Commemorating the 80th anniversary of VE Day
Winchester is remembering this this significant anniversary with VE Day 80 services, events and exhibitions across the district. Find out how you can get involved.
What is VE Day and VJ Day?
Thursday 8 May 2025 marks 80 years since VE (Victory in Europe) Day when the Second World War came to an end in Europe. The long anticipated news resulted in spontaneous celebrations breaking out across the nation. A national holiday was declared and people from all walks of life came together to mark the moment.
While VE Day marked the end of the war in Europe in May 1945, many thousands of Armed Forces personnel were still engaged in fighting in the Far East. Victory over Japan would come at a heavy price, and Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day) marks the day Japan surrendered on 15 August 1945, which ended the Second World War.
This year, Winchester is remembering the sacrifices and contributions that brought peace to Europe in 1945 through a series of services, events and exhibitions across the district.
Winchester's military connections
Winchester district has many connections to the Second World War. Peninsula Barracks, now home to five of Winchester's Military Museums, was the home base and training depot of The King’s Royal Rifle Corps (KRRC) and The Rifle Brigade (RB).
The city then became the headquarters of the US Army's 9th Infantry Division, nicknamed the "Old Reliables", in the lead up to the D-Day Landings. The barracks were vacated by The Rifle Depot and used to house this US regiment.
In nearby Southwick, Southwick House became the headquarters for the main Allied commanders, including General Eisenhower, Admiral Ramsay, and General Montgomery. The large wall maps that were used on D-Day are still in place in the house's map room.
Winchester was not just a significant location during the war. 2,455 Winchester College pupils and alumni served in the armed forces during World War II. The names of those who died are commemorated in the War Cloister.
