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Coming down the stairs in her pyjamas that morning the family were sat round the table with a photo of Shirley鈥檚 brother, John Collinge in the middle of the table: 鈥淭hey were all crying鈥� she recalls. 鈥淎nd that really upset me.鈥�

Shirley, like many people this VE Day, will be remembering those that gave their lives in World War Two. She was too young to remember much about the announcement of victory in Europe on 8 May 1945. However, she kept letters her older brother, John, sent to her during his time in the trenches, which paint a vivid picture.

鈥淲e always wrote back to him; me and my sister 鈥� we were always thrilled when the letters came and we couldn鈥檛 wait to read it. We did get a letter, my mother and father (did), saying that he didn鈥檛 think he would come home again.鈥�

Shirley鈥檚 memories of VE Day were of children outside waving flags but her outstanding memory is still the last letter the family received regarding John.

鈥淲e had a telegram to say he鈥檇 been killed in action.鈥� But she remembers feeling more upset at her family鈥檚 reaction at the time.

鈥淚t made me very upset because I didn鈥檛 see him like they did 鈥� because he was in the war 鈥� he was a brother, and it was upsetting to see them all crying.鈥�

Image: John's letters that Shirley has kept to this day

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