Cessation of hostilities

May 1945, a young fiery redheaded woman was finishing off her work late one evening.

Working as a teleprinter operator during World War II, she decoded messages that came in from the war front but it was this particular evening that the most important message came through.

It was late as she processed the final message for the day. A task she had done so often that she paid little attention to the content of messages. It was not until later that night that she realised the importance of this last message.

After such a long shift, she headed home keen to just have a long bath but was stopped by her Auntie Winn.

“You can’t go to bed, the Prime Minister has something important to announce.”

The young woman stops near the stairs, links and codes clicking into place inside her head. The realisation of what the Prime Minister was about to announce became clear.

“I already know what he’s going to say. The war is over.”

Valerie Williams, a twenty year old WAAF, processed the most important three words for 1945: cessation of hostilities.

This wonderful woman is my great-grandmother, an amazingly beautiful and feisty woman full of stories and tales to tell.

So on this day of the ANZACs may we celebrate the stories of peace, friendship and strength.

May we live in a world without hostilities.

May we live in a world of peace.