ONCE more the world was at peace, after six long years of conflict the dark, deadly shadow of war that had been cast across countless lives of many nations had finally disappeared. Across Great Britain peace was given a boisterous welcome. Church bells rang out in joy, train whistles shrilled the victory "dot, dot, dot, dash," while car horns, klaxons, police whistles, football rattles and drums all heralded the defeat of Japan — VJ Day had arrived. In the South it was left to the deep-throated sirens of the liner Queen Mary, her majestic funnels stranding proud on Southampton's skyline, to announce the news with a series of blasts that echoed out over the docklands.

Thousands spilled out into the streets. Strangers hugged, bonfires were lit, neon signs were switched on for the first time since the war started, the Civic Centre tower was floodlit and the Rose Garden fountain was illuminated again. While many danced in the open air others spent a few moments in quiet thanksgiving during two services, one held in the Guildhall, the other, an impromptu gathering at the Civic Centre. Fireworks soared into the air, American soldiers celebrated with a game of baseball on the Common but for German prisoners of war in nearby camps, for them VJ Day was just another working day.

At Eastleigh fog detonators were exploded on railway sidings and in Cranbury Road residents banged metal trays and joined in a large circle around a brazier in the street for an early morning sing-song.

Over in Totton, flags and bunting were everywhere and there was open-air dancing in Rumbridge Street while in Lymington the town band was out playing and there special celebrations at the local hospital where so many wounded servicemen had been cared for during the war. In Salisbury a special sports day was organised followed by a tea-party during which each youngster was given a sixpence (4p).

For three days it seemed Great Britain did not go to bed as people in their millions, across the nation, celebrated VJ Day. In London, throughout the holiday period, throngs of people swarmed into the capital's centre gathering outside Buckingham Palace and in huge crowds among the fountains of Trafalgar Square. Bonfires blazed in Hyde Park where revellers kept the flames burning with branches of trees and wooden chairs. Another large fire burned outside the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields, where community singing was in full swing.

"Yet another bonfire was outside Buckingham Palace, and was fed with park chairs, and around it danced American soldiers and English girls," said the Daily Echo at the time. "The King and Queen made their sixth and final appearance on the floodlit balcony shortly before midnight. "Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret during the evening left the Royal balcony and mixed with the crowds below. They had an escort of two plain-clothes police officers, and although recognised and cheered here and there, succeeded in seeing incognito, much of the general rejoicing. They returned to the Palace about 12.30am."

The combination of so many people and a large number of fireworks produced many casualties. Nearly 200 were caused in Piccadilly alone, most of them burns on the legs through fireworks exploding on the ground. "The Prime Minister, Mr Clement Atlee, received a tumultuous welcome when he addressed the crowds Parliament Square and Whitehall from the balcony of the Ministry of Health," said the Daily Echo. "When he called for three cheers for victory a mighty roar went up. "So from cheering speeches to dancing round bonfires, from community singing to paddling in the Trafalgar Square fountains, from waving flags to throwing paper streamers about until the streets seemed covered in snow — though all was tidily swept up into neat heaps a few hours later”

The nation united to celebrate the victorious end to the Second World War."