AS the town came together this morning in Abergavenny’s Frogmore Street to remember and honour those who made VE Day possible, let’s cast our minds back to what Abergavenny people’s impressions were of that first-ever Victory in Europe Day, 80 years ago.

The Chronicle of May 11, 1945 read, “On VE Day it seemed that having waited for it for so long and having been so often promised that it was near at hand, people could hardly believe it had come at last.”

The war that had ravaged the world for six years had left no one untouched, and when it was finally over the celebrations would have been intense in their urgency and joy. The shadow had finally passed and there was dancing in the street, fires on the mountaintops, and drinks in hand.

A new dawn had broken.

When interviewed as part of Abergavenny Local History Society’s oral history project in 2001, Eunice Gilbert recalled, “There was a whisper going around that the war was nearing the end. We thought that couldn’t possibly be and then we thought of the blackout lifting - we were always in a blackout and all of a sudden the war was ended.”

Eunice remembers first hearing the news that the war was over at night and explained, “We heard this hullabaloo outside. We got up to look out of the window and there were people out in the streets, out in their night clothes, and we joined them and danced up and down the street.

“The war was over! We just couldn’t believe it. Everybody lit a light. Everybody lit up. We hadn’t had lights for years. We could see everything without blackouts. Blackout curtains came down with a crash. Never again put up a blackout curtain. It was wonderful. It was a marvellous experience and everybody talked about it for days.”

Eunice added, “We had been going flat out from 1939 to 1945 and then the war was over. It was quite something to be dancing up and down the streets in our dressing gowns and pyjamas. Quite mad!”

Eunice explained that the celebrations went on for days.

“We used to have street parties for the kids and the grown-ups would join in. We were so excited. It was wonderful really, the atmosphere in those days. That anxiety had passed us and all the bad news we used to get.”

As well as the sounds of violins, drums, and accordions filling the air, there were fireworks and thunder flashes galore.

Those who were there recall the streets were thronged and remembering the celebrations as a teenager, Don Prosser recalled, "The highlight for me was that there was a poor chap with a black moustache that looked like Hitler. He was indicating to go up by the Angel pitch with his hand in almost a German salute."

Yet after the celebrations, there came the silent reflection.

The world was forever changed.

Pamela Mason recalled, "It was a strange, strange thing. It seemed that there was a vacuum. All of a sudden it was as if everything you had been working for had gone somehow."