Author Topic: VE 75 (Read 9520 times)

andyoxon · « **on:** 07 May, 2020, 01:56:11 pm »

So there's the 2 min silence at 11am tomorrow (8th). We had a note through the door about the 2 min silence, but also tea outside your abode at 4pm, and a nationwide sing (we'll meet again) on your doorstep at 9pm... Not sure* about the sing

, but may do socially distant afternoon tea with neighbours...

Doing anything?

* = No

Jaded · « **Reply #1 on:** 07 May, 2020, 01:59:30 pm »

Yup, I've filmed our Town Crier doing a Cry, it will be released in the morning. We've got a socially distant wreath laying at 11:00 then a socially distant sing along at the care homes in town.

Will probably have some tea at some point

The Family Cyclist · « **Reply #2 on:** 07 May, 2020, 02:04:29 pm »

Had no idea about any of this till a couple from up our street posted a note through our door. Will do the silence and tea but not the sing along as people who've just ventured outside will be fleeing back in

Regulator · « **Reply #3 on:** 07 May, 2020, 03:36:47 pm »

I'm in two minds.

The Parish Council had arranged a memorial service for Sunday, and two local PCs had arranged things for Friday and Saturday. These have now been cancelled. Our local vicar has recorded a short piece that will be transmitted via the interweb on Sunday.

I am concerned about attempt to hijack VE Day by the right wing - particularly in the government and the media. I will not be involved in street parties, bunting displays or sing alongs.

ScumOfTheRoad · « **Reply #4 on:** 07 May, 2020, 03:49:09 pm »

This image is prevalent on the Web - I just did a Google search for it. VE Day - celebrate the end of WW2. Seriously.
Victory in Europe day? What is that?

This is on many council websites.
http://www.howden-tc.gov.uk/_UserFiles/Images/Stay%20at%20Home%20Street%20Party.jpg

Happy to paste the image correctly if given guidance.

bludger · « **Reply #5 on:** 07 May, 2020, 03:54:18 pm »

Don't plan on it really. Obviously I am glad that Nazis got stomped but I really don't have it in me to celebrate a given diary date because war is awful. I don't really empathise with the wider sentiment of this as a party.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-32529679

andrewc · « **Reply #6 on:** 07 May, 2020, 03:56:50 pm »

Quote from: Regulator on 07 May, 2020, 03:36:47 pm

I'm in two minds.

The Parish Council had arranged a memorial service for Sunday, and two local PCs had arranged things for Friday and Saturday. These have now been cancelled. Our local vicar has recorded a short piece that will be transmitted via the interweb on Sunday.

I am concerned about attempt to hijack VE Day by the right wing - particularly in the government and the media. I will not be involved in street parties, bunting displays or sing alongs.

One of the Daily Heil affiliated sites was running a page that said we were celebrating "Victory _Over_Europe...... https://twitter.com/nicktolhurst/status/1257659624871821317?s=20 I checked this myself, it was there. Gone now.

I saw someone this morning saying that the British Legion site had the same thing, but by the time I went to check it had been "corrected".

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #7 on:** 07 May, 2020, 04:08:50 pm »

I find the whole notion utterly bizarre.

What exactly are we celebrating? Why should we celebrate this when the country we collectively vanquished almost outside of living memory is now a close ally? Why do we continue to define our country through deceitful mythology that emboldens a damaging sense of exceptionalism?

No. Fuck it. Not doing it. I'll quietly remember the dead of all sides. I'll leave the vacuous flag waving to the Gammonati.

nicknack · « **Reply #8 on:** 07 May, 2020, 04:14:34 pm »

It's a government sponsored distraction.

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #9 on:** 07 May, 2020, 04:21:15 pm »

Quote from: Hot Flatus on 07 May, 2020, 04:08:50 pm

I find the whole notion utterly bizarre.

What exactly are we celebrating? Why should we celebrate this when the country we collectively vanquished almost outside of living memory is now a close ally? Why do we continue to define our country through deceitful mythology that emboldens a damaging sense of exceptionalism?

No. Fuck it. Not doing it. I'll quietly remember the dead of all sides. I'll leave the vacuous flag waving to the Gammonati.

+10

andrewc · « **Reply #10 on:** 07 May, 2020, 04:22:46 pm »

https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/symbols/europe-day_en 9th May is Europe Day. "Europe Day held on 9 May every year celebrates peace and unity in Europe." A more worthy thing to celebrate.

Gattopardo · « **Reply #11 on:** 07 May, 2020, 04:35:45 pm »

Shall we celebrate that the Nazis are coming back stronger than before?

