Fleet motel stages huge weekend celebration for VJ Day 75
Military, vintage and classic vehicles were on display at the Anglia Motel at the weekend for a celebration of VJ Day 75.
Motel boss Harold Payne said: "There was a huge turnout of vehicles and it was the best show for them that we have ever had."
Fords, Mustangs and American police cars rubbed shoulders with military vehicles of all kinds and there was an impressive array of gleaming motorcycles.
WW2 veterans Ernie Colville (96) and George Wing (99) were there to mark the day and met visitors while safely screened behind glass.
George, from Bourne, celebrates his 100th birthday this October and Harold will be staging a party for him.
The event has raised £960 for Christmas parties to be hosted at the motel for nurses from Holbeach Hospital.
And just over £600 was donated at the cafe for the veterans and for floral tributes to be laid at cenotaphs across the district at during remebrancetide in November.
Harold said: "We put fresh bouquets on every cenotaph in the area, covering about 70 miles in convoy."
Harold has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for veterans over the years.
His fundraising for veterans will continue soon at Morrisons in Pinchbeck, where he will be holding collections.
As well as being a fun attraction for visitors, there was a moment to reflect with a special service to honour our boys who didn't come home from the Japanese conflict.
Harold said: "My uncle was in the Japanese campaign so I do realise what they went through."
Harold was named after his uncle - Harold Gray - and the memories of what his uncle suffered during and after the war are painful to this day.
"Tell the old veterans I never forget about them," said Harold. "I hold them in my heart. An old soldier will never die; they will just slowly fade away."
