London Victory Celebrations of 1946
london victory celebration british commonwealth empire allied victory celebration held defeat nazi germany japan world war ii november prime minister appointed committee chairmanship home secretary james chuter ede formulate plan official victory celebration celebration took place london june consisted mainly military parade city night time firework display british ally took part parade including belgium brazil china czechoslovakia france greece luxembourg netherlands united state first part parade chief staff procession featuring british chief staff together supreme allied commander followed mechanised column went regent park tower hill mall saluting base back regent park four mile long contained vehicle royal navy royal air force british civilian service british army order next came marching column went marble arch mall hyde park corner headed flag allied nation took part parade honour guard next came unit navy air force civilian service unit british empire armed force commonwealth dominion followed unit royal navy followed british civilian service british army representative certain allied air force royal air force followed flypast aircraft led douglas bader aftermath person needed medical attention taken hospital ally represented parade including representative u france belgium brazil czechoslovakia denmark egypt ethiopia greece iran iraq luxembourg mexico nepal netherlands norway transjordan allied country represented parade ussr yugoslavia poland australian contingent headed major general ken eather officer distinguished record war contingent consisted serviceman woman drawn three service including private richard kelliher victoria cross battle lae victory march contingent sailed united kingdom hmas shropshire april new zealand represented victory march contingent former serving member armed force contingent consisted representative army royal new zealand air force royal new zealand navy woman also included three section representation maori battalion contingent commanded lieutenantgeneral sir edward puttick general officer commanding new zealand force war contingent included victoria cross holder colone leslie andrew vc dso sergeant alfred clive hulme vc charles upham vc bar contingent sailed new zealand april new zealand hospital ship maunganui british government initially invited government poland send flag party represent poland among allied force parade specifically invite representative polish force exile fought british high command briton including winston churchill figure raf number mp protested decision described affront polish war effort well immoral concession communist power complaint pilot polish fighter squadron royal air force taken part battle britain invited march together foreign detachment part parade royal air force lastminute invitation sent foreign minister bevin directly chief staff polish army general kopanski still post london chief polish air force polish navy individual general invitation declined airman refused participate protest omission branch western backed polish force exile polish government turn chose send delegation later cited invitation exiled pilot reason stay away end parade took place without polish force soviet union yugoslavia also stayed away sunset principal building london lit floodlight crowd thronged bank thames westminster bridge watch king george vi family proceed river royal barge planned festivity ended firework display central london however crowd continued gather london surrounded buckingham palace even royal family retired festivity many festival goer could return home night spent rest night public park public area around london entertainment arranged child london park personal message king george printed card distributed school child across united kingdom message began phrase today celebrate victory berlin victory parade victory parade london ron goldstein bbc ww people war archive eye witness account