ACTOR Timothy Spall will launch Britain’s VE Day celebrations tomorrow — by reading extracts from Winston Churchill’s triumphant 1945 address.
Spall, 68, who played the inspirational PM in 2010 film The King’s Speech, will repeat his stirring words to the nation from Buckingham Palace.
After his address — with its famous message “This is not victory of a party or of any class. It’s a victory of the great British nation as a whole”; — will soar overhead.
The aerobatics team, who have been practising in , will leave trails of red, white and blue smoke in their wake.
Events will begin at noon and and will be on the balcony to watch the extravaganza marking the 80th anniversary of .
The display will be followed by a 1,300-strong procession of British and troops down Whitehall, through and up The Mall.
will formally start the march after being handed the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Torch for Peace by RAFAC Cadet Warrant Officer Emmy Jones.
Eleven members of the .
Their leader, Major Pavlo, 30, who could not give his surname for security reasons, said: “Being a part of this is a real privilege.
“It’s a really important time to show strength, unity and partnership with the UK and other allies.”;
Lt Col Charles Foinette, 47, whose RAF bomber grandad was shot down during the war, is lead organiser for the march.
He said hundreds of troops, many on horseback, processed to the sound of bagpipes in a rehearsal from 2.30am on Saturday, much to the surprise of revellers in central .
Tomorrow’s celebrations will be the first of four days of events across to mark the final defeat of the .
Major buildings will be illuminated including , the , Cardiff Castle, Rochester Cathedral in Kent and Belfast City Hall.
On Tuesday, events will be held on , now a museum ship moored on the Thames close to Tower Bridge.
It fired some of on in 1944 and protected Arctic convoys.
Street parties will take place nationwide.
Events will conclude on Thursday — the May 8 anniversary of 1945’s — with a service of thanksgiving from and a live concert from the .
said the anniversary was a moment of “national unity”; when the memory of those who died and the “sacrifices made by so many to secure our freedom”; should be honoured.
Ken Cooke, 99, one of the last living , politely declined invitation to a garden party so he could return once more to to mark .
Ken, of York, laughed: “I’m in the bad books, I think.”;
