Victory in Europe Day

LondonLife – VE Day remembered 80 years on…

by exploringlondon

London commenced four days of national commemorations for the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe – known as Victory in Europe (VE) Day – on Monday.

A military processions of about 1000 members of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force made its way from Parliament Gardens along Whitehall before turning through Admiralty Arch and down the Mall to Buckingham Palace. Some 23 aircraft were involved in a flypast.

Tea parties were also held across the country to mark the event, including at Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street.

The Cenotaph ‘dressed’ in Union flags early this morning before the start of the days events. PICTURE: Stuart Livesey/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2025
A guard of honour of personnel from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force on parade in Parliament Square. PICTURE: Rory Arnold/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2025
The Life Guards,The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment ride down Whitehall. PICTURE: POPhot Lee Blease/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2025.
A Ukraine marching detachment comprised of 11 officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine took part in the procession, see here marching down Whitehall. PICTURE: POPhot Lee Blease/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2025.
The military procession makes its way down the Mall toward the Queen Victoria Memorial. PICTURE: Cpl Tomas Barnard RAF/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2025
King Charles III salutes as the military procession approaches the Queen Victoria Memorial. PICTURE: Sgt Jimmy Wise/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2025
Crowds make their way down the Mall towards Buckingham Palace after the military procession. PICTURE: Cpl Sarah Barsby RAF/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2025
The Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch the VE Day 80 flypast. PICTURE: Cpl Tim Hammond/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2025
VE Day 80 flypast with the Red arrows and four Typhoon jets flying over the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace. PICTURE: Cpl Sarah Barsby RAF/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2025.
Veterans gather in the gardens of Buckingham Palace afer the military procession to watch the flypast. Overhead are The Red arrows, followed by four Typhoon jets. PICTURE: Sgt Rob Kane/K MOD © Crown copyright 2025.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and his wife Victoria Starmer host a street party outside 10 Downing Street to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day. PICTURE: Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street (licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Special – On the VE Day’s 75th, remembering the ‘Docklands at War’…

by exploringlondon

The Museum of London Docklands has released a number of images from its ‘Docklands at War’ collection – including some rarely on display – to mark the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe. These images of the East End show the scale of the damage and destruction caused to London’s docks during World War II when more than 25,000 German bombs were dropped on it in an attempt to impact the national economy and war production, making tens of thousands of home uninhabitable, damaging businesses and destroying docks with the West India Docks and St Katherine Docks suffering the most damage. The pictures also reveal the remarkable contribution to the war effort by the people who lived and worked in the densely populated area. For more on how the museum is marking the day online, head to www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london-docklands/ve-day.

St Katharine Dock after an air raid on 7th September, 1940, the first attack on Docklands.  PICTURE: John H Avery & Co (© PLA Collection / Museum of London)

Bomb damage to a shed, formerly Guiness’s on west side of eastern dock, looking north from the southend taken on 19th December, 1940, following an air raid on 8th December that year. PICTURE: John H Avery & Co (© PLA Collection / Museum of London)


Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Clementine Churchill, with the Flag Officer, London, and J Douglas Ritchie (on left), touring London’s dock in September, 1940, seen with a group of auxiliary firemen. PICTURE: © PLA Collection / Museum of London

Damage caused by a V1 rocket which hit Royal Victoria Dock in 1944. PICTURE: © PLA Collection / Museum of London

The Docklands ablaze during the Blitz on 7th September, 1940. The rising palls of smoke mark out the London Docks beyond the Tower of London, the Surrey Docks to the right of the bridge and the West India Docks on the Isle of Dogs in the distance. PICTURE: © PLA Collection / Museum of London


Tanks arriving in the London Docks prior to embarkation for the D Day beaches in 1944. PICTURE: © PLA Collection / Museum of London