REMEMBERING VE DAY IN ZANZIBAR

Added post from my sister Yvette de Souza-Muise from Nova Scotia Canada

REMEMBERING VE DAY IN ZANZIBAR

My dearest Family Members & Global Friends

Here I am with another precious memory. Bare with me. Ha.

The VE CELEBRATIONS in London today have sparked off some forgotten memories of that time in Zanzibar when I was but a child.

After years of war …. WW ll …. to be specific during which many hardships were endured, when homes had to blacked out with black curtains at night to hide the town from air-raid enemy fire, when trenches were dug outside our school for us the children to run to and squat in biting on on our rubber erasers to protect our ears in case of a bomb exploding when the sirens were heard, and the only sweets we could buy, were Bull’s Eye mints, and there was shortage of all sorts, until it all came to an end on VE Day.

VE DAY was a joyous day. The British were excellent in pageantry , pomp and ceremony, as fly pasts were witnessed, parades were arranged, and Mnazi Moja was the scene of the army, navy and Royal Airforce’s show of pageantry with all Zanzibari's in awe of the celebrations that were unfolding, followed by magnificent fire-works shows from the British navy in the harbour that night. It was all - together a magnificent celebration, at least to my young eyes, then. Ha.

The songs I still remember from the war years are :-
- Don’t sit under the apple tree.
- It’s a long way to Tipperary.
- Waltzing Matilda.
- I’ll be home for Christmas.
- I’ll be with you at apple blossom time
- I’ll be seeing you
- Bless them all
- And many more, the titles of which escape me at the moment.

Our Mother, Laurie , played the piano divinely and she taught us all the latest songs, that’s how I remember so well that period of time, some 80 - 85 years ago. We used to have lovely sing-songs every night … My Dad Aleixo loved to sing and our sing-songs became great family bonding opportunities for character building. I feel so blest. Thank God I can still remember.

Also,
The BBC radio was the best giver of news, and songs, for there was no Television at that time. Everybody listened to the BBC. That’s how we learnt of world events, and I must say that the British were top-notch at being caring protectors of our island. I salute them and the monarchy, King George Vl was a good king.

Those were the days my friends. Those were the days. Right? God bless .

All my love and blessings.
Yvette