Well, another day dawns and we’re still in lockdown! I hope we are all keeping well and safe. This week sees an anniversary which would in ordinary times see national ceremonies and celebrations. Those ceremonies and celebrations will naturally be muted this year, but are nonetheless heartfelt.
Friday 8th May sees the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe day. While we of course celebrate that, we remember that the war continued in the Far East, not ending in Japan till the August. Some of our most senior supporters may have fought in that war, and some others will remember VE day, and the street parties that followed. I attended one of those, but don’t remember it as I was only 10 months old!
Some people will think it’s wrong to “celebrate” war, and so it is. But VE day is to celebrate victory and deliverance. Commemorating those who have died is rightly the prerogative of November 11th and the Remembrance Day services. But VE day was the opportunity for the ordinary population, who had been deprived of so much for six years including their freedom to travel around, to go wild, let their hair down and party.
Rev Alan. Club Chaplain.
clubchaplain@scunthorpe-united.co.uk