Born on VE Day

“This story was submitted to the People’s War site by a volunteer from BBC London Online on behalf of Victoria Elizabeth Manning, and has been submitted to the site with her permission. Victoria Elizabeth Manning fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.”

My story about VE day, well lets see, I’d only been born fourteen minutes, and my mother christened me Victoria Elizabeth. I was a wee baby and my Mum and Dad celebrated later, of course we all had street parties in those days, but unfortunately I don’t remember too much about that.

My Family, we’re originally from Lancashire, but I lived in Norfolk also. I’m the youngest of nine; eight girls and one boy. Some of them were born in the war, my oldest sister who lives in Australia, she’s now eighty-seven, and I’ve only lost two sisters.

My brother obviously was totally ruined because he was the only boy, so my father must have thought, well I’ll try again, and he got me!!

I remember the rationing books; we used to eat dripping sandwiches if you know what I mean. Food was very scarce, and we were all broke in those days, but it didn’t do us any harm did it?

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