On 7 May 1945, the German High Commander authorised the signing of an unconditional surrender on all fronts, just a week after the death of Adolph Hitler: the war in Europe was finally over. The following day, 8 May, was declared Victory in Europe, even if from an Australian perspective, the Second World War was still raging in the Pacific.
The Shrine of Remembrance held a ceremony to commemorate the 73rd Anniversary of Victory Day in presence of the British and the French Consuls. On this occasion, Mr John (Jack) Bell, WWII RAAF Veteran, gave an extremely moving speech with an important message. Indeed, the young centenarian made the point that compassion and respect are fundamental values that need to be nurtured in our modern societies.
