Hindwoods has been in business through both World Wars. As the country celebrates the 80 th anniversary of VE Day we look back at how it has shaped our local area

Posted on 6 May 2025

Like most businesses that have been around for more than 100 years, Hindwoods was impacted by both the First and Second World Wars. The images of the five members of our staff who gave their lives between 1939 and 1945 hang on one of the walls of our Greenwich headquarters as a daily reminder of the importance of our links with the past. Their images are especially poignant as the country marks Victory in Europe Day (VE) on 8 May 2025 – 80 years after the original VE Day celebrations.

Four of those men who worked at Hindwoods – Sergeant Victor Stanley Mason, Sergeant Stanley Vincent Davis, Sergeant Kenneth Patrick, and Sergeant Frederick John Bliss – were in the Royal Air Force (RAF); the fifth, Corporal Frank Plant, was with the Kings Royal Rifle Corps. The RAF was the air arm of the Royal Navy until 1918, when it was merged with the British Army’s Royal Flying Corps to form the RAF as the world’s first independent air force. Where these men served provides another link to the past – and the present.

Greenwich in South London is the historic heart of Britain’s naval power. It was home to the Royal Naval College and played a crucial role in the war effort. The area’s docks, shipyards, and military facilities were vital for the Allied campaign, making Greenwich a target during the Blitz of World War II and connecting its residents directly to the conflict’s realities.

Today, the Royal Borough of Greenwich is home to the second largest armed forces community in London. Councillor Sandra Bauer, Cabinet Member for Equality, Culture and Communities, called VE Day ‘an opportunity to pay tribute to those who fought for our freedom in World War II, and to an entire generation whose resilience and courage mean that 80 years on, we have a welcoming, inclusive and safe place to call home’. She said: ‘It’s also a chance to honour those who have served in the armed forces since, and to recognise our borough’s rich military history.’ 

Like much of London, Greenwich endured bombing raids, blackouts, and the evacuation of children to the countryside for safety. Many families in Greenwich lost loved ones or had their lives uprooted by the war. To mark the 80^th anniversary of peace in Europe the VE Day 80 flag is raised above Woolwich Town Hall, whilst other events have taken place across the borough including memorial services led by local branches of the Royal British Legion.

Victory in Europe Day (VE Day), celebrated on 8 May each year, marks the formal end of World War II in Europe. On this day in 1945, Britain and its Allies accepted Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender, bringing nearly six years of conflict on the continent to a close. VE Day remains a pivotal moment in British and world history, and its importance resonates deeply in communities like Greenwich, South London.