Britain’s Forgotten Victory Celebration: A Story Worth Remembering
When people think of the end of the Second World War, one image usually comes to mind.
Crowds filling The Mall. Strangers embracing in the streets. Union Flags waving from every window. King George VI and Winston Churchill appearing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. And, of course, the image of Princess Elizabeth celebrating anonymously among the crowds.
These scenes from VE Day on 8th May 1945 have become part of Britain’s national memory.
But there was another extraordinary day – one that is often overlooked despite being one of the largest and most significant military events ever staged in Britain.
On 8th June 1946, more than a year after Victory in Europe was declared, London hosted the Victory Parade.
It wasn’t simply another celebration.
It was Britain’s opportunity to formally thank the generation that had fought the Second World War.
The Victory Parade was unlike anything the country had ever witnessed.
More than 30,000 servicemen and women marched through the streets of London.
Representatives came not only from Britain but from across the Commonwealth and Allied nations whose combined efforts had secured victory.
The route passed through the heart of the capital, where enormous crowds lined the streets from the early hours of the morning.
Contemporary reports estimated that hundreds of thousands gathered to watch in person, while millions more followed newspaper coverage, radio broadcasts and newsreel footage shown in cinemas across Britain.
Watching from the royal dais were King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, Prime Minister Clement Attlee and senior military leaders.
Capturing the spirit of the day were the words of King George VI, taken from his message to Britain’s schoolchildren during the Victory celebrations:
“TODAY, AS WE CELEBRATE VICTORY”
King George VI
For many spectators, this was the first opportunity to thank those who had served.
For many of those marching, it marked the end of years of sacrifice, hardship and uncertainty.
Yet the parade was about far more than those who returned home.
Every regiment marching through London represented friends who never came back. Every cheer from the crowds carried memories of loved ones who had made the ultimate sacrifice. The celebrations recognised not only victory, but the immense cost at which it had been achieved.
It was a day filled with pride, relief and remembrance all at once.
80 Years On
This year marks the 80th Anniversary of the 1946 Victory Parade, a milestone that offers an opportunity to reflect on one of the most important yet often overlooked moments in Britain’s post-war history.
As the number of veterans who witnessed those celebrations continues to diminish, anniversaries such as this play an increasingly important role in ensuring their stories, and the significance of that remarkable day, are never forgotten.
Despite the importance of the 1946 Victory Parade, it has never before been commemorated on a British Isles coin.
To mark its 80th Anniversary, a new Silver Proof £5 Coin has been issued featuring King George VI saluting the servicemen and women who marched through London that historic day.
If you’d like to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of this remarkable moment in British history, you can discover more about the limited-edition Victory Parade Silver Proof £5 Coin by clicking the link below.