Immerse Yourself In The Joyous VE Day Story
VE Day, 8 May 1945, was the day Britain's lights came back on after six years of darkness. So let's turn them on again on Friday, a special Bank Holiday to mark the 75th anniversary of that joyous day. In 1945 the whole country enjoyed street parties - from the palace to the village green.
We can't do that in 2020 because today we're fighting a new war against an invisible killer, but there are ways we can all mark this momentous event.
The Daily Mail had planned a huge concert at the Royal Albert Hall on Friday with celebrities, veterans and VIPs in aid of the Armed Forces charity SSAFA. That, of course, is no longer happening, but instead we are orchestrating the whole country to sing We'll Meet Again with Vera Lynn at 9pm.
There will also be a spectacular aerial tribute to our heroes, with further details to follow in next week's Mail. In the meantime, let us transport you back to sunnier days...
Having a splashing time After giving thanks at St Paul's, Land Army girls Joyce Digney, 18, and Cynthia Covello, 20, cool off in the Trafalgar Square fountains with two sailors
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Young at heart Age is no object as young and old come together. Right: these two women have a prime spot opposite Buckingham Palace to watch the royals
A royally good time These two young women have a prime spot opposite Buckingham Palace to watch the celebrations
The best news Pat Burgess from Palmers Green in north London joyfully holds aloft the newspaper giving news of the surrender, which means her husband will soon be coming home. Left, a newspaper boy
On top of the world While civilians and servicemen sing and dance the conga and bring gridlock to Piccadilly Circus, some go to extremes to fly their flags - here they're attempting to hang a Union Flag and a Stars and Stripes
Flag it up After years of fear and misery, it's all together now in this London street as neighbours gather to wave flags and celebrate
Room for one more How many revellers can you fit in an RAF lorry? Ask this lot, having a high old time in London
That's the spirit This man walks with pride on Oxford Street with a party hat, rosette, a badge of Field Marshal Montgomery and flags as accessories
Wreathed in joy A woman heads to the celebrations in Trafalgar Square with a hastily assembled patriotic floral tribute to the prime minister, Winston Churchill
Tickertape parade Revellers find that newstape, thrown from the windows of newspaper offices on nearby Fleet Street at the news of the German surrender, makes useful streamers
The moment Winston wept: The world - and its leaders - would never be the same after victory in Europe. These astonishing images capture all the drama and emotion of events surrounding that momentous day
Bulldog tears Winston Churchill wipes away a tear of joy as he welcomes General Eisenhower to Guildhall in London, shortly after VE Day
Pictured: Acknowledging the crowds below the Ministry of Health on VE Day itself, telling them, ‘This is your victory!'
We want Winnie: Crowds swamp the Cenotaph on Whitehall, waiting for Churchill to appear at the Ministry of Health building, which is decked with flags
The kiss of life A soldier is smothered in kisses on the streets of Paris by a gang of jubilant women
The toast of London Princess Elizabeth - looking as fresh as a daisy after celebrating with the crowds in central London the night before - gets a warm welcome as she tours the East End on 9 May, the day after VE Day
The road to victory: Soldiers of the American 7th Army pose with a swastika and a portrait of Hitler after taking the town of Saarbrucken in Germany
Spirit of Nelson Bunting came out in Trafalgar Square in September, six years since the war began and a day after the Japanese signed the surrender
Songs of praise: Vera Lynn, the Forces' Sweetheart, sings on a Girls Of The Victory radio broadcast shortly after VE Day
They're the generation their parents laid down their lives for - but they're really... Little scamps who can't resist a party!
Flying the flag Maureen Jenkins, nearly two, looks a little bewildered as she and her neighbour, four-year-old Jeannie Lebby, watch the celebrations going on around them in south London
Summer Time Admirers look on at this proud girl whose summer dress has been adapted for the day
Playing their Part A group of friends have their own little party, waving flags outside their makeshift playground in the rubble of a derelict home in Battersea, kynghidongduong.vn south London
Every little helps... Even the tiniest member of this family has joined the celebrations in Salisbury Square, London - though she doesn't look too impressed!
Victory Cycle Past A little girl inspects the crowds near Buckingham Palace, sailing along under the power of her bicycling father, who has the Royal Navy's White Ensign flag attached proudly to his saddle
Princess for a Day This youngster's pram becomes her carriage as she prepares for a tour hà giang từ hà nội of the streets and to salute her adoring public
A toast to victory After a VE Day service in the rubble of the ruined Coventry Cathedral, a smartly dressed young man takes a refreshing swig from a cold drink
...And finally a big clap for our heroes
They Fought In The Fields A group of Land Girls, still in their gear, head towards Trafalgar Square to join in the dancing
What My Daddy Did In The War A proud daughter shows off her fireman father's medals outside Buckingham Palace
The Girls Are Back in Town Nurses celebrate aboard a Morris Commercial ambulance in Liverpool, a city that had suffered brutal bombing during the war, including a week-long onslaught in May 1941
Ding Dong! A bus conductor hangs out of her vehicle to raise her cap and join in the cheers in Scotland
There's Nothing to See Here Good-humoured London bobbies struggle to hold back a lively crowd