VE Day in Crawley in 1945 was celebrated with great gusto

As the armies of liberation progressed through occupied Europe en route to Berlin, at home coastal defences were gradually removed, tenders being invited for the demolition of the dragons teeth and pill boxes which had been so feverishly constructed in 1940.

At Bognor and Worthing, barbed wire was cleared away from the promenade, giving some small children their first glimpse of an unobstructed seafront, though the beaches still had to be cleared of mines.

The formal German surrender was taken by General Montgomery at his Luneburg Heath HQ, near Hamburg, on May 4, 1945. In Britain, Tuesday, May 8, was declared a public holiday, VE (Victory in Europe) Day.

The excitement really began the evening before. As the news broke of the end of the war in Europe, the hawkers were out on street corners with flags and bunting and everywhere streamers and ‘God save the King’ banners suddenly appeared.

Every shop put out its decorations and public houses began to prepare themselves for the influx of merrymakers. People had been waiting so long for the moment and on to the streets they spilled, cheering and singing, slapping each other on the back, ready to drink the health of Mr Churchill.

Roll Out the Barrel and We Won’t Go Home Till Morning were popular songs. The threat to freedom had vanished and everywhere there was an impatience to find expression for the mood of gratitude and relief.

In West Sussex the day dawned with dull skies but spirits were not to be dampened and the weather improved.

Many people in Crawley were up early, putting the finishing touches to their decorations and busying themselves with arrangements for the afternoon parties. There was much activity at the food shops as rationing and restricted opening were forgotten, for one day at least.

The celebrations in Crawley were largely spontaneous, demonstrating great community spirit and creativity. In the town centre, crowds gathered, with servicemen and civilians alike laughing and dancing together.

Others perched perilously on Army trucks as they drove around the street to ensure no-one missed the news or the party atmosphere.

After Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s broadcast at 3pm and again following the King’s speech at 9pm, the partying began in earnest.

The celebrations took many forms but one of the most popular were impromptu street parties.

“Bring your own cup and plate,” they were told as rationing was forgotten for the day. There were parties held in many streets, including a big one in the High Street, and smaller ones in Albany Road, Robinson Road, at Pound Hill and Worth School, the latter including children in fancy dress.

During the afternoon, several hundred people, including many returned servicemen, enjoyed the usual attractions of Fair Day, down at the bottom end of the town.

Lady Dorothy Longley’s accordion band played dance music from the roof of the air raid shelter in the Lower Square from 7pm until the early hours of the morning. The 40 members of the band played in relays to avoid getting too tired. Charlie Hammond led the community singing which included songs like Pack Up Your Troubles.

There was not as much drunkenness as might be imagined. Alcohol had been in short supply throughout the war.

A massive bonfire, comprising wood and the material which had been collected over previous weeks, was set alight on Ifield Green during the evening.

There were also smaller bonfires and back garden firework displays and houses illuminated in red, white and blue.

The evening after VE Day, a military band played for another public dance in the Lower Square. The square, along with the façade of the George Hotel, was brilliantly illuminated by floodlights. Finally, on the Sunday following, an inter-denominational service, attended by civil defence services and other local organisations, was held at St John’s parish church.

So ended a momentous week. There were tears as well as happiness. Those who had given their lives were remembered. So, too, those still fighting the Japanese and those yet to return from their wasted years in POW camps in Europe and beyond. Some amongst the crowds simply watched the festivities, lost in their own thoughts and prayers, but there would be a special time for remembrance and for this day at least the overriding sense was one of unbridled rejoicing.

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