"We're Royal Navy sailors aboard HMS Duncan in Portsmouth and we will keep the memories of VE Day alive"

Schoolchildren, cadets and famous faces including Ross Kemp and Dame Kelly Holmes stepped aboard HMS Duncan this morning (April 4). The celebration, where delicious food was served in the backdrop of military music by the Royal Marines Band Service (RMBS), aimed to encourage residents to host their own gatherings and remember the sacrifices of those who came before us.

Several sailors gave up their time to host the event aboard the Type 45 destroyer’s flight deck. Matthew Walton, a 22-year-old Able Seaman from Cosham, has two generations of family ties to the armed forces and wants to honour those who served before him.

He told The News: “Everyone here volunteered and is proud to be here, giving up a day to help everyone celebrate. A few of us have ties back to World War II, and a lot of us have family members who have served and are carrying on the tradition to join up and serve the country.

“VE Day to me means freedom, being able to walk down the street, be able to go to a park, be with your friends, and not have to worry about what is going to happen to you. My grandad was in the Navy, and both my parents are ex-Army. I was always going to join up and decided the Navy was the best fit for me.”

The 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day takes place on May 8, marking the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany in the Second World War. Various national commemorations are planned to mark the occasion, with residents being encouraged to host their own community events.

Kierran Rooney, a 25-year-old Able Seaman from St Ives in Cornwall, hopes today’s event can be a start of the festivities. “The ship’s company is proud to be doing this today,” he added. “We need to have more of these events every year and encourage people to have street parties, curry nights, or anything like that in a month’s time. VE Day is a time to celebrate our courage, determination, the commitment our veterans had, and try to bring that into my working life.”

Bunting in the colours of the Union Jack donned the warship, with a full spread of sausage rolls and other treats on offer. The National Anthem was performed, with letters from Second World War veteran recounting their experiences being read out to the crowd.

George Barnes, a 25-year-old Lead Seaman from Winchester, said its key for personnel to volunteer for these events in honour of those who served. He added: “ It’s important the freedom they got us carries on through our Naval career, remembering their courage and commitment which we try to add to our day to day lives.

“It’s key to ensure that it carries on and people remember the sacrifices they made. Events like this helps encourage people to join the Navy and shows its good side, and retains the memory of the people who did sacrifice their life in the war. It also helps the younger generations understand and grow their knowledge of it.

“I think they enjoyed their trip and I helped them learn what VE Day is. It means remembering those who served, and how I can bring that courage into my life and help the juniors around me carry that on in theirs.”

HMS Duncan returned home to Portsmouth this Christmas after being deployed for seven months in the Eastern Mediterranean, working alongside American forces for various operations. The destroyer’s Commanding Officer, Commander Dan Lee, said it’s important to remind young people that VE Day was a national endeavour.

The 40-year-old from Bishop’s Waltham added: “The opportunity to talk with younger people about what we fought for in World War II and the freedoms they fought for has been really enjoyable. We still do things in the same way, such as protecting the freedom of navigation. Those are all missions that we still continue. Being able to relate to it ourselves and talk to young people and explain why that’s important is really good.

“Sailors like nothing more than showing off what they do. The opportunity to open up the ship, get people on board and show them round, is brilliant. The ship is buzzing at the moment and it will fire us up for the next mission when we go back to see next month.”

The tea party was set up by the Together Coalition, an initiative trying to teach VE Day and the memories of veterans in schools. Children from St John's Cathedral Catholic Primary School and Stamshaw Junior School thoroughly enjoyed the food, exploring the ship and playing games with personnel.

Catalina Robson, nine, of Southsea, said: “I found it very exciting and I’m very honoured to be standing with all the people in the navy, and seeing all the things on the ship. I think they’re really nice. I played Jenga with some of them and had a lot of them.”

On VE Day, she added: “I feel like I should be really grateful that all those people fought for me, so I would have a better life in the future, and so children of different generations would be free.”

Borys Makosa, 10, of Milton, said: “I feel really lucky to be picked to go on this ship and I think it’s really fun. You have free food, you can play Jenga, and there’s drinks and stuff. I got to sit next to celebrities so that’s fun too. We should be grateful for the people that fought for us, that they tried to win for us so we could live. I’m amazed by what they did and surprised they survived some of them.”

St John's Cathedral Catholic Primary School Ali Minall, 57, of Cosham, said the kids were absolutely overwhelmed by what they saw, while talking to personnel and learning about the Second World War was “a real buzz” for them.

“The kids are very interested in the veterans and why they served for us to have our freedoms,” she added. “We make sure that message gets across to them and they do remember who served in the war. It’s such an important celebration and it’s key for the children to understand that. They’re proud of the veterans. It’s hard to imagine what they went through and we must be eternally grateful to them.”