Have seen a few 'adverts' on facebook as victory over Europe which is a strange tone.

Gattopardo · « **Reply #12 on:** 07 May, 2020, 04:36:17 pm »

Quote from: Hot Flatus on 07 May, 2020, 04:08:50 pm

I find the whole notion utterly bizarre.

What exactly are we celebrating? Why should we celebrate this when the country we collectively vanquished almost outside of living memory is now a close ally? Why do we continue to define our country through deceitful mythology that emboldens a damaging sense of exceptionalism?

No. Fuck it. Not doing it. I'll quietly remember the dead of all sides. I'll leave the vacuous flag waving to the Gammonati.

I agree with you.

chrisbainbridge · « **Reply #13 on:** 07 May, 2020, 05:04:38 pm »

I find all these celebrations of killing distasteful. If it was like the Holocaust day, a remembering of the terrible events and thanksgiving for peace then yes, but triumphalism no.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #14 on:** 07 May, 2020, 05:25:32 pm »

It's a complete non event up here as far as I'm aware.

Jaded · « **Reply #15 on:** 07 May, 2020, 05:30:06 pm »

Quote from: chrisbainbridge on 07 May, 2020, 05:04:38 pm

I find all these celebrations of killing distasteful. If it was like the Holocaust day, a remembering of the terrible events and thanksgiving for peace then yes, but triumphalism no.

Yeah, it's why we are wreath laying. I've not seen a lot of bunting about...

ScumOfTheRoad · « **Reply #16 on:** 07 May, 2020, 05:35:04 pm »

Jaded, we will see a LOT of bunting on the BBC News coverage tomorrow. Acres of it.
I predict they will find a village somewhere which is throwing a VE Day street party, and will be broadcasting live from 8am in the morning.
It is easy then to imply that the rest of the country is acting similarly.

Where I live in SE London no indications of bunting or flags. I am about to go out for a walk so will report back if any are spotted.

De Sisti · « **Reply #17 on:** 07 May, 2020, 05:36:01 pm »

A house (about 30 yards opposite) on my road has a dirty great big union flag hanging out
of their two front bedroom windows. The family are presumably getting ready.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #18 on:** 07 May, 2020, 06:15:56 pm »

Quote from: ScumOfTheRoad on 07 May, 2020, 05:35:04 pm

Jaded, we will see a LOT of bunting on the BBC News coverage tomorrow. Acres of it.
I predict they will find a village somewhere which is throwing a VE Day street party, and will be broadcasting live from 8am in the morning.
It is easy then to imply that the rest of the country is acting similarly.

Where I live in SE London no indications of bunting or flags. I am about to go out for a walk so will report back if any are spotted.

There's your problem, watching ~~BBC News~~ CCHQ Propaganda

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #19 on:** 07 May, 2020, 06:26:48 pm »

I only found out about the singing nonsense last night and about the rest of it from reading this thread. I shall probably do the minute of silence by default, as the chances are I'll be asleep. The rest of it can get tae fuck.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #20 on:** 07 May, 2020, 06:35:17 pm »

David Amess has had an online concert organised under his name. I know a few people who are singing in it. Our choir secretary asked if any other choir members wanted to contribute a video of some singing, which I assumed had to be solo, and I volunteered to sing "I am the very model of a prejudiced Etonian". As yet, I am still waiting for a response...

Zipperhead · « **Reply #21 on:** 07 May, 2020, 06:38:02 pm »

Last year on my way through I visited the place in Reims where the surrender was signd (on the 7th May 1945). Fittingly it's now an international school.

Ashaman42 · « **Reply #22 on:** 07 May, 2020, 06:53:11 pm »

A fair few houses round here have got Union Jack bunting and what not going up.

andyoxon · « **Reply #23 on:** 07 May, 2020, 07:02:44 pm »

Just asked my mother if she remembered VE day, aged 9. She said 'not really, but did recollect her father putting a couple of union jacks on canes in the front garden'.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #24 on:** 07 May, 2020, 07:08:33 pm »

A small group of us (Kim, Carnardly and me - we met AndrewC on about he third day, I think) set off from Cherbourg to Dieppe by bicycle some years ago. Imagine my surprise when we found ourselves cycling by the famed Normandy beaches on VE Day. Up to that point, I had no idea what time of year VE Day was, nor that we would meet a whole load of strange people dressed in period uniforms and driving period vehicles about. I thought it rather odd that no-one seemed to be dressed in the uniform of those who came second.

Many of the roads in the vicinity are named after people involved in the battle, but I have to say that I was less than convinced by the authenticity of Private C. O. Jones Boulevarde.