It’s hard to believe that 75 years ago World War II came to an end in Europe. There was still fighting in the Pacific and the Far East, but the fight against Nazi Germany was at an end. The devastating conflict had killed millions, ruined the lives of millions more, destroyed nations and transformed the European political landscape for decades to come. So many brave souls made the ultimate sacrifice to oppose the horrible Nazi regime, and their hateful ideology.

It’s not surprising that there was an outpouring of relief and celebration on this day 75 years ago. The news the war was over brought unrestrained joy to Britain’s streets, and rightly so. There would still be considerable work to do, but for that moment, the country could be happy.

Today it is a solemn occasion, one of remembrance and reflection, as we honour the generation that fought in that awful war. We mark their courage, their determination and their bravery, and we hope we never have a repeat of what they went through.