Reading Spitfire pilot celebrated with German soldiers

A fighter pilot has recalled drinking with German soldiers to celebrate the end of World War Two.

Noel Grugeon from Reading, Berkshire, known by loved ones as Bunny, was 19 years old on VE Day.

When Germany was ordered to surrender its aircraft to the Allies, Mr Grugeon said he shook hands with his enemies and they went for a drink together.

“These young men were just as brave as us but they were on the wrong side,” he said.

Mr Grugeon, who enlisted in the RAF before he was 18, remembers the moment he discovered the war in Europe was over.

On 8 May 1945, the Spitfire pilot was in Germany, preparing his aircraft for a patrol, when he was given the news by an air marshal.

“Sir, I’m ready to receive orders,” he said.

“He just smiled at me and leant forward and patted me on the shoulder.

“He said ‘good luck son, you’ve survived, the war’s over.'”

Mr Grugeon said the expectation of being killed every day was something he had become used to.

“But it was never going to happen to me today,” he added.

Mr Grugeon, now aged 99, remembers looking forward to having lie-ins in bed, with no fear of dying.

But it was bittersweet.

“We suddenly were sad because so many of our friends hadn’t made it.”

Despite being on opposing sides of the war, Mr Grugeon said he had “great respect” for the enemy.

“They’d fought so bravely, but they’d lost,” he said.

“You couldn’t hold it against them, that was their duty.

“We were fighting for what we believed in – but this was the end.”