itself for a new chapter in its history and the great changes that would characterise the next 50 years. Now, at the dawn of the twenty-first century, we are all fortunate to enjoy Wrington at peace.
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