Food was scarce but that didn't spoil VE Day

Jump to: navigation, search

THE month of May has special resonance for veterans of the Second World War, as well as those who were left at home through those difficult years.

With the signing of the military surrender in Reims, France, on May 7 and then in Berlin, Germany, on May 8, the Allies Victory in Europe became official and whole streets and neighbourhoods across Britain united to organise celebratory parties on the scale usually reserved only for royal coronations.

After six years of fighting, bombing, death and destruction, the relief throughout the country that the war was over was immense. Despite the fact that food was still very scarce, and pretty bland at best, people were determined to mark the occasion in the most flamboyant and wholehearted way.

Most communities had become very close through the war years. The hardships had equalised and united everyone and the street party celebrations, like the one pictured above in Chester Green, marked a new spirit of shared hope and better times to come.

In reality, however, it was several years before food rationing came to an end in Britain and luxuries like chocolate, sweets, sugar and fruit became readily available again.

[edit]

FEEDBACK

Did you enjoy this article? If so, why not comment on it? Perhaps you disagree with something in it, or you know something the writer doesn't and can add some extra facts. You may want to ask a question about this article. Making a contribution is easy - either click 'edit' to insert more information or 'discussion' and then 'add comment.' This is your site. Please feel free to use it to the full and share your memories, thoughts and knowledge about Derbyshire with others.

If there is no 'edit' link showing it means the article has either previously been published in the Derby Evening Telegraph, or it has been protected by the site administrator and cannot be edited.'

Other tags that are relevant to Food was scarce but that didn't spoil VE Day

Help us to improve Bygone Derbyshire by adding more tags to this article. Simply edit this page, find this area and add the words in a list separated by commas next to the *.

To find out more about tagging please click here.

Return to You_and_Yesterday