How the Newark Advertiser reported on VE Day in 1945, from the Advertiser archives
As VE Day’s 80th anniversary approaches, we took a look back in the Advertiser archives at how we reported on the historic event.
The following excerpts are from the edition of the Newark Advertiser, published on May 9, 1945:
BELLS RANG OUT IN BEFLAGGED NEWARK
CHURCH THRONGED FOR V.E. THANKSGIVING
MAYOR AND "GRAND NEW AGE OF OPPORTUNITY"
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Like the European war itself, VE Day is over. But the memory of yesterday's commemoration in Newark will never pass. In the long history of the Borough there have been great days but VE Day was outstanding.
The never-to-be-forgotten Service of Thanksgiving in the Parish Church in the afternoon, and the subsequent ceremony in the Market Place, were history-making events. Joy and thanksgiving were the strains of public feeling, but both were shown with fitting restraint and dignity.
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From the early business hours of the day the town wore a semi-holiday appearance which was heightened as shops and offices began to close one after another towards the lunch hour.
By three o'clock there was a crowd in the Market Place to hear the Prime Minister's declaration, reproduced from speakers in the front of the Town Hall, and there and in the homes everyone listened with bated breath to Mr Churchill although all knew the import of his speech beforehand.
No sooner had the speech ended and the Scots Guards buglers sounded the Cease Fire, than the bells of the Newark Parish Church began their joyous peals — Grandsire triples and Stedman triples, which continued to the time of the service.
The Mayor (Coun, D. A. Clark), Deputy Mayor (Coun. C. E. Parlby) and members of the Corporation, wearing their robes together with magistrates and officials, accompanied by the mace bearers, went to the church from the Town Hall.
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Vast Congregation
The congregation was one of the largest the church has ever seen, numbering, it is estimated, quite 3,000. When the church appeared already full, people still streamed in in hundreds. They filled the nave, choir, chapels, transepts and aisles after all the ordinary seats had been taken.
The service, conducted by the Vicar, the Rev. L. M. Charles Edwards, was moving in its deep significance, and everyone felt its impressiveness. Large numbers of Service personnel were present and it was gratifying to find not a few whose uniforms told one that in due course they will take first-hand accounts of the memorable event home with them to various parts of the Empire.
Music from the great organ while people were filing into the church so suited the moment that it might have been purposely written for it. It ceased only when the Vicar went to the pulpit to call the congregation to their feet for the singing of the National Anthem.
Thus began the simple and touching service, with familiar hymns — “Now thank we all our God,” “Abide with me” and “Praise my soul, the King of Heaven” — the General Thanksgiving, seeming to have deeper meaning, special prayer, and finally the Blessing pronounced by the Archdeacon of Newark the Ven. J. P. Hales, DSO.
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Thanks to God
In his brief address the Vicar said they had come to church to thank God for the ending of the war in Europe, which meant the delivery of our own country. He did not think they all realised what it would have meant to England if we had not been successful in the war in Europe.
Revelations concerning concentration camps showed the fate we might have met.
They also thanked God for those gallant lads who had offered themselves even unto death, for the defence of our country and they remembered in their prayers all those who had suffered. Lastly they had come there to dedicate themselves to the tremendous cause of peace.
Immediately after the service the Mayor Aldermen and councillors, accompanied by the clergy (among whom were the Rev. H. J. Dight and the Rev. D. Campbell Miller) proceeded by way of the North door to the War Memorial for the laying of a wreath by the Mayor. The wreath was of laurel with red geraniums, white lilac and blue flowers, and bore a card "In Remembrance from the Mayor, and Members of Newark Corporation." It was the gift of Mr. Field, Stodman Street.
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Mayor’s Address
There followed the ceremony in the Market Place, the chief feature of which was an address to a large crowd by the Mayor from the balcony of the Town Hall, where also stood the members of the Corporation and the clergy.
His Worship, said: “Today we are looking back over the long nightmare of nearly six years of war in Europe. A war in which, as never before, the whole British Empire and by far the greater part of the civilised world has been involved.
“The devices of modern science used by a determined and pittiless enemy and their well drilled and ruthless armies seemed likely in the early days to bring them success in their desire to sominate the world.”
Battle of Britain
“And men and women looked with wonder and fear at their amazing conquest of country and boundary on the countinent of Europe until there seemed no way of stopping this terrifying example of military might.
“But at last — in what will be known to generations of men and women as yet unborn as “The Battle of Britain”, they met their first check, and our splendid young airmen wrote a other glorious page in our island story.
“For many months we stood alone and defied the the whole might of militant Germany and then our great Allies, the United States of America and The Soviet Union came to our assistance since when the issue has never been in doubt.
“Inspired by our King, and the noble and courageous words of our great Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, we have grimly held on and pursued our purpose.
“And although we have passed through days of great suffering — defeat has been turned into glorious Victory at last.
“And this is a Victory in which every section of the community has held its part — for indeed not only the Services but every civilian has been in the firing line, every man and woman having served in one capacity or another.
“And though there is still a bitter conflict before our Services men and women, and our fellow citizens in the Far East — we are rejoicing today that the immediate manace has been removed from our Island Home.”
Honourable Wounds
“We have not come through the conflict unscathed, but our wounds are the result of honourable conflict. We have passed through the ordeal with terrible loss of life, and many are heart broken today as they think of those who will never return. So let us salute the memory of those who have made the Supreme Sacrifice. (Applause).
