After almost six years of brutal world war, peace was finally declared by the Allies in 1945 - starting with Victory in Europe Day on 8 May and ending with Victory in Japan Day on 15 August.
As we mark 80 years since these major anniversaries, we share extraordinary first-hand accounts from our veterans who were there. From the overwhelming relief to the highs and lows that unfolded, each one has a powerful story to tell.
Today, these heroes have another gruelling battle on their hands – this time with sight loss. As the darkness descends, and they find themselves losing their independence, they can often feel isolated, helpless and unable to cope.
Blind Veterans UK rebuilds lives. We fight for ex-Servicemen and women of every generation through our specialist rehabilitation and support. For life. We are honoured to help them regain their confidence and independence so they can live the fulfilled, meaningful lives they so deserve.
Show our last-surviving Second World War heroes they are not forgotten. Help more blind veterans step out of the darkness.
"We just broke into laughter and then some tears. We were five great friends and it was sadness for two because they’d lost their brothers in the war."
Blind veteran
VJ Day: 80 years on
As Europe celebrated VE Day, the brutal conflict in the Far East continued until Japan finally announced its surrender on 15 August 1945. Blind veterans Douglas, Raymond and John share their poignant memories of what would become known as 'The Forgotten War'.
Celebrations across the UK
As Churchill declared peace at 3pm on VE Day, people across the UK flooded the streets in celebration. Blind veterans Thomas, Peter, John and Arthur fondly recall the moment they heard the news - and the jubilant revelry that followed.
Remnants of a brutal war
While millions celebrated the end of the war, many also felt the weight of loss - the countless lives sacrificed and years of relentless hardship. As Alice, Derrick and Joan discovered, the war could be utterly unforgiving.
Women at war
While millions of men went off to war, women stepped up - taking on vital roles on the home front or enlisting themselves. And as Neena, Ruth and Joan recall, when the guns fell silent, many were reluctant to surrender their newfound independence.
The battle continued
As news of VE Day spread to troops around the world, attention turned to the bitter war still raging in the Far East. Blind veterans Ken, Matt and Les reflect on their experiences as the war came to a close.
From D-Day to VE Day
As we commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we spoke to some of our last-surviving D-Day veterans, asking them to reflect on the moment they first heard the news that the war was over.
Send a message to a veteran
80 years on from VE Day, many blind veterans are still battling sight loss. We’re inviting you to share a message with them. Your words can brighten their day and bring a smile to their face.
VE Day 80 special exhibition
To commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we worked with renowned illustrator, Martin Impey, to bring our VE Day veterans’ memories to life. The illustrations beautifully capture the real stories of 13 of our blind veterans, and their experiences after the darkness of war lifted.
Meet the photographer
In this look behind the scenes, award-winning photographer Richard Cannon shares what it was like to capture the incredible portraits of our Second World War veterans, and why telling their stories is more important than ever.
VE Day 80 podcast special
This 10-minute podcast brings together powerful moments from our veterans stories as they reflect on war, survival and what came next.
Click play below or listen on Spotify.
How your support helps our VE Day veterans
Our rehabilitation team will assess all blind veterans continuously and help those who need it to manage their daily routines.
Tactical markers placed at strategic points help them to use their kitchen appliances - like marking the temperature dial on a cooker.
In addition to this, our volunteers play a vital role in helping our veterans maintain their independence. This is because isolation is a common problem for people with sight loss and hearing a friendly voice can make all the difference to their wellbeing.
We introduce our blind veterans to assistive technology that makes their lives easier. We provide as much training and troubleshooting support as the individual needs.
The rehabilitation officers will identify the best low vision aids for reading tasks, like a portable scanner. This is often a priority as it enables veterans to continue their day-to-day tasks such as reading the post and following cooking instructions.
Second World War veteran Neena loves her digital scanner - it reads any text out loud to her. She says, "I haven't had to pay a penny towards it and and I don't know what I'd do without that, that's a great boon. Very useful."
While our specialist equipment can make all the difference day-to-day, we find that keeping morale up can be just as important, particularly for older veterans less able to venture out.
Our staff connect isolated, lonely members him to other veterans through our telephone groups. One says, it keeps him in touch with the outside world.
One Community Support Worker feels emotional about the impact she has. She says:
"Knowing that the veterans don't feel lonely anymore is wonderful. The change can be tremendous."
Even if our blind veterans are in care homes, we will continue to visit them to make sure they are well looked after. Often we find that their carers have never cared for someone with sight loss, so we might step in and give them tips, such as making sure they introduce themselves clearly and explain where things have been left, such as meals and drinks.
One issue our Community Support Workers come across when working with blind veterans is how quickly sight loss can make them self-conscious around food.
The veterans can feel embarrassed when food drops off the fork or spoon, or when they put the fork to their mouth with nothing on it. They might stop going out to restaurants and cafés.
Our staff encourage them to continue living their life and help them to feel more secure with simple tips such as, for example, choosing finger food which is easier to control.
They also show veterans' families how to help them identify what is on the plate by using a clock face analogy: 12 o’clock chicken, 3 o’clock peas, 6 o’clock mashed potato, 9 o’clock carrots. Also, putting food onto a slightly lipped plate means food can be scooped up more easily.
By following simple tips like these, our team make sure blind veterans don't miss out on social activities and can still enjoy their meals, wherever they are.
Please support our VE and VJ Day veterans.
With the right equipment, training and social interaction, our blind veterans can live safely and happily.
They fought for us. Now it's our turn to fight for them.
VE Day 80 souvenir magazine
Our special VE Day 80 souvenir magazine features incredible first-hand accounts of the end of the war by our blind veterans, along with their stunning portraits by award-winning photographer, Richard Cannon.
VE Day in the news
Marking VE Day 80 across the country
14 May 2025
Blind veteran ran 10k for VE Day 80
8 May 2025
RAF Officer’s VE Day 80 half marathon
24 Apr 2025
Photography credit: Richard Cannon
Read more
Veterans' stories
Hear how we’ve helped blind veterans turn their lives around, in their own words.
News and stories
Find out about what's happening across our charity, and learn more about our veterans, fundraisers and partners.
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Take a look at our special VE Day items to commemorate the 80th anniversary, including candles and postcards.
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