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Hello, I'm Alicia McCarthy. Thanks for downloading the Yesterday in Parliament podcast.

On Friday the 9th of May, there were warnings of the horror of war, tales of dramatic escape

and fears for the future, as peers held a debate to commemorate VE and VJ Day.

There have been commemorations up and down the UK this week to mark the 80th anniversary of

the end of the war in Europe. Opening a debate in the Lords to mark that and the later

victory over Japan, the Defence Minister Lord Coker reflected on the human cost, including his uncle, Troop Sergeant Major Vernon Coker.

Who stormed Sword Beach at 8.30 on D-Day.

Who helped seize the critically important bridges over the Kahn Canal and River.

Who cleared German forces out of the nearby village of Armfriel.

And he was left in charge of his entire troop

when his CEO headed off to scout their next mission.

But that day, he'd been killed by an enemy mortar,

one of more than 4,000 casualties on D-Day.

Another Labour peer, Lady Hunter,

remembered those who'd served in the Far East,

including her father,

who'd fought his way down the Malay Peninsula to Singapore chased by the Japanese army. He'd eventually escaped in a fishing

boat, only to come under fire from three enemy torpedoes. She quoted the letter he'd later written

home. Although I had been in action, ambushed, bombed, shelved, mortared, machine-gunned,

and several times almost captured, these were easily my worst moments.

I honestly thought it was the end.

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