The End of the War In Europe: VE May 1945
LEIGH HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The End of the War in Europe
As the village and the country mark the 80th Anniversary of VE day this month, our Church will be adorned with flowers. But looking back to 1945, we can see the effects on the school and also how the village marked its ‘first’ VE day.
On 8 May 1945 – written in red in the School Log – were the words “Today the announcement of the cessation of hostilities in Europe was made. The school closed for two days.” And on 24 May 1945, again in the Log, was written “Today being Empire Day, the Union Jack was flown. A special Empire Service was conducted by the headmaster and suitable songs were sung. During the morning lessons on the Empire and the duty of its members were given to the senior children.” Empire Day, an annual event at the school, had not been celebrated since 1939.
It was now business as usual for the school, despite the events of the previous five years when the war had been clearly evident to Leigh children who could see the planes flying overhead as they headed to London, who could see the dog-fights and hear the distant bombing and were perhaps even aware of bombs that had been off-loaded as the planes returned to Germany. In 1939, the school saw the arrival of evacuees, an almost ‘alien’ group, who came and stayed before often moving on elsewhere. In Leigh, the village and the school itself undertook many efforts at fund raising for the war effort. And although school life did continue as normally as possible, at times the school day had to be shortened and lessons take place in the air raid shelters at the rear of the school where pupils went every time the siren went off.
Despite the end of the war in Europe, the effects would have remained with children and villagers for a long time and the war in Japan was still going on. There would have been families affected by the loss of husbands, fathers, sons, friends, either killed or missing. At the school, the ensuing years saw a decline in attendance. There were also the after-effects of the tragedy of 3 July 1944 when Joan Chandler and Jimmy Longhurst were killed at the school after Jimmy had brought an unexploded shell into the classroom: there was no counselling for the children affected in those days, nor for the teachers, and the tragedy led to the departure after the war of the popular Miss Winifred Ellis (infant teacher from 1927) and also the headmaster, Mr Gibbons (headmaster since 1925).
Another change affected the school after the war, the reorganization of the school following the 1944 Butler Education Act which re-classified Leigh School as a junior and infant school, with seniors (11+) being transferred to modern schools in Tonbridge from 1 October 1945. This was reported in the Managers Minutes of 21 August 1945, when the meeting also recorded the conditions caused by the war and its thanks to staff during the War.
There were a couple of reports in the local press about Leigh children and the first VE Day. The Courier of 18 May 1945 reported, under the heading ‘Leigh Children Celebrate’ that “Saturday was a memorable day for children of school age and under who attended the party and sports organised by the village. There were sufficient funds to give each child a victory gift of 1s 6d. Ices, the gift of a well-wisher were distributed. A dance for the grown-ups was a fitting finale.”
However, the Tonbridge Free Press of Friday 18 May 1945, has a fuller report:
Children’s V-Party – Saturday was a memorable day for the children of school age and under who attended the party and sports organized by the village for the village. Brought up to the tune of war on the shortest route from enemy-held territory to London, organized functions passed them by, and for the first time on Saturday they came into their own. The festivities were organized by a committee of ladies, to whose appeal for foodstuffs and funds the whole village responded. Nearly one hundred children assembled on the Green for the Sports in the afternoon, and although for most of them this was their very first experience of races, they soon entered into the spirit of the contest and produced some keen rivalry. Wheelbarrow egg and spoon and thread the needle races provided great fun. Tea was set out in the Village Hall, where the long tables were absolutely loaded with good things of all kinds. Voluntary help provided an efficient and quick service. Sports were then resumed, and two hours later, about ninety children received their prize money. It was then found that sufficient funds had been collected to give every child a Victory gift of 1s 6d., and this was done. One happy interlude occurred when, unannounced, a motor-van drew up on the Green and dispensed some very welcome ices – the gift of a well-wisher. To round off the afternoon the children were invited back to the Village Hall for lemonade and soft drinks. A well-attended dance for the grown-ups was a fitting finish to the day.
Joyce Field (Parish Mag. May 2025)