We have just passed the dates of the seventieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe. I used the plural ‘dates’, because I have discovered that there are actually two.

I was invited to a celebratory evening function by the Russian ambassador, which was most interesting.

It turns out that the German surrender in Europe was signed on May 8, 1945, and so that date is known as VE day, for Victory in Europe day. But, in the case of the former Soviet Union, the surrender documents were only signed the next day, on May 9, so Russia celebrates the end of the war on May 9. The Russians also call the war the Great Patriotic War.

Interestingly, for the seventieth anniversary celebrations, the Russians have been hunting out past servicemen and women who served in the war, and to whom they wish to award campaign medals. They told me that they had found 18 South Africans they are tracking down to award medals.

That is interesting. Another interesting fact to recall is that some Russians came to South Africa to fight for the Boers in the Boer War. During the Russian function, they continually ran two videos on large screens. These videos showed scenes from the war. They each ran for about two hours and I do not think that they were repeated at all. Most of what I saw was footage that I had never seen before.

Of course, the Germans also faced the same natural enemy which had faced Napoleon, and that was the weather. The strength of the Russian resistance surprised the experienced German army and that changed their expected campaign timetable. The result was that they ran late. That meant that they found themselves fighting in the winter.

The Russians know all about very cold conditions, so they were conditioned to it. Also, the Russians did not need to move as much as the Germans. The Russians were defending, and the Germans had been trying to move fast to capture cities. Moving in mud, snow and ice is not easy.

One hears the term ‘the horrors of war’, but it is only when watching such film footage that the true meaning of this statement strikes home.
There was also a Russian fellow there whose father-in-law had fought in the trenches. His father-in-law had told him how he went to war aged 18 and came out at 22, a totally changed person. This fellow told how they had gone into war so underequipped that there was only one rifle for every three soldiers.

I also met Russian men and women who actually were in the battles, and spoke to the direct relatives of others. So I heard a number of first-hand stories of what it had been like.

What really came through clearly was their total pride in having been involved. It was impressive. It was said a few times that, when they heard on May 9, 1945, that a peace deal had been signed, their immediate reaction was: “Good grief, I am alive and I am actually going to live!” They did not know what to do with themselves for the next few days because there was nobody to shoot at and no aircraft bombing.

I have been shot at a couple of times, but then I was in an armoured vehicle and I just heard the clang as bullets hit the steel armour. That was scary enough.

I have been present when about 40 injured soldiers were carried out of an ambush. I sat and spoke to them and examined their wounds, when they had arms and legs blown off, while blood flowed around my shoes.

I can just imagine the real horror of that Russian front during their Great Patriotic War, and give credit to those who fought there.