“We have suffered the loss of much that was noble and beautiful in our British heritage, the wanton destruction of ancient and historic buildings. And though we may build again, many of these were landmarks in the different stages of our national history and are quite irreplaceable.
“And besides these there are the destroyed homes of the people, and large areas of our towns and cities laid waste.
“The rich and poor have all suffered, but by far the greater number of destroyed homes were those of our loyal and patient working men and women.
“And then we have had to put up with the disruption of our modern ways of life, and submit to the loss of liberty for a time, that we may ultimately regain our treastired freedom to live our lives in our own way, and in the main we have accepted with good humour the inconvenience and loss of time spent in queues, and obeyed the edict to black-out our premises knowing that this was a very real protection against "the terror that flieth by night."
“And we have cheerfully accepted the duties that have been thrust upon us in the interests of Civil Defence.”
New Comradeship
“But these new experiences have by no means been all loss, we have discovered a splendid new comradeship and this has been displayed by all classes of the community.
“There has come out of these war years, previously unsuspected, ideals of service and sacrifice towards one another in the hour of our dire need.
“We are proud today that we belong to the great family of the British Empire and that in these dark days we have been able to set and example of fortitude and courage which has been the admiration of the whole world. (Applause).
“We have today assembled together for worship and thanksgiving in our beautiful Parish Church and heard words of wisdom and encouragement from our vicar and have lifted up our voices in unison to Almighty God in praise of His great mercy.
“Our thoughts go out to those men and women of Newark away from home in the Services, as we believe their thoughts will be with us upon this memorable occasion.
“ have still much to do before complete victory comes and we have met in God’s House that we may put our Him, and seek His guidance, so that we may finish our task quickly.
“An out of this welter of blood and tears there is surely coming a grand new age of opportunity such as the world has never seen, only let us be true to the great ideals we have learned in war.
“Let us shoulder the many laborious tasks that lie before us, endeavour to solve the problems that stil perplex us in the spirit of love to God and love to our fellow-men — “Quit you like men, be strong” — in the future as in the days of war.” (Applause).
The speech was carried to the crowd by loud speakers in position on the front of the Town Hall, the microphone arrangements being supervised by Coun. B. L. Maule.
Last evening a quarter peal of Stedman triples was rung on the bells by the parish church ringers under the conductorship of Mr E. C. Thrale.
At 9pm the King’s speech was broadcast to another crowd in the Market Place.
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Six Large Flags
The Town Hall was dressed with six large flags. The Union Jack floated from the centre pole and on the masts at the side were the Stars and Stripes of America and the Red Flag of Russia. Hanging from the balcony were the national flags of China, France and Poland.
Newark became beflagged overnight. On Monday, Union Jacks and other flags began to appear at occasional windows. Streamers were hung across streets and bunting was festooned in joint schemes of decorations.
More flags appeared on Monday evening, and yesterday morning, they were in all streets. and more streamers were fashioned into Victory archways.
Many flags flew high, but none so high as that from the Sugar Beet Factory chimney.
The static water tanks in the Market Place were emptied on Monday evening and an airman's comment perhaps summed up the reason — "That's to prevent someone being thrown in."
The huge glass reflectors fixed to the central lamp in the Market Place were not put there as an inviting 'target for tonight' but were the apparatus for floodlighting the Town Hall.
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Castle Floodlit
The Castle was floodlit last night and was silhouetted as a memorial of defiance to any attempt of attack or aggression. It was a true sentinel of the great highway to the North — the road that used to be referred to in official documents as a vulnerable artery. But the Key of the North was still there and playing its part in the latest chapter of a long history.
The children found great joy in the occasion, carried flags and sang as they went along. Red, white and blue hair-ribbons were favoured by the girls, and boys sported their rosettes of patriotic colours.
In shop windows there were many red, white and blue motifs in the display of goods and this was particularly noticable in the ladies’ dress shops. A shoe shop featured a group of red, white and blue shoes.
There were busy and convivial scene at the licensed houses last night and there was a special extension until 11.30pm. This was for VE Day only.
Telephone communication was difficult in the town yesterday. Only Emergency calls could be accepted.
There were only postal deliveries in the special essential cases and the normal delivery will not be resumed until tomorrow, Thursday.
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Collingham Flag
Following the declaration of V. E. at Collingham, Dr W. Deane hoisted a Union Jack over the Public Hall which had been A.R.P Headquarters throughout the war.
This was the flag which Dr. Deane flew over his H.Q. in France when the armistice was declared at the close of the last war.
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Thanksgiving Sunday
On Sunday morning there will be a special service at the Parish Church when the Mayor and Corporation will attend and there will be a representative parade of the war time Services.
Mr. W. E. Morley, the Civil Defence Sub-Controller, writes: “In connection with the official announcements which appear in your Sunday following VE Day which is to be observed as a day of Thanksgiving. I would like, through your paper, to ask all members of the Civil Defence Services in Newark to take part.
“I ask them to assemble in uniform on King’s Road, at 10.20am, on this special Sunday and to march to the Church and take their seats not later than 10.50am.
“Instructions regarding the forming up in the Market Place to hear the address will be given before the parade moves off from King’s Road.
“The Civil Defence detachment will dismiss after the National Anthem — there will be no March Past.
“It will not be possible to send written instructions to each individual as has been done in the past, but I feel sure that this letter will, on this occasion at least, be sufficient notice.”
