1946 London Victory Parade
Encyclopedia
The London Victory Celebrations of 1946 were British Commonwealth, Empire and Allied victory celebrations held after the defeat of Nazi Germany
and Japan
in World War II
. The celebrations took place in London on 8 June 1946, and consisting mainly of a military parade through the city and a night time fireworks
display. Most British allies took part in the parade, including Belgium, Brazil, China, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, Holland, Luxembourg and the United States. The parade arrangements caused a controversy surrounding the lack of representation of Polish forces.
Next came a marching column, which went from Marble Arch to The Mall to Hyde Park Corner http://www.tpyf-wales.com/index.php?lang=en&subj=5773&id=1726&op=1&size=2&t=2. This was headed by the flags of the Allied nations which took part in the parade, each with an honour guard. Next came units of the navies, air forces, civilian services and armies of the nations of the British Empire
. They were followed by units from the Royal Navy
, followed by British civilian services, the British Army
, representatives of certain Allied air forces and the Royal Air Force
. This was then followed by a fly-past of RAF planes.
In the aftermath, 4,127 persons needed medical attention and 65 were taken to hospital.
Most of the allies were represented at the parade, including representatives from the USA, France, Belgium, Brazil, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Luxembourg, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway and Transjordan.
The only allied countries not represented at the parade were USSR, Yugoslavia, and Poland
.
Ken Eather, an officer with a distinguished record in the war. The contingent consisted of 250 servicemen and women, drawn from the three services, including Private
Richard Kelliher
, who had won the Victoria Cross
in the Battle of Lae
in 1943. The Victory March Contingent sailed for the United Kingdom on on 8 April 1946.
and Westminster Bridge
to watch King George VI and his family proceed down the river in the Royal barge. The planned festivities ended with a fireworks
display over Central London
. However, crowds continued to gather in London and surrounded Buckingham Palace
even after the Royal family had retired from the festivities. Many festival goers could not return home that night and spent the rest of the night in public parks and other public areas around London.
had fought under British High Command
. These were loyal to the Polish government-in-exile, were opposed to the Soviet Union
since the time of the Nazi-Soviet pact and hoped to return to a democratic, non-communist Poland after the war. However, by 1946, the British government changed its diplomatic recognition from the pro-democracy Poles in exile to the new communist-dominated Provisional Government of National Unity
in Poland, where, according to Winston Churchill
and others, totalitarian control was being established.
The British government initially invited the Soviet-backed government in Poland to send a flag party to represent Poland among the allied forces in the parade, but did not specifically invite representatives of the Polish forces that had fought under British High Command
. Britons including Winston Churchill
, figures in the RAF and a number of MPs protested against the decision, which was described as an affront to the Polish war effort as well as an immoral concession to communist power. Also, the pro-democracy Polish forces did not feel properly represented by the Soviet-backed Polish government, and saw the development as a negation of what they had fought the War for.
After these complaints, 25 pilots of the Polish fighter squadrons in the Royal Air Force
, who had taken part in the Battle of Britain
, were invited to march together with other foreign detachments as part of the parade of the Royal Air Force
. The government said this was a necessary compromise due to the political circumstances of the day. Also, after the public criticism in Britain, last-minute invitations were sent by Foreign Minister Bevin
directly to the Chief of Staff of the Polish Army, General Kopanski
, who was still in post in London, and to the chiefs of the Polish Air Force and the Polish Navy and to individual generals.
These invitations were declined, and the airmen refused to participate in protest against the omission of the other branches of the Polish forces. The Soviet-backed Polish government, in turn, chose not to send a delegation, and later cited the invitation to the pilots as its reason to stay away. In the end, the parade thus took place without any Polish forces. The Soviet Union
and Yugoslavia
also stayed away.
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
and Japan
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The celebrations took place in London on 8 June 1946, and consisting mainly of a military parade through the city and a night time fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
display. Most British allies took part in the parade, including Belgium, Brazil, China, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, Holland, Luxembourg and the United States. The parade arrangements caused a controversy surrounding the lack of representation of Polish forces.
Victory parade
The first part of the parade was the Chiefs of Staff's procession, featuring the British Chiefs of Staff together with the Supreme Allied Commanders. This was followed by a mechanised column which went from Regent’s Park to Tower Hill to The Mall (where the saluting base was)http://www.tpyf-wales.com/index.php?lang=en&subj=5773&id=1726&op=1&size=2&t=2 and then back to Regent’s park. It was more than four miles long and contained more than 500 vehicles from the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force, British civilian services and the British Army (in that order).British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. They were followed by units from the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, followed by British civilian services, the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, representatives of certain Allied air forces and the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. This was then followed by a fly-past of RAF planes.
In the aftermath, 4,127 persons needed medical attention and 65 were taken to hospital.
Most of the allies were represented at the parade, including representatives from the USA, France, Belgium, Brazil, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Luxembourg, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway and Transjordan.
