A resident from HC-One’s Leighton Court Care Home in Wallasey, Wirral, Merseyside, has been sharing his memories of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, which marked the end of World War II, to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, on May 8, 2025.
Resident Bob Stirling, born on January 21, 1935, now aged 90 years old, was aged four at the start of World War II and ten years old at the end of the war. Bob lived in Ketley in Shropshire with his mum, Elsie; dad, Robert; and five siblings – two older sisters called Hilda and Glenys, and three younger brothers called Terry, Bernard and Gerald.
During the war, Bob remembers many children having to go into the Anderson air raid shelters; and his dad and Uncle Bert going to fight in the war. Uncle Bert was captured as a prisoner of war in Japan and would share stories with Bob. On VE Day, Bob and his family celebrated by joining in the community street parties.
Bob later joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 18 in 1953, progressing to become a Senior Aircraftsman which makes him very proud.
Bob first started at RAF High Ercall where he stayed whilst he had his first two children and was then asked if he could be posted and stationed in Egypt. However, as his wife Margaret was pregnant at the time and they had two young children, they decided to stay which led to Bob being transferred to RAF Lichfield and later settled at RAF Sealand.
After Bob stopped working as a Senior Aircraftsman in 1958, he remained working for the RAF as a civilian and worked on a number of projects including the ‘Green Goddess’, the nickname given to the British military fire engines.
When Bob and Margaret first started courting, Bob rode his bike to go and visit her on a daily basis. Bob married his wife Margaret on Saturday, February 1, 1958, at Christ Church in Wellington and they’ve been married for 69 years. Bob and Margaret have four children called Susan, Sandra, Alison and Andrew; seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
Bob moved into Leighton Court in April 2024 and was the first resident to move into the home’s new dementia community.
Bob is looking forward to celebrating the 80th anniversary of VE Day by watching some memorial shows on TV and enjoying Leighton Court’s afternoon tea party to celebrate VE Day celebrations as part of a reminiscing afternoon.
Bob Stirling, resident at HC-One’s Leighton Court Care Home, said:
“The war was always in the back of your mind, but you learnt to carry on and appreciate everything. VE Day was a moment of pure joy and relief – we sang, danced and for the first time in years felt hope again. We will never forget the sacrifices that brought us peace.”
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