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Dorothy Garnet鈥檚 Story

A day they were expecting and looking forward to

Dorothy Garnet 鈥 or Williams as she was 70 years ago 鈥 volunteered for the Army Post Office at the age of 17.

鈥淚 had to fill the official secrets act, so we knew where the forces were going before they arrived there,鈥 she says.

On that day in May 1945, when victory was declared in Europe, Dorothy remembers going to work as normal: 鈥淥ur Colonel, he said 鈥榶ou don鈥檛 need to bother going today, there鈥檚 going to be a big announcement鈥.

鈥淭he next morning, we were in the square in Nottingham, that鈥檚 where I was stationed, and the Sheriff of Nottingham came out and shouted 鈥榯he war鈥檚 over!鈥欌

That鈥檚 when the celebrations began for Dorothy: 鈥淲e were all there and all excited, and the band started, and then the next day all the fires were lit all over the streets. All the fires were going and [people were] dancing in the streets.鈥

This was a day that they had been expecting and looking forward to for a long time: 鈥淎ll through the time when we were working in the forces, not once did we think we would ever lose, because we used to say 鈥檞hen the war鈥檚 over we鈥檙e going to do this鈥.鈥

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2 minutes