By Melanie Greenwood
The 8th May marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day. We spoke to Wrington resident Vernoica Thorne and asked her about her memories of that day.
On VE Day in 1945, ten-year-old Veronica Thorn launched herself into a three-legged race
and won – scooping a V-shaped medal bound tightly in red, white and blue ribbons.
And when she got home, it was the wonder of turning on a light without heavy blackout
curtains being drawn and seeing streets illuminated that really meant War was over.
This year, when beacons and lamps of peace are lit nationwide, the 91-year-old will watch
the 80th celebrations on TV from her Orchard Close home in Wrington, where she’s lived
with husband Richard for more than 60 years.
‘I’m so grateful to the people who sacrificed their lives for us to live freely. It was a scary
time as a child. I remember being happy when the Americans joined the War and relief at
winning,” she said.
Veronica was born on January 21 st , 1934, in the mining market town of Worksop in
Nottingham.
Her father, Clifford, swapped banking for fighting but badly injured in Caen, he returned to
work at the Home Office in London, while mum, Ada, dealt with rehoming evacuees.
“The worst for me, was missing daddy,” said Veronica. “Evacuees came to school between
8am and 10am, then it was us until 3pm and the evacuees again until 5pm.
“One lived with childless neighbours and he used to climb out of his bedroom window to go
and see friends.
“My way of escaping was reading and my favourite book was Arthur Ransome’s Swallows
and Amazons.”
With rationing still enforced, there was little in the way of treats like chocolate, sweets or
new clothes but there were trips to Blackpool, sandcastles and donkey rides.
Veronica spent just one term at sixth form before her mother took her out and found her a
position with a local dentist.
She said: “A strapping miner arrived for treatment. He’d been tortured as a Japanese
prisoner of war and every other tooth removed without anaesthetic.
“As the dentist tried to relax him with gas and air he suddenly reacted very badly. I will
never forget his shouts. It was too traumatic for him.”
Veronica lived next door to a GP who inspired her to become a nurse. At 18 she began a
four-year course Middlesex Hospital in central London and went on the join the RAF.
Just two years later she met Richard who was on National Service at an officer’s mess party
and it was love at first sight.
“He was such a lovely man and so clever. He has dementia now.”
Richard studied Anthropology at Cambridge University before becoming a lecturer at what is
now the University of the West of England.
The couple settled in Wrington to raise their two
sons.
“As soon as I said I was getting married,” said Veronica, “I was asked to leave the RAF but I
became a District Nurse and loved my career in the community.”
In her mid-40s, Veronica fell in love with horse riding and her beloved pony, ‘Guinness,’ with
is black coat and white belly. They spent years exploring the Blackdown Hills.
“Once,” said Veronica, “Guiness stopped dead in his tracks and wouldn’t budge he was so
scared. I looked around to see a black panther watching us. I saw it with my own eyes.”
The Mendips was regarded as a hotspot for big cat spotting after the Government bought in
legislation in the late 1960s banning private ownership and it was believed some were set
free.
While Veronica can no longer get back in the saddle, she has shares in two racehorses and
follows their form avidly.
On VE Day, Veronica’s sister, Christine, who lives just around the corner, will be keeping her
company.
Christine was born after their father returned from War duties and is ten years younger.
“I remember dad coming upstairs,” said Veronica, “announcing we had a baby sister and my
six-year-old brother, Alan, being livid it was a girl.
“I loved pushing her out in the pram. I absolutely adored her and still do, so we’ll be raising
a toast thanking those who fought and for those whose did not live but gave us that
freedom.”