Leamington commemorates the end of World War II

 

Leamington commemorates the end of World War II

 

 Leamington is the most beautiful town than the nearby Warwick, Coventry or Kenilworth. This town has a city square near the main car parking area. The main road in between the long line of three or four storied buildings has at least a width of forty meters. The buildings have a sort of uniformity in physical appearance. I remember they have pale lemon colour. ‘What are these buildings for?’ As I couldn’t see much people on the roadside and pathways I asked myself. ‘Are they super-markets, banks or offices?’ As I could see only a small number of passers-by and a few vehicles passing too leisurely, I could reach a conclusion easily. Leamington is an overtly calm and quite small town with tranquility everywhere, except a small crowd of aged people thronged with bereavement on their faces! They are busy to be engaged in a function, a public function!

‘What is going to happen here? What are these senior citizens going to do now in the city square?’ Some questions came to my mind. Understanding my mix-up Akhil, my son took his mobile to refer and then to explain to me. “ … Today, May 8^th is the end day of World War II in Europe. These citizens are going to commemorate the day through a small function.” He told us after a reference to the Google. Akhil is highly skillful in using Google for removing any barrier at any context of journey, including finding out right ways with road map.

World War II officially came to an end in Europe on May 8, 1945 when the German forces surrendered themselves submitting their failure on the previous day, i.e. May 7. Other war fronts opened by Japan were continued till the dropping of atomic bombs in August 1945 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the US. The escalation of war by the nations to the World War ended with immense miseries, unemployment and destruction to cities and towns everywhere in Europe, Britain was the most hit nation than the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo axis powers. When the people of Europe came to know about that particular date of ceasefire eighty years before, a sigh of cry or happiness came out of their hearts. So the present commemoration is remarkable in the life of the elders in Leamington.

 

World War was extra-ordinarily expensive for Britain, which became exhaustive; agriculture, industry and transportation were devastated. Some cities and towns were severely mutilated or partially wiped out in the bombing of the axis powers. Attacks by submarines were heavier in the seas around the British Isles. Shortage of money, food and other supplies on one side and unprecedented inflation on the other side broke the backbone of the British economy. Sons or husbands or other relatives were among the killed, lost in the war or wounded in the horrific war. Tears of mothers, fathers, wives or daughters would have formed into streams, nobody could console their neighbours. But, on this day, 80 years before, peace came back to Europe. It’s highly meaningful for the super-seniors of Leamington to commemorate May 8, as the victory day of World War II. ‘Actually, did the war bring sustainable peace or victory at any time of history of the humans?’  With the thought I moved away from the place to walk through other streets of the town.

On coming back and passing through the same location, the function to commemorate the victims of the war had been started. National flags of Britain were sprawled out into the air by almost all seniors who part took the ceremony.

Someone seemed as a leader or veteran dressed up in black with credentials on the shoulders speaks through loud speaker. “… Eighty years have been passed after the day of ceasefire of the World War II. Time fails to sooth the wounds of the war. Remembering our beloved ones who were the victims or affected in the war, we bow our heads. In the name of Jesus, now we all pray for them …”. Thus the prayer service in Leamington was started.

‘Is there similar functions in other towns?’ On our journey back, I was anxious to see similar functions in nearby Warwick. Victory Day is a day of commemoration in almost all towns. But I was disappointed to see anything of the kind what I saw at Leamington. ‘The new generation has no interest to commemorate the past. Children, students or youngsters are absent… ” My thoughts came out as a comparison of sights.

Somewhat at the fringe of the town, the public park of the town begins. As the town, so the public park! Everywhere tranquility is the mood of the town.  Green lavishness never ends even beyond the park. The park has been stretched into acres of land! So we thought of going back from the public park before the late sunset, with a conflicting mind about World War and freedom struggles in British colonies. Do the British remember now what their older generation lulled once? “The sun never sets in the British Empire.” We took quick steps to reach the car parking area.