The only allied countries not represented at the parade were USSR, Yugoslavia, and Poland
Polish government in Exile
The Polish government-in-exile, formally known as the Government of the Republic of Poland in Exile , was the government in exile of Poland formed in the aftermath of the Invasion of Poland of September 1939, and the subsequent occupation of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, which...
.
Australian contingent
The Australian contingent was headed by Major GeneralMajor General (Australia)
Major General is a senior rank of the Australian Army, and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of Major General. It is the third-highest active rank of the Australian Army, and is considered to be equivalent to a two-star rank...
Ken Eather, an officer with a distinguished record in the war. The contingent consisted of 250 servicemen and women, drawn from the three services, including Private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
Richard Kelliher
Richard Kelliher
Richard Kelliher VC was an Irish-born Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry that can be awarded to Commonwealth forces...
, who had won the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
in the Battle of Lae
Landing at Nadzab
The Landing at Nadzab was an airborne landing on 5 September 1943 during the New Guinea campaign of World War II that began with a parachute drop at Nadzab in conjunction with the Landing at Lae....
in 1943. The Victory March Contingent sailed for the United Kingdom on on 8 April 1946.
Nighttime festivities
After sunset of the same day, the principal buildings of London were lit by floodlights, and crowds thronged the banks of the ThamesRiver Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
and Westminster Bridge
Westminster Bridge
Westminster Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge over the River Thames between Westminster on the north side and Lambeth on the south side, in London, England....
to watch King George VI and his family proceed down the river in the Royal barge. The planned festivities ended with a fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
display over Central London
Central London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
. However, crowds continued to gather in London and surrounded Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
even after the Royal family had retired from the festivities. Many festival goers could not return home that night and spent the rest of the night in public parks and other public areas around London.
Political controversy
The parade caused political controversy in the UK and has continued to be criticised because of the lack of representation of Polish forces. During the war, more than 200,000 members of the Polish Armed Forces in the WestPolish Armed Forces in the West
Polish Armed Forces in the West refers to the Polish military formations formed to fight alongside the Western Allies against Nazi Germany and its allies...
had fought under British High Command
Allied Forces Act 1940
The Allied Forces Act 1940 was an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed in late 1940, after the fall of France....
. These were loyal to the Polish government-in-exile, were opposed to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
since the time of the Nazi-Soviet pact and hoped to return to a democratic, non-communist Poland after the war. However, by 1946, the British government changed its diplomatic recognition from the pro-democracy Poles in exile to the new communist-dominated Provisional Government of National Unity
Provisional Government of National Unity
The Provisional Government of National Unity was a government formed by a decree of the State National Council on 28 June 1945. It was created as a coalition government between Polish Communists and the Polish government-in-exile...
in Poland, where, according to Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
and others, totalitarian control was being established.
The British government initially invited the Soviet-backed government in Poland to send a flag party to represent Poland among the allied forces in the parade, but did not specifically invite representatives of the Polish forces that had fought under British High Command
Allied Forces Act 1940
The Allied Forces Act 1940 was an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed in late 1940, after the fall of France....
. Britons including Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, figures in the RAF and a number of MPs protested against the decision, which was described as an affront to the Polish war effort as well as an immoral concession to communist power. Also, the pro-democracy Polish forces did not feel properly represented by the Soviet-backed Polish government, and saw the development as a negation of what they had fought the War for.
After these complaints, 25 pilots of the Polish fighter squadrons in the Royal Air Force
Polish Air Forces in France and Great Britain
The Polish Air Forces was a name of Polish Air Forces formed in France and the United Kingdom during World War II. The core of the Polish air units fighting alongside the allies were experienced veterans of Invasion of Poland of 1939 and they contributed to Allied victory in the Battle of Britain...
, who had taken part in the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
, were invited to march together with other foreign detachments as part of the parade of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. The government said this was a necessary compromise due to the political circumstances of the day. Also, after the public criticism in Britain, last-minute invitations were sent by Foreign Minister Bevin
Ernest Bevin
Ernest Bevin was a British trade union leader and Labour politician. He served as general secretary of the powerful Transport and General Workers' Union from 1922 to 1945, as Minister of Labour in the war-time coalition government, and as Foreign Secretary in the post-war Labour Government.-Early...
directly to the Chief of Staff of the Polish Army, General Kopanski
Stanislaw Kopanski
Gen.dyw. Stanisław Kopański was a Polish military commander. One of the best-educated Polish officers of the time, he served with distinction in World War II. He is best known as the creator and commander of the Polish Independent Carpathian Brigade and Polish 3rd Carpathian Infantry Division...
, who was still in post in London, and to the chiefs of the Polish Air Force and the Polish Navy and to individual generals.
These invitations were declined, and the airmen refused to participate in protest against the omission of the other branches of the Polish forces. The Soviet-backed Polish government, in turn, chose not to send a delegation, and later cited the invitation to the pilots as its reason to stay away. In the end, the parade thus took place without any Polish forces. The Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
also stayed away.
External links
See also
- Berlin Victory Parade of 1945 (:ru:Берлинский парад Победы (1945)) - USSR, USA, Great Britain and France