September 2025 Lunch

This month our Chairman Norman Rodda had the pleasure of presenting member Chris Cuss with the customary bottle of claret to mark his joining the Octogenerians earlier in the month.

After a very tatsty meal of Moroccan Salmon with Roasted Mediterranean Couscous and Raita followed by a Passion Fruit Panna Cotta with Shortbread, Bill Scott introduced Ken Stammers to tell us all about VE Day.

Ken explained that the organisation of the signing of the 'Unconditional Surrender' of the German forces was rather more complex than one might imagine. The Allies, Britain and the USA didn't want the Russians involved and were concerned that they might break through so the Canadian Parachute Regiment were sent to hold Wismar before the Russians could gain a hold on the Baltic. There were the practicalities of how to deal with the surrendered enemy personnel, the slave workers and how to mange 'law and order' in the country. There was also the issue of who was in charge after the death of Hitler, and would sign the documents. There were two signings, with and without the Russians and I liked the fact that they were signed with cheap pens.

Thank you Ken for a most interesting talk about an important part of our history.