A 99-year-old RAF veteran has urged young people across Britain to honour the legacy of VE Day by learning from the mistakes of the past and working together to build a more peaceful future.
Dennis Bishop, a former Leading Aircraftman who served in France, Belgium, Germany and North Africa during the Second World War, made the heartfelt appeal during a visit to see some of the Royal Air Force aircraft that will take part in Monday’s historic VE Day 80 flypast.
Speaking ahead of the commemorations, Mr Bishop said he was “overwhelmed” by the experience, but used the occasion to call for reflection and responsibility.
“Some people have very good memories of VE Day,” he said. “But what I want people to remember it for is peace between countries, because war should never happen in the first place. It should not be happening even now. It makes me feel disgusted. We must learn to do better.”
Mr Bishop, who lives in Witney, Oxfordshire, met his wife Lycette while stationed in Brussels during the war. Their relationship began despite a language barrier, something he believes younger generations can learn from.
“When I met my wife we couldn’t understand a word each other said,” he recalled. “But we managed to make it work. So why can’t others? There just needs to be more kindness in the world. We should celebrate VE Day because it marked the end of the war, and we should never forget that, even though it was a long time ago now.”
“I remember coming home from the war, kneeling down and kissing the ground and saying, ‘I’m home.’ The future generation must work together.”
Historic Flypast to Mark 80 Years Since Victory in Europe
On Monday, the skies over London will be filled with a powerful tribute as 23 modern and historic RAF aircraft take part in the VE Day 80 flypast, following a military parade through the capital.
The flypast will include a Voyager transport aircraft, a P-8 Poseidon maritime reconnaissance aircraft, Typhoon and F-35 Lightning fighter jets, and culminate with the iconic red, white and blue smoke trails of the Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows.
Also featured will be aircraft from the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, preserving the legacy of the Second World War with the presence of historic warbirds.
Honouring the Past, Serving the Present
Wing Commander Nicola “Nikki” Lofthouse, the first female Officer Commanding of 99 Squadron, which operates C-17 Globemaster aircraft, will take part in the flypast. Speaking from RAF Brize Norton, she reflected on the significance of the occasion.
“It is a huge honour for us to take part in the flypast,” she said. “For us, it is incredibly important to remember the sacrifice of the military veterans that went before us. For example, 99 Squadron served in the Second World War with Wellington bombers, so we will certainly honour our members of the past.”
The Voyager aircraft accompanying the flypast have played a critical role in recent UK military operations, including extensive support to Ukraine, delivering supplies and transporting thousands of Ukrainian recruits for training.
Typhoon fighter jets, a key component of the UK’s Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) force, remain on constant standby to protect British airspace and are currently deployed to Poland as part of NATO Air Policing missions.
The fifth-generation F-35 Lightning, which will also feature in the flypast, has recently deployed aboard Royal Navy aircraft carriers. HMS Prince of Wales departed earlier this week on an eight-month mission to the Indo-Pacific.
The P-8 Poseidon aircraft, meanwhile, have been conducting surveillance missions over the North Sea and North Atlantic to monitor the activity of Russian naval vessels near UK waters.
