Today, on Victory in Europe Day, we pause to remember a moment in history that changed the course of our world. On 8 May 1945, the guns finally fell silent across Europe as the Allies accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany. It was the end of six long years of bloodshed on the continent and the beginning of peace, bought at an unthinkable cost.
We remember today the men and women who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Sons, daughters, husbands and wives who never came home. Civilians who endured unimaginable horrors, and entire communities who bore the scars of bombing, starvation and occupation. Their courage must never be forgotten.
We also give heartfelt thanks to all those who served, then and now. Our armed forces, past and present, deserve our deepest respect. From the soldiers on the front lines to the sailors who braved the Atlantic, the air crews who flew through flak-filled skies, and the nurses and medics who worked under fire, their service was nothing short of extraordinary.
We remember too the countless resistance fighters across Europe who risked everything to oppose tyranny. Ordinary people who became couriers, saboteurs and those who sheltered the hunted. They stood up when it would have been safer to stay silent. Their bravery, often in isolation and under constant threat, played a vital role in weakening the grip of fascism.
Let us not forget the animals who served alongside humans. The messenger pigeons, the horses, the dogs and even elephants in far-off theatres of war. They carried supplies, detected mines, alerted troops to danger and offered companionship in the darkest hours. Their loyalty and sacrifice remain a moving part of the story.
VE Day is more than a celebration of an end, it is a solemn reminder of the strength it took to get there. The strength of individuals, of families, of entire nations. The strength to endure, to resist, to hope. That strength lives on in the values we cherish today, values of freedom, justice and community.
In remembering the past with honesty and care, today we honour the legacy of those who came before us. May we live in a way that proves their sacrifices were not in vain. And may we never forget the price that was paid for peace.
Photo by Galt Museum & Archives
