70 years since VE Day

[Voltaire]

Colour Clip of Berlin about 2 months after the German surrender

http://twistedsifter.com/videos/remarkable-hd-footage-of-berlin-from-july-1945/

[oldrider]

I was only 6 years old but I remember VE and VJ days like it was yesterday - the excitement and happiness of everybody was unbelievable! :wings:

[Laava]

I was at the 50th celebration of VE day outside Buckingham palace. It was a huge day in the sun drinking Pimms and watching an amazing flight of warplanes go over. Spitfires, Hurricanes, mosquitos etc plus a Lancaster. Was a good day. They had Vera Lynn, Harry Secombe and Cliff Richard entertaining. I got fuckin hammered!

[pete376403]

Dresden, more or less flattened and yet the historical building were rebuilt pretty rapidly. Christchurch and 'it's impossible to rebuild the cathedral"

[98tls]

Dresden, more or less flattened and yet the historical building were rebuilt pretty rapidly. Christchurch and 'it's impossible to rebuild the cathedral"

Post of the year so far for my money...

[oldrider]

Dresden, more or less flattened and yet the historical building were rebuilt pretty rapidly. Christchurch and 'it's impossible to rebuild the cathedral"

True - but they didn't have so many rules regulations or committees for this and against that to take notice of in those days - they just got on with it! :facepalm:

[TheDemonLord]

I was at the 50th celebration of VE day outside Buckingham palace. It was a huge day in the sun drinking Pimms and watching an amazing flight of warplanes go over. Spitfires, Hurricanes, mosquitos etc plus a Lancaster. Was a good day. They had Vera Lynn, Harry Secombe and Cliff Richard entertaining. I got fuckin hammered!

I remember the 50th celebration too - although that was in Chatham

[Murray]

Colour Clip of Berlin about 2 months after the German surrender

http://twistedsifter.com/videos/remarkable-hd-footage-of-berlin-from-july-1945/

Hey John you going to this

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/174482-RSA-rides-of-respect?highlight=respect

[Oakie]

Dresden, more or less flattened and yet the historical building were rebuilt pretty rapidly. Christchurch and 'it's impossible to rebuild the cathedral"

Ahhh, no. It took 45 years before they started to rebuild it and another 10 years to get it done. The cathedral was pretty much rubble apart from small parts of the walls at each end. It was reconstructed pretty much from scratch in the image of the old cathedral and incorporated the two remaining bits of wall. In effect they made a copy of, not a repair to, the original.

[Voltaire]

Ahhh, no. It took 45 years before they started to rebuild it and another 10 years to get it done. The cathedral was pretty much rubble apart from small parts of the walls at each end. It was reconstructed pretty much from scratch in the image of the old cathedral and incorporated the two remaining bits of wall. In effect they made a copy of, not a repair to, the original.

From memory the East Germans left the cathedral as a silent memorial, but rebuilt after the unification. West Germany spent a fortune bringing the former East " up to speed"
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/arts/2005/10/31/frauenkirche3.jpg

[Voltaire]

Hey John you going to this

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/174482-RSA-rides-of-respect?highlight=respect

No.
Here a few pics I have taken in the past whilst on the subject.
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p235/rednzep/DSC00124_zps9d2bce47.jpg
Menin Gate Ypres.
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p235/rednzep/DSC00121_zpsa70ebff4.jpg
Menin Gate, the names of thousands with no known grave.
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p235/rednzep/DSC00138_zps2cc256ca.jpg
Menin Gate, every night at sunset since the 1920's
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p235/rednzep/DSC00153_zpsb0a1d801.jpg
One of many NZ grave years,( note silver fern )
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p235/rednzep/DSC00159_zpseee6d2c1.jpg
Tyne Cott near Ypres, when my wifes great Uncle is buried. He was in his 20s.
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p235/rednzep/DSC00169_zpsd5512aad.jpg
German Cemetery
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p235/rednzep/DSC00175_zps343e9acb.jpg
Canadian Memorial
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p235/rednzep/DSC00208_zpse71bc977.jpg
Memorial at the Somme.

[Voltaire]

here are some from Gallipoli taken in July 2004

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p235/rednzep/DSC00884_zpsb01a5007.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p235/rednzep/DSC00885_zps3aa37507.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p235/rednzep/DSC00887_zps219a05c8.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p235/rednzep/DSC00891_zpse93d9d8d.jpg

[MisterD]

It's kind of a weird feeling, 70 years seems so long ago and yet when I was a kid growing up in the 1970's it was still such a fresh memory for a lot of people, my Dad was born during the Blitz and he was younger then than I am now. There were still actual "bombsites" where houses had been - you only have to find an old episode of The Professionals or The Sweeney to see what a wasteland East London still was.

I guess I wasn't so aware of the aftermath of WW1, so the passing of that from living memory happened without me really noticing, but the passing of WW2 is starting now, and it feels...something...to be watching it happen.