Oundle School joined town residents to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day with a poignant afternoon of remembrance and celebration, organised by history teacher Ian Clark, who serves as the Mayor of Oundle.
Oundle’s CCF Cadets escorted Lord-Lieutenant of Northamptonshire, James Saunders Watson to St Peter’s Church, where the CCF Marching Band formed a traditional drumhead and the Royal British Legion and a CCF cadet laid a banner and a flag. Pupils laid floral bouquets. Mr Clark’s opening remarks set out the historical context of the commemoration: 270 Old Oundelians and Laxtonians died during the war.
Vintage vehicles were the backdrop for a dance performance by Oundle pupils of Glenn Miller’s iconic “In the Mood”, and a rendition of “The White Cliffs of Dover” sung by pupils from Oundle Primary School, who made VE Day paper party hats for the occasion.
At 3.00pm, St Peter’s bell rang out as former history teacher Colin Pendrill delivered Winston Churchill’s historic VE Day speech. Simultaneously, the Union Flag was raised atop the Laxton School tower. The Royal British Legion laid a wreath at the drumhead, followed by Reverend Stephen Webster’s recitation of the 1945 thanksgiving prayer.
The church bell tolled as the Lord-Lieutenant joined a convoy of vintage vehicles accompanied by the Marching Band to the War Memorial before heading to Abbott House for tea with residents, especially those who remembered VE Day.
The afternoon was capped by a ceremony with the Mayor and community groups at Fletton Field. The Lord-Lieutenant planted a magnolia tree, marking both the 80th anniversary of VE Day and the official opening of Fletton Field, a new community green space.
