Today marks the 80th Anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, when hostilities between the Allied Powers and those of the Axis ceased upon the unconditional surrender of the forces of Nazi Germany. The day also marked the end of the longest campaign of the entire conflict, the Battle of the Atlantic, which had seen the British Isles and its people face the direst of circumstances brought about by the menace of the U-Boat threat.
As celebrations broke out across the country, the Royal Navy was still actively employed patrolling the waters around the home islands and dealing with the still-present threat of sea mines, many of which had been sown by all sides during the course of the war years. There was also the delicate task of accepting the surrender of those U-boats and their crews who were still very much active in the Atlantic right up to the cessation of hostilities. Details of this endeavour can be read in the excellent magazine article from 2019 by David Hird titled Operation Pledge: The Impounding of German U-Boats in Loch Eriboll, June 1945.
From the NRS archives, the response to peace in Europe can be best summed in the following brief extracts from the insightfully personal papers of Admiral Sir James Somerville, who at the time was head of the British Admiralty Delegation in Washington, D.C.
Splice the mainbrace.
Poor BAD can splice no brace
Because of rum there is no trace.
Although no Admiral of the Fleet
Should ever take his sippers neat
You’ll look VE-Day in the eyeball
With neat Rye Whiskey in your highball