"Germany surrendered on 7 May, New Zealand time, but acting Prime Minister Walter Nash insisted that celebrations should wait until after British Prime Minister Winston Churchill had officially announced peace at 1 a.m. on 9 May, New Zealand time." https://nzhistory.govt.nz/keyword/ve-day
The Thames Star Tuesday 8 May 1945 announced 'in colour' "Allies Win War in Europe".
The day known as VE (Victory Europe) Day. As mentioned above, given the time difference, the New Zealand Prime Minister decreed the official commemoration day was Wednesday 9 May.
One of the busiest businesses in the town was the Post & Telegraph and Telephone Exchange departments at the local Post Office. Thamesites recorded record numbers of phone calls and sent / received a large number of telegraphs. All Post Office Staff was called to help, including the "Chief Postmaster {who demonstrated he] had not lost his skills as a morse operator."
Events on the 9th May at Thames included:
- The St George's Church bell sounded throughout the day.
- Outside the Regent Theatre in Pollen Street, a loudspeaker played recorded speeches from England by Mr Churchill and the King.
- A United Church Service was held at 11am in the St George's Church, Mackay Street.
- A one day special VE bowls event was held at the Thames Bowling Club. the winning team was: W Mutton, D Adamson, J A Briggs, and C Walker (skip).
- A special rugby match took place 2.30pm at Rhodes Park between Thames and Hauraki Plains(Ngatea) teams. Ngatea won the match 6 to 3.
- A Torchlight Procession was held at 8pm. This went from the Brian Boru Hotel, along Pollen Street to Mary Street, around the hospital block, down Pahau Street to Pollen Street, to the land opposite the old Gas Works in Mary Street. Those in the procession carried 400 torches, supplied by the Thames Fire Brigade.
- The Regent Theatre held a special VE Day programme. From 8pm Newsreels; 8.30pm God Save the King - Thames Methodist Church choirs; The Russian National Anthem. The Methodist Church choirs then sang: Thank You America, Invocation to Peace, There will always be an England. Following a short intermission the movie Three Men in white was screened.
- The evening finished with a large bonfire opposite the Gas Works. The National Anthem was sung by the hundreds who had taken part in the procession and gathered spectators. The torch bearers threw their torches onto the assembled bonfire stack, which burnt intensely for over half an hour.
- The only disappointment was that a bunch of "hooligans" pulled down many of the flags and buntings that had lined the street.
Notices from the Thames Star 8 May - advertising events for the following day.
In the Thames Star 8 May 1945, Mayor Ensor (photo right) said that the celebration of VE Day, allowed everyone to give thanks to the United Nations who had fought for nearly six years.
"In this victory, most, if not all of us, have played some part...No one, at this time can fail to be aware that the war is not yet over, and that the task ahead may still be difficult."
Mayor Ensor reminded readers that winning the war against Japan was the priority, along with the repatriation of the men and women who were returning from serving overseas.
He finished his message by saying: “The winning of the peace will not be easy. Let us approach this question with the firm conviction that we are all responsible for seeing that justice is done, and in any new order that a reasonable standard of living is assured for all those able and willing to work, and that the aged and the infirm, the widow and the orphan, are properly cared for. This will then certainly be a better world.”
The War on Scarlet Fever
While Thamesites were concerned with the ongoing war, they still faced the war against scarlet fever, the local paper contained large advertisements from the Department of Health.
