DISTANT memories are coming to the fore as the Nation gears up for the 75th Anniversary of VE day.
Life long Marlborough residents David Chandler, Laurie Dobie and Tony Gray were at school together at St Mary’s School on Herd Street.
They were six when peace broke out. Marlborough saw a procession in the High Street and a party in the town hall.
“I remember having a street party,” said Laurie. “It’s all a bit of a distant memory now, but I recall there were three roads around Cherry Orchard and Isbury Road which had them.”
David Chandler’s family in George Lane had two boys who had been evacuated from the The City of London Boys School living with them.
He recalls the Italian prisoners of war, who were imprisoned along Elcot Lane. They were employed to demolish the old George Inn, on George Street.
“It must have been the winter before VE Day as it was snowing. The POWs had made this beautiful snowman in the middle of the road. They were shouting at us to not knock it down. But it was quite the opposite for us. We were overwhelmed with its beauty. It was a sculpture in snow and we had never seen anything like it.”
He said the old Inn had graffiti painted on it saying ‘Number 10 Downing Street.’ “My brother, who was about four, and I used to play in the derelict building.”
He shares a memory of VE day with his school friend Tony. “I think it was VE day when we made hats out of newspaper,” he said. “They were coloured red, white and blue and were marched round the town singing ‘The Grand Old Duke of York’!”
Tony Gray also remembers: “We marched down the High Street and on to a big field at Nash’s Farm, which was at the end of Elcot Lane, beyond the tile factory.
“The Mayor at the time was Jimmy Duck. He had a riding stable in the town, and he was leading the march to the playing field - probably on one of his horses.”
He also remembers seeing street lights for the first time in his life. “I can’t remember if it was on VE day, but it must have been soon after - as I remembered going to get fish and chips.”
They remembered with fondness the arrival of the Americans. The 101st Airbourne were stationed in Ramsbury ahead of D Day, but often came into Marlborough.
“They used to give us bags of sweets and big red apples, “ said Tony. “Then when they went, they gave me their pet rabbit.”
There is a huge amount of heritage in Ramsbury because of the village’s part in WW2, not only because of the number of servicemen from the village but also as the 101st Airborne division was based on the hill behind the village.
The Ramsbury Legion is one of the oldest remaining Legion branches nationally. It was formed in 1927. It is encouraging people to decorate their houses with Union Jack bunting, decorate with red, white and blue or to put a picture in their window to give a visual tribute to the services and sacrifices to the entire WW2 generation.
In addition to the 2 minute silence at 11am, they are also hosting a Stay at Home Street Party in the afternoon, where the village will come to their doorstep or front garden with a picnic and drinks.
The Ramsbury Legion will be hosting a massive street party in the village when restrictions are lifted.
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