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Watch the BBC first on iPlayer 👉 https://bbc.in/iPlayer-Home Extracts of Winston Churchill's VE Day speech have been broadcast to the nation, as part of the commemorations for the 75th anniversary.

Britain's wartime leader spoke about a "brief period of rejoicing" amid "toils and efforts" in the replayed speech.

Earlier, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall led a two-minute silence, and later the Queen will address a nation still in lockdown.

Boris Johnson expressed "eternal" gratitude to the wartime generation.

Victory in Europe Day marks the day in 1945 when Britain and its allies accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany, bringing the war in Europe to an end.This year's celebration is limited as the lockdown prompted by the coronavirus pandemic means there will be no large-scale street parties or parades.

But at 15:00 BST, the same time that Winston Churchill addressed the House of Commons on 8 May 1945, BBC One broadcast his words: "We may allow ourselves a brief period of rejoicing, but let us not forget for a moment the toils and efforts that lie ahead."

The commemorations began with a flypast over London by the Royal Air Force display team the Red Arrows, while RAF Typhoon jets flew over Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast.

VE Day 75 | BBC

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