Extracts from Tenby and County News, May 11, 1945: When the BBC on Monday afternoon spread the long awaited news of the total surrender of Germany to the victorious forces of the allied nations the people of Tenby got ready for their celebrations without waiting for the official announcement that the next day - Tuesday, the eighth of May - was to be kept as Victory in Europe Day. Unasked, householders anticipated the Mayor’s wishes by putting out their flags and decorations early in the afternoon, and by evening the streets were gay with bunting. The Union Jack flew on almost every house and the flags of the United States, France, Russia, Belgium and many other countries - not forgetting the Red Dragon of Wales - were much in evidence. Crowds of people turned out and until a heavy thunderstorm drove many indoors, soon after eleven the streets were thronged with happy noisy, cheering merrymakers. To many the scenes were reminiscent of Armistice Day 1918.

Tuesday VE Day was a holiday for most people in the town, though many of the shops had to open for some hours in the morning, and men had to remain at work to keep the public services, such as water and gas supply going. Many hundreds of people went to the thanksgiving services in the churches and in the afternoon the Tenby Cadet Band paraded the town, followed by numbers of school children and their mothers. On the top of South Parade a loud speaker had been placed, and there a great crowd of people aeseembled at 3 o’clock to hear the Prime Minister’s historic announcement of the ending of the European War with the unconditional surrender of all the German forces to the achievement of which the late President Roosevelt and himself had pledged themselves at Casablanca more than two years ago. In the evening another large crowd at the same spot listened to the King’s broadcast speech to the people’s of the Empire. Wednesday was again a holiday for the whole town.

On Tuesday afternoon the bells of the Parish Church rang victory in the afternoon and evening.

All the schools of the town were closed on both days and the Post Office did not deliver any letters.

THE PARISH CHURCH

Arrangements had been made between the Mayor and the clergy and ministers of the town that thanksgiving services should be held in the churches as soon as possible after the declaration of the surrender of Germany.

Owing to the short notice, it was not possible to make the arrangements widely known, but in spite of this drawback very large congregations gathered at the principal services - those at the Parish Church in the evening - to express their gratitude for the great deliverance.

MAYOR AND MAYORESS’ VE ACTIVITIES

Tenby’s Mayor and Mayoress (Lieut. Col and Mrs. P. R. Howells) spent VE Day among the people, and a busy day they had too. In view of the uncertainty surrounding the official declaration of Victory Day, there was no time to arrange any set programme of celebrations.

Early on Tuesday morning, the Mayor began a tour of the town, broadcasting from a car until the mechanism failed through a ‘technical hitch’, asking tradespeople to observe a two days’ holiday as far as circumstances permitted. He also invited householders and business people to decorate their premises and allow the bunting to remain in position for a week, unless otherwise instructed.

Following their attendance at the morning service at St. Mary’s Church, the Mayor and Mayoress visited the troops at four of their messes, where they were given a great reception.

On behalf of the people of Tenby, the Mayor addressed a message of thanks and appreciation to the Services for their contribution to Victory. In the afternoon, they were among the celebrating crowds on the streets and in the evening they attended the united service at the Congregational Church.

“The Mayoress and I are very pleased with the manner in which Tenby rose to the occasion,” the Mayor told the Observer. “Everything went off in an orderly manner and Tenby can be proud of the way in which we celebrated Victory in Europe.”

Daphne Towler recalls singing and dancing

I have memories of going across the Esplanade arm in arm with my Mum and family members singing and dancing to Run Rabbit, We’re Going to Hang Out the Washing on the Ziegfried Line, Doing the Lambeth Walk, plus more that I can’t think of just now.

I believe we ended up in Tudor Square and someone spoke from the balcony (not sure if it was over Lloyd’s Bank - now Gregg’s bakers). It was before my seventh birthday.

I remember a lot later thinking how difficult that must have been for my Mum. I am not sure if she knew by then that my Dad was dead and not a POW.

I remember we had a cake at the school party, but not sure when that was. It was decorated like a Union?Jack.

VE Day, VJ Day and the end of war seemed to merge for me back then. I don’t have any memorabilia or photos. We didn’t have much in the line of cameras then. I do remember a Box Brownie, but that may have been later.