Letters to Sunday Telegraph relating experiences of Victory in the Pacific Day, 1995 Wallet 1 of 2, Page 80 - 87

Please return as
these are precious
to a 73 year old!
  
VP Day Celebrations
To whom it concerns,
I was a young school teacher in 
Lake Cargelligo when the war 
ended and I'll never forget how 
those country people celebrated -  
a wonderful procession a few days  
later with more people dressed 
up & taking part than were spec. 
tators. What joy, what relief,  
but what sadness to always remember. 
I am enclosing two photos 
of that time. 
My friend David (we didn't marry!) 
had been a Fighter Pilot based in 
England and the letter enclosed  
written 26th Aug '45 tells of his 
experiences on V J Day in London. 
The part between the crosses you 
may like to use - note the unfamiliar 
(now) word "niggers"! 
I hope he is still alive & well,  
as he wrote wonderful letters. 
Yours sincerely 
(Mrs.) Jean Whittaker 
 

Keith Niland
Ph 

VP Day memories, where you were,
The following may be interesting with a unique
way for two groups of soldiers from different countries to  
celebrate war's end. 
On that historical day our unit was 
stationed in Borneo and my section was sent out 
on a routine patrol into the jungle for a  
see & report operation, about midday we met  
a patrol of Americans who were on a similar 
operation and they told us (in their language) 
You Guys take it easy now we've heard the war 
is over) they have dropped an Atom Bomb and its all  
over, the American Sargeant suggested that to 
celebrate the occaisions we sit down and have KAI 
(Lunch) and that they had heard of our famous  
hard rations of Bully Beef & Dog Biscuits & would 
we exchange ours for theirs which we reddily agreed 
to do, they tucked into our Bully Beef & Biscuits  
& we into theirs of Tinned chicken & Tinned  
sauerkraut the best meal we had for 
12 months. 
Yours 
K Niland
 

PHONE NO
17/7/95 

The Editor 
Enclosed, please find photograph of myself & 
three friends taken in George St on V J Day, August 15th 
1945. The four of us all worked at Farmers in the city 
& the management gave us the day off when the news 
came through that the war was over. 
We immediately headed for George St to join in 
the celebrations with thousands of other workers who 
had been given the day off. 
The four of us still remain friends & keep in  
contact to this day. 
Yours faithfully  
(Mrs) Hope Burchall

I REMEMBER IT WELL! 
  
ON BOARD H.M.S. KING GEORGE V. ROYAL NAVY FLAGSHIP OF THE  
BRITISH PACIFIC FLEET AUGUST 15, 1945. 
  
THE SCENE:- Patrolling the Japanese waters as planes from Aircraft Carriers 
made strike after strike on Tokyo areas, and the Allied Battleships prepared  
again to lay a heavy bombardment in those areas. 
  
At 0900 the whole world stopped as Japan's Emperor Hirohito declared Wars  
End. Except for one "Kamikazi" pilot who made one last effort, I believe 
unsuccessfully. The Allied Navies continued to patrol Japanese waters as a  
show of strength, until the ships had to disperse due to a typhoon at about 
noon 25th, which we rode out at sea. 
  
August 27th we were allocated an anchorage point in Sagami Bay in readiness 
to enter Tokyo harbour. As the anchor was dropped and the ship settled in her 
tidal position, the red ball of the setting sun lowered in line to settle in the 
crater mouth of Mt. Fuji. As we stared at such a sight, it was heard said "What 
a fitting end to the Japanese Rising Sun!" 
  
My three shipmates vowed, as we toasted the demise of such an era, if we God 
willing live for another 50 years, we would all indulge in a good and hefty tot-of-rum 
to make amends for what we missed on V.P. day 1945!!! 
  
Unfortunately only 2 of us are still living. 
  
