“Let’s make VE Day commemoration in Milton Keynes as large as we can” - Armed Forces Champ

“Let’s make VE Day commemoration as large as we can” – Armed Forces Champ

The Armed Forces Champion at Milton Keynes Council has called for next year’s commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe to be as large as possible.

VE Day on May 8, 1945, saw the end of nearly six years of continental conflict when the Nazis surrendered, sparking a massive celebration of peace despite the war against Japan which would only end in September.

Ex serviceman Cllr Terry Baines (Cons, Campbell Park and Old Woughton) is the Armed Forces Champion at Milton Keynes Council.

“We can make it as large as we want to. I hope we will make it as large as we can,” he told a meeting of the Milton Keynes Parishes Forum last week.

The meeting was told that next year’s early May Bank Holiday will be moving from Monday, May 4, to Friday, May 8, to mark the precise day that Adolf Hitler’s forces surrendered to the Allied powers.

In Milton Keynes there will be a commemoration service at Christ the Cornerstone Church on Sunday, May 10. Churches will be invited to ring out for peace. And a hub will be set up on the Milton Keynes Council website to advertise any events being held locally.

Cllr Baines advised parish council representatives at last Thursday’s meeting to get their bids in as soon as possible for soldiers if parishes want a military presence at their events.

“If parishes want a military presence, they should be asking now,” said Cllr Baines. “The whole process takes about six months. You can let me know if you want that. There are a limited amount of soldiers.”

There will also be a number of national commemorative events to mark the end of the war, and an “international celebration of peace”.