Memories of the Cookstown 'Victory Parade' marking the end of the war in Europe

Seventy-five years ago people across Northern Ireland were preparing to celebrate VE Day.
By Stanley Campbell
Published 7th May 2020, 10:04 BST
Updated 7th May 2020, 10:26 BST
Killymoon Conservative Band at the Cookstown Victory Parade in 1945: Front row: Robert Hamilton, Tommy Campbell, Bill Moore (Drum Major), Jim Anderson, William Mullan and Alvin Mullan (young lad). Second row: Jim Larmour, John Mallon, Tom Patterson Third Row: Hugh Davidson, Jim Davidson, Jim Wylie, Fred Mallon.Killymoon Conservative Band at the Cookstown Victory Parade in 1945: Front row: Robert Hamilton, Tommy Campbell, Bill Moore (Drum Major), Jim Anderson, William Mullan and Alvin Mullan (young lad). Second row: Jim Larmour, John Mallon, Tom Patterson Third Row: Hugh Davidson, Jim Davidson, Jim Wylie, Fred Mallon.
Killymoon Conservative Band at the Cookstown Victory Parade in 1945: Front row: Robert Hamilton, Tommy Campbell, Bill Moore (Drum Major), Jim Anderson, William Mullan and Alvin Mullan (young lad). Second row: Jim Larmour, John Mallon, Tom Patterson Third Row: Hugh Davidson, Jim Davidson, Jim Wylie, Fred Mallon.

Cookstown, like many other towns and villages, held a special celebration of its own on May 8 1945 called 'Victory Parade.'

Crowds, relieved to see the end of conflict, watched and cheered as armed forces and other organisations paraded along one of the longest and widest streets in Ireland.

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The coronavirus outbreak means that, sadly, there will be no gatherings or street parades to celebrate the occasion this Friday.

However one of our readers, William Mullan, has kindly sent us a picture from 1945 showing members of Killymoon Conservative Flute Band leading a unit from the British Army through the County Tyrone town.

William says his father Alvin, then aged four-and-a-half, was part of the band as a young boy and wanted to share this rare picture with others on the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

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Related topics:MemoriesNorthern IrelandBritish Army

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