As the guns fell silent across Europe and crowds filled the streets to celebrate Victory in Europe Day on May 8, 1945, one man recorded the moment not with fanfare, but in quiet, handwritten reflections. My ancestor—a deaf and dumb bookmaker—kept a diary during those final, historic days of World War II, capturing both the everyday rhythms of life and the momentous shifts happening all around him.

The Christmas family had already suffered the loss of eight children in infancy and when the Great War broke all 3 of their surviving sons enlisted. Only one was to return……

The 80th Anniversary of D-Day is the perfect opportunity to tell you about my husband’s Grandfather, who four years after evacuation from Dunkirk found himself on Sword Beach.