Why we should all pause during lockdown to commemorate VE Day in a different way

Pipe major Andy Reid of The Scots Guards plays his pipes on the cliffs of Dover, Kent, as two Spitfires from the Battle of Britain memorial flight fly overhead, ahead of commemorations to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

Hundreds of streets parties had been planned up and down the country in a show of unity to mark a seminal moment in our country’s history.

The national stage was set for it to be a party like no other - emulating that spirit from 75 years ago when victory was called in Europe to signal the end of the Second World War.

At the time the Yorkshire Evening Post printed the images of those smiling faces as the steps of the Town Hall were flooded with party-goers. Their faces etched forever in the history books and on our news pages recording a key juncture in our history.

We also captured the generations of families lining their streets with the bunting fluttering in the breeze as the nation breathed a collective sigh as it started the long process of healing the wounds of war once again.

But in the week where Britain was set to commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE Day, a threat like no other continues to cast its deadly shadow over our country.

Our glorious island is now the worst-hit by the silent killer of coronavirus in Europe.

This virulent menace has taken over 30,000 lives across the UK - a figure not too far from the overall human cost during the Blitz.

Over the last few weeks the YEP has had the daunting task of reporting on the daily mortality rates issued by officials and it has been tough.

Behind each lost loved one is a family left to grieve - many robbed of the last opportunity to join them on their final journey and pay tribute to their lives at a funeral sounded in the comfort of other family members or friends.

It draws a haunting parallel with those families back in Leeds who waved off their loved ones as they embarked in combat during the Second World War. And even closer to home, the lives of those lost during the ferocious bombing on our home shoes.

So while we rightly reflect on the bravery of those heroic soldiers, such as Jack Mortimer and his fallen comrades, today is also about reflecting on the war we are continuing to fight on the home front.

Too many are still paying the ultimate sacrifice with their lives.

Why we should all pause during lockdown to commemorate VE Day in a different way - Laura Collins, YEP Editor