08/05/2025
VE Day: From Darkness to Light—And the Lessons We Must Not Forget
On VE Day, the lights came back on—not just in streets and homes, but in the hearts of a nation that had endured years of darkness, fear, and grief. The war had taken so much—from the families who lived through bombings and loss, to the animals who suffered in silence or served beside soldiers with unwavering loyalty.
At Chestnut Lodge, we remember not only the victory, but the trauma that came before it. The terrified pets left behind in evacuations. The loyal animals on the front lines. The families sheltering underground, or, in my mother's home, the cupboard under the stairs because she hated the shelters so much! It is hard for those of us who have not lived through such times to imagine it.
It was a hard-won peace.
Yet today, we watch with heavy hearts as new conflicts erupt across the world—reminders of how easily the lessons of war are forgotten.
As we honour those who suffered and sacrificed—human and animal—we also remember the hope of that day when the light returned.
May we remember it always.
Crematorium