E.E. OXLEE ex R.N. 
Mr. E. E. Oxlee  

I was 9 years old when the war ended in the Pacific. 
I attended a private girls' school in Sydney. 
Our teachers were very sedate. They walked quietly,  
talked quietly and were dignified. Our headmistress 
was next to God. 
On the day Japan surrendered we were quietly attending 
our lessons. Suddenly our headmistress burst into the  
classroom shrieking. 
"It's over." 
Our teacher lunged at her and they both danced, laughed, 
shrieked. They had gone mad. 
Other teachers ran into our classroom all dancing, 
laughing, shrieking. 
The school bell started ringing, senior student were 
runnung all over the place, our teacher left the room, 
we were unattended and stark eyed in disbelief. 
Our world had gone mad. 
A short while later, we were ushered into the school 
chapel for a service------ in the middle of the day! 
Our mad headmistress conducted the prayers smiling 
all the time, and the teachers talked and giggled 
. . . . . . all offences against God and punishable by 
the most severe detentions! 
Then we were sent home. . .  a half day holiday to celebrate  
everyone's madness! 
The usually quiet route home confirmed my belief that my 
entire world had gone mad. Trams were ringing thier bells 
all the time, people were hanging out of compartments 
and riding on the dashboards. . . all offences punishable by 
law. Everyone screaming, 
"It's over." 
My father was home from work in the middle of the day, 
and he and mother were drinking sherry. They hugged and 
kissed and all of this in front of me. My parents had gone  
mad too. 
I was told we were going into Hyde Park to celebrate this  
madness. The bells of St. Mary's and St Andrew's were so 
loud and never stopped ringing. I wondered if my own school 
bell was still ringing. 
Everywhere people were hugging, crying, laughing, dancing. 
Nobody noticed my quietness. 
Nobody asked if I understood why everyone and evrything was 
upside down. 
All I knew was that it was a MAD, MAD, MAD, world. 
********************* 
Kim Ashcroft 
9th July, 1995.

11-7-95 

The Editor, 
"The war is over!" was told to me at 1am, 11 August, 
1945. This was a few days before VP day celebrations. I was in a 
Hurstville private hospital and had just given birth to my daughter 
Kay Lesly Partlett. 
My husband was still with the Army Engineers in Borneo, and the 
good news was told to me by my doctor. After recovering from etherism, 
I heard Dr. Howell saying to me: "Your three wishes have been 
granted. You have a daughter. Born on your husband's birthday,  
and the war is over. I heard this news on the radio just after  
midnight." 
I was too thrilled to speak and my eyes filled with tears. This 
was my husband's 34th birthday. I couldn't celebrate it with him, 
but I had my little girl who was a celebration in herself. And the 
war over on her Daddy's birthday was a dream come true. 
Later that day I wrote telling my husband the triple good news. 
I choose the names "Kay" after Kay Francis and "Lesly" after Joan 
Lesley, two Hollywood film stars. I think I had star dust in my 
eyes. in those days. 
Three days later on 15 August Australia celebrated VP Day. 
When Dr. Howell called to see me that morning, he had a large camera 
case slung over his shoulder and was going into town to see the 
action and excitement. 
The first child born at "Woodleigh" Maternity Hospital that day 
was a boy and they named him "Victor." Bundled in a bunny rug with 
nurse a small flag hanging out from behind his head, a nurse carried 
him from ward to ward for all to see. It was a jubilant day for us 
all and I was honoured by having my three wishes granted. But my 
husband had to wait six months before he saw his daughter. 
LAUNA PARTLETT. 
{*Launa Partlett*}

10-7-95
Victory in the Pacific 50th Celebrations
The moment we were informed that hostilities had ceased &
the war had ended, my friend Elmer Cohen & I stood up
from our machines & cried tears of relief. We worked for
Silknit in Mary Street Surrey Hills, making underwear for
the Womens' Services. The same day in Darwin, my husband
to be, sent an urgent telegram saying, "Norma, will you
marry me?" which I still cherish. We had fallen in love
Christmas Eve 1940, were married exactly one month later
15th September 1945, the happiest day of our lives
(St Brendan's Annandale) 
Sincerely (MRS) Norma Haughey

Dear Sir
I was wondering if you could send me another
entery form, for another C.D. which is called
Victory in the Pacific.
I all ready have one, but I need another one to
send to a friend, Who was in the Air Force
during the 1939-45 war.
Mrs M. Raisbeck.