On Thursday (8 May), Cambridgeshire commemorated the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day with a special beacon lighting ceremony.

The anniversary marked 80 years since VE Day, when the Second World War came to an end in Europe. Just like in 1945, VE Day saw the nation come together to honour and pay tribute to the millions of people across the UK and Commonwealth who served in the Second World War.

On Thursday evening residents and visitors, local dignitaries, Armed Forces personnel and veterans gathered at Castle Mound in Cambridge to commemorate the historic occasion.

One veteran in attendance was 101-year-old Douglas John Hayward, one of the last surviving members of the Essex Yeomanry who landed on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day in 1944.

Following music and an opening speech delivered by Mr Christopher Walkinshaw DL, Deputy Lieutenant for Cambridgeshire the beacon was lit alongside others across the UK, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

The lighting of the beacon symbolised the coming together of community and the ‘light of peace’ that emerged from the darkness of war.

Councillor Baiji Thittala, Mayor of Cambridge closed the ceremony and, in his speech, reflected on VE Day as an opportunity to learn from the past to help create a better future for our communities.

Cllr Baiji Thittala said:“It was an honour to attend the ceremony and stand alongside Cambridgeshire communities as we reflected on the sacrifices that were made during one of the darkest chapters in history.

“On the 80th anniversary of VE Day we remember those that fought for peace and our freedom."

Mr Christopher Walkinshaw DL, Deputy Lieutenant for Cambridgeshire said: “It was an honour to attend the ceremony and light the beacon to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

“VE Day is an event which holds deep significance for our nation and for communities across Cambridgeshire. It was great to see so many people come together to pause, reflect and remember the generation that changed the course of history in Europe to secure the freedoms we enjoy today.”

For those wanting to connect with Second World War histories, there are a range of resources available online and in libraries across Cambridgeshire.

All Cambridgeshire libraries have free access to the British Newspaper Archive, as well as family history sites Find my Past and Ancestry to help residents discover local and family Second World War connections.