Alex Baker MP

1 day ago

Huge football afternoon ahead for both #Aldershot and #Farnborough

❤️💙 Aldershot Town Football Club are playing at Wembley for first time ever in the #FATrophy Final

💛💙 Farnborough FC Women are playing to retain the Hampshire FA Trophy - their second cup final of the season

Wishing the very best of luck to Tommy Widdrington, Craig Shields, all the players and staff who’ve made today possible. Our whole community is rooting for you. ... See MoreSee Less

Alex Baker MP

2 days ago

I started this week in the Royal Garrison Church at the Garrison’s service to mark VE Day.

In the service local historian Paul H Vickers spoke about what happened on VE Day locally. Paul also spoke at the Manor Park beacon lighting.

In case you missed them, here are his words:

“On 4 April 1945 the Town Clerk, anticipating the coming end of hostilities, told the Aldershot Council that “we might have a very pleasant surprise at any moment”. On Wednesday 2 May the Mayor announced that all Civil Defence services would be stood down, and on the same day the national air-raid warning system closed.
During April, liberated prisoners of war started to return to their homes, to the great joy and relief of their families. Among other signs that the war was at last coming to an end, the Blackout, which had been introduced on 1 September 1939, was lifted on 23 April. Some wartime measures remained, notably rationing which had been imposed in January 1940 and lingered on into the 1950s, only ending completely in 1954.
Citizens of Aldershot and Farnborough fought with all three services and in every theatre of war. From the garrison, the regular divisions had mobilised immediately and gone to France. From December 1939 onwards Aldershot had been the base for Canadian soldiers arriving in Europe. During the war some 320,000 Canadians passed through the camp. In 1944 Aldershot had been a centre for the build-up of forces for the D-Day landings. Throughout the war it had been a training centre, and the great military hospitals, the Cambridge and the Connaught, had treated thousands of wounded.
On the 4 May 1945, Field Marshal Montgomery received the surrender of all German forces in North-west Europe. Official confirmation of Germany’s unconditional surrender was broadcast on the radio at 3 o’clock on Monday 7 May. The government declared that Tuesday 8 May was officially “Victory in Europe Day”, and a two day national holiday was announced.
Immediately the towns were ablaze with colour as flags and bunting appeared everywhere. Fairy lights were strung out in a ‘V for victory’ formation on the front of many houses, and victory slogans were painted across shop windows.
On VE Day the schools were shut to allow the children to join in the festivities. From early in the day soldiers from the Camp joined the people of Aldershot in the streets of the town in a jubilant, holiday atmosphere. All the local churches quickly arranged services of thanksgiving, and the bells were rung out in celebration.
A pipe band from one of the Canadian units led an impromptu parade through the streets, followed by a large crowd of soldiers and civilians who linked arms as they marched along. Bonfires were lit, and searchlights, floodlights, fireworks and gunfire all added to the noise and colour.
In the evening a crowd of between 8 - to 10,000 assembled at the Recreation Ground, including British and Canadian troops and civilians. They danced to music from the band of the Royal Military School of Music, continuing under the floodlights until half past eleven. Not wanting their celebrations to end, the revellers streamed into the town centre, singing popular songs as they went, until they reached the Ritz Cinema where they stopped for more community singing before they finally dispersed to their homes.
In Farnborough there was a dance in the Royal Aircraft Establishment Assembly Hall to music from three local bands. Festivities began at eight o’clock, and did not end until three o’clock next morning.
Sunday 13 May saw a more solemn event at the Recreation Ground as the Camp and town came together for a formal Service of Thanksgiving. On parade were 3,650 British and Canadian troops, plus the Aldershot Civil Defence Services, Fire Services, nurses, Home Guard, and youth organisations.
Farnborough’s Thanksgiving Service was on the playing fields of the National Children’s Home, and was preceded by a parade of some 2,000 personnel led by units of the Army and Royal Air Force, Civil Defence and voluntary services and youth groups. At both services the men and women on parade were joined by huge crowds of civilians.
All over the towns, Victory street parties were held, starting the day after VE Day. Over the next few weeks almost every street had its party. They all followed a similar pattern of a grand tea for the children, some organised entertainment, and then dancing in the evening, either to records or local dance bands. Despite wartime shortages, the organisers made heroic efforts to give the children a real treat with many delicious offerings on the tables.
Joyful although the VE Day celebrations were, they were tempered by the knowledge that the war was not yet fully over. In the Far East thousands of British soldiers were still engaged in bitter fighting against the Japanese. It was not until Tuesday 14 August that Japan unconditionally surrendered. After six years, the war was finally at an end.
Because Aldershot and Farnborough were so closely intertwined with the forces, the citizens felt even more keenly their anxiety for the safe return of the troops and sorrow over those who fell. In the 1945 celebrations was a mixture of elation at the final victory, relief that it was all over, and dignified remembrance for those who did not return.” ... See MoreSee Less

Alex Baker MP

3 days ago

My final #VEDay80 celebration last night was in Manor Park in Aldershot for the lighting of the beacon. It was an honour to say a few words and pay tribute to our veterans and their families.

There was also music from Cove Brass and a fascinating snippet of history from local historian Paul Vickers.

I am so pleased that I managed to attended a VE Day celebration in every corner of our community yesterday. It was a day of not just celebration, but also remembrance. 🇬🇧

#aldershot #farnborough #yateley #blackwater #hawley ... See MoreSee Less

Alex Baker MP

4 days ago

Next on my #VEDay80 around the constituency, I went to the wonderful celebration on Hawley Green, followed by Church End Green in Yateley.

It's been such a marvellous day seeing every corner of our community come together to remember and to celebrate those that came before us.🇬🇧

#blackwater #hawley #yateley ... See MoreSee Less

Alex Baker MP

4 days ago

What a joy it was to visit Knellwood Care Home this afternoon for their #VEDay80 celebrations. There was singing, afternoon tea and some of the residents shared their memories with me.

Knellwood was opened in 1947 as Farnborough's memorial to local servicemen and women who gave their lives in the Second World War. ... See MoreSee Less