With contributions from Cirencester Archaeological & Historical Society, Cirencester Civic Society, members & friends
Strange noises in the night begin Cirencester’s VJ Day celebrations
The Snapshots feature in our May issue looked at commemorations in the town at the time of VE (Victory in Europe) Day on 08 May 1945. But the world-wide war was not yet over, continuing in the Pacific and the Far East. The general opinion was that the war could not go on much longer, which therefore gave more time to prepare for VJ (Victory over Japan) Day when that was declared on 14 August 1945. Finally it was all over, officially at least.
At the heart of the celebration in the Market Place, Cirencester Urban District Council reused the main features of its Coronation decorations from 1937. During the day the Town Band played on the bandstand erected on the base of one of the two recently removed emergency water tanks erected at the outbreak of the war. Frank Smith (of F.R Smith radio shop in Cricklade Street) had his sound apparatus in use, and an RAF band was on hand for dancing in the evening following a procession around the town which included the Victory Rag Time Jazz Band.
This local ‘scratch’ band was led by its drummer Harry May and featured in many of the reports of events in the following days. Perhaps their activities are best summed up in a letter of thanks from Harry which caught the mood nicely: “On VJ Day twelve good men and true paraded, starting from the Horse and Drill with free drinks from the landlord (The Queens Head and Wheatsheaf did the same). We started at 1pm with the tune Tipperary to parade the town, calling at the Hospital and the Public Institute. We adjourned for tea at 5pm then resumed from 6pm until 9.30pm.”
“On VJ Day 2, at the request of the UDC we headed a procession from Kings Mead to the Abbey headed by our Drum Major Taffy Morgan DCM and young Bill Robinson aged 72, our banner bearer. We were awarded 1st prize in our section at the Abbey Grounds. After attending the [mock] cremation of Hitler in his coffin by Fred Ponting, we triumphantly marched back to our Headquarters at the Horse and Drill.” A nice story!
The Standard newspaper on 18 August published a letter from a visitor to the town staying at the Kings Head Hotel. This recounted a lively event which first informed many local people that hostilities had finally ceased: “Late on Tuesday night when the good citizens of Cirencester have gone to their rest, sudden explosions and drawn-out wailing noises roused them from their sleep. At first it sounded as if a delayed air raid had begun; then we realised the Japanese surrender had become a fact and that local unofficial – most unofficial, and in fact most irregular – celebrations had begun.”
The paper then described what it called “a mad procession” of four US Army jeeps rushing madly around the streets of the town and denying townsfolk of their rest. The hotel resident saw it all: “It was about a quarter of an hour before midnight when the noise reached a crescendo. From the window of my room I saw the grand church tower standing as proudly as ever. Suddenly it was lit from base to flagstaff in a brilliant light. A continuous wailing like an air raid siren sounding the last ‘All Clear’ was heard louder and louder.”
“Around the corner of Black Jack Street came a Jeep driven skilfully, soberly, and rapidly by a young GI. For passengers he had four or five more GIs and as guests quite a handful of young women who were balanced precariously on seats which normally would accommodate two men. The lights of the jeep were full on, in flood – lighting the tower and throwing it back again into the shadow.”
Four circuits of the inner streets of the town were made. From the rear of the leading vehicle streamed a collection of tin baths, bowls, empty petrol cans, etc. “This strange and almost priceless collection of household equipment set up a devilish chatter and struck up sparks from the roadway.”
This unofficial, impromptu and nocturnal ‘big announcement’ by some of the many US Forces stationed locally made its mark on Cirencester – one way to record the end of nearly six long years of warfare and finally the return of peace.
Peter Grace & David Viner
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