Triumph and tragedy: How Australians celebrated VE Day

It was 80 years agone coming erstwhile six years of fighting successful World War II came to a close, sparking chaotic celebrations successful Australia and crossed nan globe.

Top German generals signed nan unconditional surrender connected May 7, 1945, and nan Allied nations declared Victory successful Europe Day connected May 8, 1945, bringing to a adjacent nan warfare against Nazi Germany.

Australians from each of nan 3 equipped services and nan merchant navy served successful nan European war.

About 10,000 died, astatine slightest different 10,000 were wounded and an further 8000 became prisoners of warfare while serving successful Europe aliases nan Mediterranean.

When bid was declared, immoderate of nan wildest celebrations collapsed retired successful Britain, wherever millions of Allied troops, including Australians, had been based.

With nan authorities granting pubs late-night openings, nan Diggers joined nan statement to people nan adjacent of nan deadliest conflict successful history. 

In Australia, celebrations were besides held, churches held thanksgiving services and successful Melbourne, 100,000 group attended a work astatine nan Shrine of Remembrance.

But historians opportunity nan nation's temper was tempered by nan realisation that Australian troops and their friends faced months of fighting against Japan.

"Back location location was celebrations nan warfare successful Europe was complete ... but it was rather subdued," said nan Australian War Memorial's elder historiographer Lachlan Grant.

"It didn't person nan aforesaid consequence arsenic successful Europe because the warfare was still going connected successful nan Pacific ... successful a sense, it was business arsenic usual."

But moreover pinch bid officially declared successful Europe, sporadic fighting continued connected VE Day, tragically claiming nan lives of immoderate unlucky troops.

Among them was Private Lawrence Saywell, from Double Bay successful NSW, who was nan past known Australian killed successful World War II.

He had joined up astatine nan outbreak of warfare successful 1939, aged 20, and was posted to nan Australian Army Service Corps.

Saywell was captured 2 years later connected nan Greek land of Crete and was sent to a captive of warfare campy successful German-held cardinal Europe.

In January, 1945, he was among a mini set of POWs to flight and joined a guidance group bravely fighting German troops.

But connected May 8, 1945, amid nan chaotic retreat of Nazi forces, Saywell was changeable and severely wounded by a worker from Germany's fanatical SS. He died of his wounds and is buried successful nan Prague War Cemetery successful nan Czech Republic.

Even pinch nan outbreak of bid successful Europe, immoderate members of nan Australian subject recovered their activity was not finished.

Many from nan Royal Australian Air Force serving successful bomber bid recovered themselves progressive successful Operation Exodus, nan repatriation of thousands of British and Commonwealth POWs from Germany backmost to Britain.

Other Australian aerial crews dropped nutrient packages from their bombers to nan starving organization of nan Netherlands successful what was known arsenic Operation Manna.

But nan families of immoderate Australians, mostly airmen, reported missing while fighting successful Europe, continued to look a agelong hold earlier they learned nan destiny of their loved ones.

"In 1945 they were still listed arsenic missing. By nan clip nan warfare ended, those families successful Australia still didn't cognize what happened to them," said Grant.

"It would return up to 1946, 1947, aliases moreover 1950 for confirmation to those families astir what had happened to them."