Donald Smart (FN 42-47) has sent in a reminiscence from his diary of VE Day at the school.

“ ‘May 8th, 1945. The news came through yesterday at 3 pm on the wireless. I was playing cricket (set A) when Mr Gee came over and told us. There were no celebrations and things just proceeded normally.
Today is the official VE Day and all Great Britain and America are having a holiday. All that is, except St Bees. We had lessons as usual all morning, although no work was done. In the afternoon we had games as usual. Bates Hogg and I had a round of golf. I won. In the evening we were excused prep, although we were not allowed outside the school buildings. TA (housemaster) refused to allow us a bonfire, so at 9 pm Bates Hogg, Park, Chapman and I with bugles and Stobbart with drum climbed the clock tower in the Foundation quad, and after a victory salvo of three rifles, we played the ‘Cease Fire’ three times and then, as the Union Jack was slowly pulled down, we played the ‘Last Post’. And so to bed as usual at 9.45 very dissatisfied with our VE Day.’
Donald does add that on the following day ‘we were given a three quarter day holiday, which is another story.’ ”