Ceremony at Wigan armed forces hub to mark VE Day 75th anniversary

Members of the Royal British Legion and Greater Manchester Police (GMP), along with their standards, came to Wigan Borough Armed Forces HQ to pay their respects to those who fought and died in World War Two on Thursday.

They gathered outside Molyneux House in Scholes to mark three quarters of a century since six years of fighting in Europe came to an end.

John Harker MBE, strategic manager at the Wigan armed forces hub, said: “Sadly the large-scale event that was planned in Wigan over this weekend has had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"However, we have been able to show our respects within the rules to mark such an historic and important event.”

GMP said there were links between those who chose to serve on the front line for their country in the military and in their communities as part of the police force.

Detective Sergeant Steve Baldam, who assisted in arranging the small socially-distanced event, said: “The emergency services have a long tradition of officers and staff being drawn towards second careers having served in the armed forces, and even today we find our officers who are reservists being called upon to serve with the regular armed forces.

"This was no different more than 75 years ago and as such Wigan Police Station has a war memorial with a number of officers who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. “