'We'll meet again, but not just yet' - why VE Day anniversary will be a a very different affair - Laura Collins, YEP Editor

It was going to be a day of celebration.

Red, blue and white decorations were set to adorn the nation’s streets as we joined together to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

Friday was due to see hundreds of veterans parading through the streets. Such was the importance of the day that the Government took the steps to move the May Bank Holiday to give everyone the opportunity to join in.

Street parties were planned to erupt across the country as we emulated the scenes of 75 years ago after the end of the six year conflict.

It was a time of agony and anxiety as Leeds – along with many other cities – braced itself, waiting and hoping that the bombs from above would miss homes as they ruthlessly fell from the skies.

And, once the message of victory rippled through the streets, it lit a touch paper to days of celebrations. Once the revelries subsided, it paved the way for a New World Order.

The Government changed hands and shortly afterwards the treasured institution that is the NHS was born. The world never looked or felt the same again as the scars of wartime slowly started to heal.

Over the last six weeks we have all collectively played a part in a new chapter of the world’s history books as the coronavirus crisis continues.

We have been confined to the safety of our homes – away from family, friends and colleagues – as we play our part in protecting the NHS frontline from the devastating impact of the virus.

And this very different battle has taken a toll on all of us – especially those who have lost loved ones to the silent killer.

The celebrations initially planned for VE Day have simply been ripped up as the world continues to fight this different deadly epidemic.

There will be no opportunity for those brave veterans who fought for King and Country to march proudly through our city’s streets. That in itself is a real shame given that year on year the number of veterans continues to diminish.

For many this would be the final opportunity to mark such a landmark moment in our nation’s history.

Street parties now look set to be very different affairs as we continue to socially distance from our families, friends and neighbours.

This week will see the latest phase of the lockdown plan outlined by the Prime Minister as he sets out a timeline for what happens next.

But what we can be sure of is it will be quite some time before we all join to collectively mark such a milestone.

So in the meantime we’re being asked to mark VE Day in a different way led by the Queen who will make her second broadcast during this crisis.

And, as the nation joins together in a collective singalong to an emblematic song by Dame Vera Lynn, we must remember that We Will Meet Again.

But perhaps it might just be a little bit longer than we all hoped. And maybe, just maybe, there might be a whole New World Order after this latest tribulation cements its place in the history books.