VE Day 80 years on: share your photos and memories with the Belfast News Letter
On May 8, 1945 the second world war in Europe came to an end.
Though it was a day for celebration, for many who lost family or friends during the war, rejoicing was subdued. It is estimated that nearly 70 million people died as a direct consequence of the fighting, about two thirds of them were civilians. The Belfast Blitz consisted of four German air raids on strategic targets in the city of Belfast in Northern Ireland, in April and May 1941 during World War II, causing high casualties.
The first was on the night of April 7-8, 1941, a small attack which probably took place only to test Belfast's defences. The next took place on Easter Tuesday, April 15, 1941, when 200 Luftwaffe bombers attacked military and manufacturing targets in the city of Belfast. Some 900 people died as a result of the bombing and 1,500 were injured.
If you or your friends and family have memories of the end of the second world war in Europe, we would love to hear from you. Do you have stories or photographs of the celebrations? Were you or a family member a child at the time, or still in active service on VE Day, and if so where? Perhaps you have letters or mementos from that period.
To share your story, please email [email protected] or telephone: 07860531281.