Nantwich to mark 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day

The town will be marking VE Day 80 in Nantwich with a series of moving events and speeches on May 8 2025.

It will start with a Proclamation at 9.00am, read by Joe O’Leary and Jake Johns of Nantwich branch of Royal British Legion.

Later in the day at 7.30pm, there will be the Afternoon Church Peal, following by wreath laying and bugler playing.

At 8pm, Joe O’Leary and Jake Johns will again read VE Day 80 Proclamation.

This will be followed by Cllr Peter Groves, of Nantwich Town Council reading the Transcript of Neville Chamberlain’s Declaration of war 1939.

At approximately 8.25pm, fellow town Cllr Arthur Moran will read the BBC radio announcement marking the end of World War Two.

At 8.35pm, “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae will be read by Lt Col Tim Reade RA.

This will be followed by a reading by Lynn Dewar called “A Song on the End of the World”.

“High Flight” reading by John Dwyer will follow, before at round 8.45pm there will be a reading by Sgt Mathew Stonier, of Nantwich Police, dedicated to Lieutenant Arthur Lesley Brown.

Lieut Brown was the pilot who crashed his plane on the banks of River Weaver during World War Two training in January 1944, managing to steer it clear of the town centre.

Speeches from St Mary’s Church Rev Dr Mark Hart and Nantwich Town Cllr Kim Jamson will follow.

Then Mayor of Nantwich Cllr Stuart Bostock will read the famous Winston Churchill “Victory in Europe” speech at around 9.15pm.

At around 9.20pm, Navy, Army and Air Cadets will perform King George’s speech.

At 9.30pm, there will be the lighting of the three red memorial lamps hung from the beacon.

This will be followed by Deputy Mayor Cllr Mary Slinn’s “Tribute” speech and a rendition of the national anthem to close.

Meanwhile, some readers have been digging out old photos of VE Day and how it was marked in South Cheshire 80 years ago.

The one above was supplied by Yvonne Ozanne to Nantwich Museum and shows children of Wood Street in Nantwich, taken on 8 May 1945.

And this one (below) was sent in by Gill Clarkson and shows a VE Day celebration street party in Hulme Street, Crewe.

“My mum, Muriel Elson used to attend the afternoon tea parties on Monday’s in 2018/19 at the museum,” added Gill.

If you have any old photos passed on by family or friends of VE Day in 1945, you can email to [email protected] with any details.