London victory parade by Pathe News (go full screen) If you look in the crowds lining the Mall you will see an excited 14 year old boy,well that would be me.Don't know how but we had a reserved space there.
also,spot dear old queen Mary's limo.Quite splendid and often seen gliding along the streets in London during the war. Field Marshal Montgomery also had an interesting motor,for some weird reason the windscreen sloped the wrong way.Nobody was ever to tell me why and I've never seen any other examples. London had very few cars on the roads during the war except for the V.I.Ps (very important person)but there were loads of frequent and cheap buses so getting around was much easier than it is now.
For a few days Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park was a vast army camp and open to all so it was very excited to see as a schoolboy all the different soldiers from so many countries and we were spoilt with sweets (then rationed) and souvenirs.
It was a great time then but followed by years of austerity and drabness but in spite of that,enjoyable.
Tunnel End
1 day ago
I'm suitably impressed that you got a place at all, let alone reserved it!
ReplyDeleteI haven't played your video yet and I'm not sure how to make it full screen, but I thought I'd tell you that I was in that crowd too! Behind some railings, as I recall.
ReplyDeleteFunnily enough, my chief memory of that time is of going to sleep during the following afternoon and waking up and not knowing where I was! A very vivid memory.
But I was 14 too! When is your birthday?
Great video. The expressions on the faces of the participants in the parade make a study in themselves. Some are joyous whilst others seem to be thinking back to what has led up to this moment in time.
ReplyDeletecant remember how Kevin,But it was in a stand and we were looking down.Possibly a press stand as my father worked for a newspaper as cartoonist.
ReplyDelete21st April RR.we did have to get up frightfully early to get there in spite of living fairly close so I also was pretty tired by end of day.
It was a very meaningful event Alan,emotions very high but I'm afraid I was more interested in the tanks and guns!
Are you the boy @ 41 seconds swinging his leg?
ReplyDeleteWhat an honour! bet the boys at school were a bit miffed.
Living oop north with no tele and no money for the cinema, we had to rely on radio descriptions, and I was soon bored.
Love Granny
No Granny,that was S Worthington~Smythe. Nasty piece of work.It was him who stole my marbles out of my tuck box.
ReplyDelete