The North East paid its respects on May 8, 2025, on the 80th anniversary of VE Day with beacon lightings across the region. Yesterday marked 80 years since the end of the Second World War in Europe, and the region marked the anniversary with remembrance services, flypasts, and a two-minute silence throughout the day, before the evening turned to lighting beacons.
A beacon was lit in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, in one of the highest villages in the North East. The beacon was lit on Quarry Field in Woodland at 9:30 PM, as members of the public sang "I Vow to Thee My Country," along with the rest of the nation. There was also a VE Day beacon lighting service in Stockton. The civic service was attended by members of the public, as well as Councillor Stephen Richardson, Civic Mayor of Stockton, and Mayoress Sophie Craig.
Royal British Legion Standard Bearers took positions in Parish Gardens before a performance by a piper and a music program from the Dishforth Military Wives Choir took place. The official lighting of the Beacon followed the musical performances, after which a minute's silence was observed, followed by a final sing-along. There were also a number of other beacon lighting ceremonies that took place across the region. In Chilton, the Beacon and the Lamp of Peace was lit at Hutton House at 9:30 PM, with people singing the hymn 'I Vow to Thee My Country,' honoring the many sacrifices that secured freedom.
Ferryhill marked the 80th anniversary with a special beacon lighting ceremony in the Town Hall. The ceremony included blessings and prayers by a representative of St Luke’s Church, music by Piper Adam Jenkins, and then flag raising and Beacon Lighting by the Mayor. Peterlee Town Council lit a beacon at The Pavilion and joined in with the national singalong at 9:30 PM. Greater Willington Town Council hosted a ceremony at Beacon Brazier, Dante Heap, at 9:15 PM and lit the beacon at 9:30 PM as part of the national tribute.
Spennymoor Town Council also paid tribute with the beacon being lit at 9:30 PM, as did St John's Hall in Meadowfield, which was lit by a resident in their 80s. Mickelton Parish Council and Great Aycliffe Town Council also marked the 80th anniversary of VE Day with their own beacon lighting services.
In a related event, there will be an RAF fighter flypast at this year's Nottinghamshire County Show to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day. The annual show will be returning to Newark Showground on Saturday, May 10, 2025. Organizers have added to the lineup to join in with the nation's VE Day commemorations. To recognize the role Nottinghamshire’s farmers played in the war, there will be a parade featuring Second World War-era farm vehicles.
There will also be an RAF fighter flypast featuring a Spitfire from the RAF’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight just after noon on Saturday, May 10, 2025. The show dates back to 1868 and is being held for the 140th time this year. The gates will open at 9 AM, and among the main events, there will also be a motorcycle stunt display, livestock competitions featuring prize-winning cattle, sheep, and pigs, equestrian displays, food and drink stalls, and the show’s Make, Bake and Grow section.
The VE Day parade will take place in the main ring on Saturday, May 10, 2025, and will begin with heavy horses, which did the vast majority of the draft work on farms at the outbreak of the war. There will then be farming equipment and vehicles, including tractors and an appearance from a Willys Jeep, the US Army surplus vehicle that became hugely popular with British farmers after the war.
During the parade, music from three bands will also be featured, including the South Notts Hussars Association Band, the Mansfield District Corps of Drums, and the Nottingham Boys’ Brigade and Girls Association. Show organizer Elizabeth Halsall stated it is important to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day and remember the wartime generation who worked in the fields as well as serving their country on the frontline.
On May 7, 2025, one of the largest gatherings of World War Two veterans came together to mark the 80th anniversary of their victory. More than six million men and women served in Britain’s Armed Forces during World War Two, including 3.5 million in the Army. As of May 8, 2025, there are only a few thousand World War Two veterans left, and most are over 100 years old.
At the National Memorial Arboretum, near Lichfield, Staffs, 46 veterans were photographed, organized by the Royal British Legion to mark VE80. The youngest veterans present, such as Wilson Cotton and Tom Hill, are now aged 98, while the eldest veteran present, Donald Rose of Ilkeston, Derbys, who saw action in Africa, Italy, Normandy, and Germany, is 110 years old.
Al Carns MP, veterans minister, met with the veterans before a service of remembrance led by Baroness Floella Benjamin. RAF engineer John Hindmoor, age 104, recalled how he was on the way to Singapore when his ship was diverted to South Africa. Former steelworker John, of Crook, Co Durham, shared his wartime story, revealing the significant role of those who worked on farms, including the Land Girls and evacuated families.
At the VE Day celebrations, King Charles called for a global commitment to restoring peace. He described the allied victory as “a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when countries stand together in the face of tyranny.” During a celebratory concert at London’s Horse Guards Parade, Charles delivered his address at 9 PM, the exact time King George VI spoke to the nation in a radio broadcast on May 8, 1945, to mark the end of the Second World War in Europe.
Charles referenced his grandfather’s historic message as he delivered his own speech. He stated, “It is now 80 years since my grandfather, King George VI, announced to the nation and the Commonwealth that ‘the dreadful shadow of war has passed from our hearths and our homes’. The liberation of Europe was secured.”
As the nation commemorates this significant anniversary, it is essential to reflect on the sacrifices made by the wartime generation and the lessons learned from their experiences. The events across the North East and beyond serve as a poignant reminder of the enduring legacy of those who fought for freedom and peace.
