VE Day

My father was killed in the last war five weeks before I was born and my dearly loved stepfather was POW of the Japanese, an inmate of Changi, working on the notorious railroad and somehow surviving reasonably intact, apart from recurrent bouts of malaria, (my son when he was little thought his Grandpa lived in bed!!) and fairly serious nightmares. I'm sure my opinion of people who desecrate War Memorials won't come as any surprise. Riot if you must, but PLEASE, show some respect and leave our war memorials alone.
Of course Cameron is nothing like Churchill! Although Churchill was the very man for wartime, as a peacetime prime minister he was somewhat lacking. (No disrespect intended.

Whitewave, my father was still fighting in Burma on VE day. They did not know anything about it.
He had been in the army before the war, but when he eventually came back to England in 1946, after he had taken the Nigerian troops he was in charge of back to Nigeria, he was told they did not need him in the army any more and he was discharged.

Agree with everything you say, Eloethan. 70 years ago we were fighting for Europe. Today, we are fighting to get out of Europe. Cameron is no Churchill.

Those people who were involved in or affected by WWII naturally still wish to mark the end of a terrible war. Unfortunately, though, I feel that lavish celebrations with marching bands, fly pasts, etc., etc. must convey a feeling of fun and excitement to children, and to normalise the idea of war.

I feel if there is a real wish to honour the memory of all those people that died in the war we would not, under successive governments, continue to allow our economy to be reliant on the manufacture, promotion and sale of weapons to some very unpleasant and undemocratic regimes - and also every year welcome the Arms Fair to Britain. Neither should BAE Systems/the Royal Air Force be allowed to run “science roadshows” in London schools or the British Legion accept sponsorship from BAE Systems for various commemorative events.

Defacing a WW2 monument is inexcusable, no matter what.

Really really disagree with you there whitewave.

And by the way we all have historic family tales to tell about war.

Having a right to be heard can cross a line and it can backfire stupendously, which has happened in my opinion.

white wave

I am just so glad I don,'t think like that.

Oh poor little diddums. They are so distraught that the Tories have won the election and nobody's listening to their ranting they feel the need to daub graffiti on WW2 monuments. They just couldn't help themselves.

They are lucky to be living in a country where they allowed to behave like mindless morons.

My heart bleeds for them

My uncle was still a prisoner of war in Japan at the time of the VE celebrations.

When they came back to peace, they voted for and got a Welfare State - it is possible pogs that the young who daubed the women's monument where trying to say something about what the Tories are intent on doing to our Welfare State.

Of course I agree that graffiti is the wrong message but it had ever been so to those who feel that their voice is not being listened to .

At yesterday's celebrations there were very few children as it was held in the early evening, but about half a dozen youngsters aged about 6-8 were there with grandparents. Sadly they were talking about war in such a familiar way that made it obvious that to them war is current and ongoing and not something that once happened and now is no more.

A wonderful day for those still alive to tell their story. Bitter sweet day for them.

I was not surprised but still found it a shameful sight to see graffiti daubed on WW11 monuments. They had the cheek to scribe the word 'scum'. I know to whom I would use that word against.

How tragic 70 years on there is division between the countries involved in ending the war. I wonder what the veterans who fought for their countries think about today's population who still cannot live together harmoniously. They faught for democracy and freedom yet some seem hell bent on the opposite, they must wonder what it was all for.

Watched the service and the following marchpast. Loved the chap who insisted on getting out of his wheelchair to go and shake hands with Prince Charles. I would have loved to have been there and heard some of their stories re street parties etc.

We only watched part of the service from Westminster Abbey this morning because we've had visitors but am I right in noticing there was no representation from the younger generation of Royals? I know Harry is in New Zealand but why not William?

He's on paternity leave but is that such a big deal?