This appeared in TA number 51 (May 1995) Ed

The following extracts are from the ‘Tanganyika Standard’ in 1945.

V E DAY – May 8, 1945
Midst very heavy rain in Dar es Salaam, church bells rang out, sirens sounded, guns sounded in salute. The official ‘Tanganyika Territory Gazette’ appeared in red, white and blue. There was a two-day public holiday. The most ambitious documentary ever produced on Nairobi Radio was heard in Tanganyika.

In Kigoma children from the Greek refugee camp held a torchlight procession through the town dressed ln their national colours. Belgian Lake steamers arrived gay with flags and pasengers had an all-night party on board. Palm leaves and flags were flying outside African houses. Even pieces of the memsahibs’ dresses had been promoted to sticks and were flying happily in the wind.

In Tabora the signal for the opening of celebrations was the sounding of Reveile form the four corners of the battlements of the Boma. Four bands marched through the streets and 100 head of cattle were slaughtered for celebrations which continued for eight days.

At Arusha School there was a fancy dress Victory party, a concert and a picnic.

In Manyoni some 3,000 people gathered in the market square and began ngomas which lasted for two days and nights.

In Bukoba there were bonfires on the hills.

FIRMLY ESTABLISHED
“We are about to embark on a new epoch of prosperity in Tanganyika Territory …. British rule is, for the first time, firmly and permanently established here”. So said Attorney General C McFurness-Smith in welcoming at a ceremony at the High Court the new Chief Justice, His Honour Sir George Graham Paul. Mr Furness-smith said that during the past quarter century of British rule the country had been handicapped by a sense of insecurity aggravated by the continuing fear that British statesmen might barter Tanganyika to Germany under their policy of appeasment. “Now” he said “we are at the beginning of a new epoch in the fortunes of Tanganyika”.