‘Today this agreement will be ratified and confirmed at Berlin, where Air Chief Marshal Tedder, Deputy Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, and General de Lattre de Tassigny will sign on behalf of General Eisenhower. Marshal Zhukov will sign on behalf of the Soviet High Command. The German representatives will be Field-Marshal Keitel, Chief of the High Command, and the Commanders-in-Chief of the German Army, Navy and Air Forces.

‘Hostilities will end officially at one minute after midnight tonight, but in the interests of saving lives, the Cease Fire began yesterday to be sounded all along the front, and our dear Channel Islands are to be freed today.’

A collective sigh of relief whispered through the gathering, the release of tension palpable as Churchill continued.

‘The Germans are still, in places, resisting the Russian troops, but should they continue to do so after midnight they will, of course, deprive themselves of the protection of the laws of war, and will be attacked from all quarters by the Allied troops. It is not surprising that on such long fronts, and in the existing disorder of the enemy, the orders of the German High Command should not in every case be obeyed immediately.

‘This does not, in our opinion, with the best military advice at our disposal, constitute any reason for withholding from the nation the facts communicated to us by General Eisenhower of the unconditional surrender already signed at Rheims, nor should it prevent us from celebrating today and tomorrow as Victory in Europe days.’

‘Not much chance of that if the Nips decide to attack us ’ere,’ shouted a Cockney gunner who earned a severe glare from his Commanding Officer.

‘Today, perhaps, we shall think mostly of ourselves,’ Churchill continued. ‘Tomorrow we shall pay a particular tribute to our Russian comrades, whose prowess in the field has been one of the grand contributions to the general victory.

‘The German war is therefore at an end.’

A great cheer went up, to be quickly hushed as Churchill continued speaking.

‘After years of intense preparation, Germany hurled herself on Poland at the beginning of September 1939; and, in pursuance of our guarantee to Poland and in agreement with the French Republic, Great Britain, and the British Empire and Commonwealth of Nations, declared war upon this foul aggression.’

Churchill’s voice held them all in thrall as he continued. ‘After gallant France had been struck down we, from this island and from our united Empire, maintained the struggle single-handedly for a whole year until we were joined by the military might of Soviet Russia, and later by the overwhelming power and resources of the United States of America.

‘Finally almost the whole world was combined against the evil-doers, who are now prostrate before us. Our gratitude to our splendid Allies goes forth from all our hearts in this island and throughout the British Empire.’

‘Too bloody right,’ drawled an Aussie sapper.