65 years ago Brandon celebrated the ceasefire of the war in the Pacific.
8/16/2010 at 7:51 AM
While the homecoming tide of battered soldiers had swelled from Europe, the city’s citizens were preparing to celebrate the final disposition of Japanese aggressors, who through their inhuman treatment of her prisoners had caused more than one Brandon Son to perish.
The end came, and the Atomic age was born on August 6th when an Atomic Bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, a city of over 100,000 people. Three days later, a second, and larger bomb totally destroyed the port of Nagasaki. On the following day the Japaneese government sued for peace, and on August 14th accepted the Allied terms of unconditional surrender.
The Second World War was over.
In Brandon the Newsprint read, “ …went berserk. Train Whisles shrilled, automobile horns blared, and bells, clanged. Brandonites forgot it was bedtime, and hurried downtown to watch an impromptu parade. Paper streamers tossed from windows, and rooftops soon littered thouroghfares or clung to overhead wires. Loud Speakers resounded off Princess Avenue everywhere people of all ages participted in a street dance which lasted until the next morning.”
City Hall proclaimed a one day holiday, and announced that plans were under way to ‘welcome home’ all district men, and women who had served in the Armed Forces.
Note #1: More tha two hundred of Brandon’s Sons, and Daughters were returned to Canadian shores aboard the Troop Ships Pastear, Brittanic, Scythia, New Amsterdam, Ile de France, Mauretania, Cameronia, Duchess of Bedford, Queen Elizabeth, Duchess of Richmond, and the Empress of Scotland.
Note #2: If there is a discrepancy of dates like on 14 August 1945 (Can. date) or, 15 August 1945 in Japan, the difference is caused by the International Dateline.
Source: Brandon a city. G. F. Barker.
http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=history/secondwar/canada2/pacwar http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/S/u/Surrender.htm