PICTURES AND RAF OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS IN MEMORY OF TOWN GROCER AND FISHMONGER LAID NEXT TO CREAM TEAS ON A STREET PARTY TABLE MARKED 'NEVER FORGOTTEN'

RETIRED Atherstone school business manager Jayne Collins misses her father terribly and regrets there are few material reminders of him fighting for King and country in what she describes as his "private war".

RAF airman John Cooke joined the last great global conflagration from when he was old enough in December 1942 until being demobbed in March 1947, leaving with an "exemplary" conduct record according to his service and release book.

But unlike so many who found themselves in something as terrifying and totally alien as the world's peoples are finding today in facing deadly coronavirus, the town grocer and fishmonger never spoke of it.

As Atherstone photographic legend Graham Beale said on Friday of his own father serving in the forgotten army in Burma, when asked once about what World War Two was like, Mr Beale senior said: "I don't want to put in your head images I am trying to get out of mine."

And that's how Ms Collins remembers the feelings of her dear dad.

She told Nub News: "He never mentioned it.

"He was a quiet, private man who just never talked about the war."

Victory in Europe Day on May 19, 1945 would have been a time for rejoicing but, again, it remained hidden from future discussions with Mr Cooke's wife, Evelyn, and their four children born after the war ended.

Such was the enormity of what happened during those war years after finishing his service overseas – he never flew again in a civilian aircraft, she added.

Ms Collins, 65, who spent two decades as administration manager at TNT before finishing 18 months ago at Racemeadow Primary, speaks warmly of her father's working life – going from self-made man to losing everything and then getting back up the ladder again.

He enjoyed a successful spell as grocer and fishmonger at a double-fronted shop in Lister Road, Atherstone, built his own house in Mancetter before pneumonia struck him down.

He was forced to quit work and "lost everything", adds his daughter.

Once recovered, he dusted himself down and started again, working on the production line at British Shoe Corporation before finishing his time in the parts department of the Reliant Motor Company at Two Gates in Tamworth.

He enjoyed a long retirement and died in 2008 at the age of 84 and Ms Collins was left with her own memories but few physical reminders.

Some 12 years on, the 75th anniversary of VE Day gave her the perfect opportunity to honour her late father's World War Two service.

What material memories were left – a wedding photo, a photo in his uniform and the RAF service and release book – she gathered together and placed on a special street party celebration table laid in his memory, next to the scones and cream teas.

Also celebrating were Jayne's only daughter, Nikki Collins and her two children Reef and Imogen Dedman.

"I also wanted my daughter and grandchildren to be able to treasure this special day celebrating the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe, which he would have attended, as being for him," she added.

The Nub News interview on Ms Collins on VE75 Day can be seen here .

Over the weekend, your number one news platform has brought you VE75 picture specials including keeping the wartime spirit alive in Ambien Road, an OSCA winning performance by Atherstone taxi driver Matthew Ashfield, Westwood Crescent residents "feeling the luv".

Also we revealed Covid-19 gatecrashing Black Horse chef Tracey Stringer's 40th birthday.

Friday's VE75 event began with a poignant two-minute silence led by the Prince of Wales at Balmoral and featured touching stories from the war as well as special performances, followed by extracts from Winston Churchill's speech on May 8, 1945 announcing the war was over.

That 3pm broadcast was followed by a national toast to remember all who fought in WWII.

At 9pm, the Queen told the nation "never give up, never despair" in a poignant national address 75 years on from the end of the war in Europe.

For many of us who weren't there on that day, Graham Beale best summed up the sentiments of how we probably feel about "missing" the occasion.

He told the Atherstone People's Forum: "We were very lucky to be a generation that missed the war but unlucky to miss the VE Day celebrations.

"I would loved to have been there. It is something we will never be able to appreciate, what the feeing was like to be told the war was over

"God bless everybody who fought and died for all of us."

Footnote: If you have a VE Day story or some party pictures to show off, then mail them to [email protected] and we will get them onto the Atherstone Nub News site.