Curator's Choice: VE Day 1945

Clip from Film: IWM (MGH 6901)

Senior Film Curator Jane Fish highlights an amateur film of VE Day celebrations in London.

VE Day, 8 May 1945 was a day to celebrate, marking the long-awaited defeat of Nazi Germany by the Allies.  In Britain, Churchill marked the occasion by declaring this day a Public Holiday. People held local street parties, danced and sang in the streets and huge crowds gathered in London around Westminster, Trafalgar Square and outside Buckingham Palace.  

Newsreel, Service and amateur cameramen all captured VE Day on film.  

This clip is from an amateur film in IWM’s collection shot by Derek Stewart, who later produced professional documentaries.

The film records Stewart’s experience of the VE Day celebrations in London, with his future wife and two friends. Shot on 16mm Kodachrome, this vibrant colour film shows the growing excitement, playfulness, and joy of the celebrations in London from the virtually empty streets of early morning to mass crowds of late afternoon. The film utilises engaging graphics and newspaper headlines, reminding the viewer of the struggle for “Victory in Europe” and that the war is not over for all for there is “Brief rejoicing – then Japan". 

Find out more

See our VE Day and VJ Day clip collection.

10 photos of VE Day Celebrations.

For further information and help with archive research, contact the Image & Film Licensing team.