‘one of the most memorable nights of my life’

To mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, John Eskdale and other survivors share their harrowing memories of war and stories of hope

13 AUGUST

Beryl Nevell thought her service during the Second World War had been a case of ‘doing her duty’. Then someone special stepped in and showed her what she was truly owed…

15 AUGUST

I WAS minding my own business, checking my reflection in a shop window just along from Piccadilly. Then some American G.I. grabbed my arm, pulled me towards him and gave me an overly enthusiastic kiss

When I was aged 10, the farmers used to come round the schools to pick volunteers to work on the farms during the summer holidays, mainly to help bring in the harvest. The country was still building u