On Tuesday, May 8, 1945, Winston Churchill broadcast the longed-for announcement that war in Europe was over.
Britain threw the biggest street party ever seen – and this week the country is remembering the good times and the bad as the 70th anniversary of that fateful day approaches.
For one north-east man, VE Day is a day he will never forget, and it was one that even set him on the path to fame.
At the age of just 17, Jack Sinclair performed to more than 600 people in Aberdeen at a special VE victory ball alongside his mother, Mary, and father, John.
The family troupe – Mrs Sinclair’s Radio Dance Band, named after his mother – was booked in to play a regular slot at the New Plaza Ballroom at Spring Garden every Tuesday night.
But when the national day of celebration was announced, general manager, George Mennie, decided this particular night had to be extra special.
With Mr Sinclair on the accordion, his mother on piano and his father playing the drums, the band would entertain until 2am and people would party through the night.
Mr Sinclair said he remembers the feeling of relief to this day, and the dancing, singing and celebrating that the country was finally free.
The band’s fee was even doubled to £1 10/- (£1.50) from the usual 15/- (75p).
“When we arrived there was a queue from the entrance right down to George Street and up Gerrard Street,” recalls Mr Sinclair.
“We performed the full six hours to a packed ballroom, with Eightsome Reels and allsorts.
“We were so worried that the floor would cave in. It never held so many people.”
To this day, Mr Sinclair still has the diaries he and his mother kept from that special day, recording the momentous moment in ink.
And he cherishes the picture of him as a young man playing alongside his parents at the Victory Ball, along with Eddie Reid on saxophone and fiddle and Dougie Burnett on banjo guitar and trumpet.
Mr Sinclair would go on to enjoy a 60 year music career, during which time he became a firm favourite at a dance held by the Queen at Balmoral known as the Gillies’ Ball.
With his showband, he performed at Balmoral nearly 300 times in front of four generations of the Windsors – the Queen, the Queen Mother, the Prince of Wales and Princes Wills and Harry.
In 2001, he was made a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) by the Queen for providing musical entertainment for her family.
Mr Sinclair, who will turn 87 this year, said the VE Day celebrations will always be one of the most memorable moments of his musical career.
“I will always consider it one of the most important nights of my life,” he said.