Victory in Europe (VE) Day
On 7 May 1945 the German High Command authorised the signing of an unconditional surrender on all fronts: the war in Europe was over. The surrender was to take effect at midnight on 8–9 May 1945.
Marshal Zhukov signing the German unconditional surrender on behalf of the USSR.
8 May 1945 was declared Victory in Europe (VE) Day, but in Australia, celebration was tempered with the knowledge that the war in the Pacific was still to be won.
Australians serving overseas joined wholeheartedly in the celebrations.
Lincolnshire, England, May 1945. Crews of No. 463 (Lancaster) Squadron, RAAF, and No. 467 (Lancaster) Squadron, RAAF, celebrate a belated VE day in their station mess, RAF Station Waddington
While in the major Australian cities there were similar outbursts of rejoicing, overall, the mood across the country was sombre. Churches held thanksgiving services, and on 9 May, 100,000 people attended the service at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne.
A section of the huge crowd attending the Shrine of Remembrance for the VE Day service on 9 May 1945.
A section of the huge crowd attending the Shrine of Remembrance for the VE Day service on 9 May 1945.
On that day, in Canberra, the editorial writer of The Canberra Times fancied that the floodlights over the Australian War Memorial stood "in bright relief against the darkness which is now passing from Europe, and soon from the entire world".