So – it is finished. The Unconditional Surrender of Germany has at long last been achieved… VICTORY! It was hardly believable.
Back in the days of Dunkirk when everything pointed to defeat, we were obstinately certain that we would ‘pull-through,’ but ‘Victory,’ at that time seemed too boastful a word. Yet set-backs alternated with successes until following the achievements of D-Day and the final ‘breakthrough’ into France, our obstinate hopes became logical certainties. Our grimness changed to glowing optimism only to vanish as the delays of consolidation brought us face to face with realities once more. “‘Out' before Xmas" in '44 "All over in a fortnight" in March '45; and now on May 7th and 8th it really was over.
The moment we had given so much for, longed for, waited for, had arrived.
On that Monday I set off for the Naafi to be present when the 9 o'clock News came over. To my amazement all was as usual; a little crowd around the counter; desultory groups around the tables; at least two ‘bods’ looking real fed-up. In fact, all in all a sober throng.
Was it just British phlegm or was it a combination of relief and reaction, a mixture of memories and a looking forward to a future as uncertain as the day of “joining up”? Whatever it was, whilst we as a race and as individuals can take Victory so calmly, then a defeat will always be only a ‘set-back’; and, so long as so many men when ‘celebrating’ hold just one thought – “Let's get home – somehow” – then marriage will remain a worth-while institution.
So Good Luck to you all and a speedy return to the maintaining or establishing of “Home.”
With Victory in Europe and all the changes that will go with it, both here and elsewhere, we face the fact that this may be the last issue of ‘Base Echo’ and ‘Whiz-Bang.’
Some of these changes have already begun. W/Cmdr. Hancox, our first C.O. has left and we welcome our new C.O., W/Cmdr. Browning. Flt./Lt. Mills who as "Adj." has mothered and fathered the Unit since birth may be leaving us at any time for civil life; our Station W/0, Warrant Officer Pullen is off to the Far East. Many have cause to know them both as friends and will be sorry to see them go. Best wishes to them both.
Those, however, who still have some time to go will need to do more than ‘mark-time,’ so we trust that R.A.F. Station, Bicester activities will always be such as to require a ‘Whizz-Bang’ to record them.