Originally published August 15, 1945
SUNRAYSIA Daily produced a “special victory issue” to record the end of World War II.
The publication, headlined “PEACE IN THE PACIFIC”, announced the unconditional surrender of Japan after almost six years of battle “to rid the world of totalitarianism”.
The newspaper delayed publication until the end of the war could be confirmed and that edition hit the streets late in the day.
Factory, boat and engine whistles and hundreds of motor car horns vied with each other to see which could make the loudest noise when news of the surrender hit Mildura that morning.
Families left their homes and went to the city area where they joined the milling crowd of happy shop assistants and business people giving vent to their joyous feelings.
The first news that the Japanese had surrendered came about 9 o’clock and which was quickly followed by the ringing of bells and screeching of sirens throughout the town.
Celebrations spilled onto the town’s streets where residents danced and sang in large circles.
Almost immediately after the news was announced City Council employees were at work erecting festooning between Eighth and Ninth Streets in Deakin Avenue for the evening celebrations.
Truckloads of joyous men, women, boys and girls, cheering, shouting and waving, toured the streets, the trucks a mass of colours with streamers and flags, while tins to attract attention trailed behind.
Several near traffic jams occurred, while two youth on a fractious horse, riding back-to-back, caused merriment among the spectators.
The Chinese community let off fireworks which they had been saving for the occasion.
A large number of revellers gathered outside the Mildura Post Office before dancing through city streets, while there was also great excitement at Mildura Base Hospital where the ringing of bells and hooters added to the general gaiety.
Large numbers from the region had enlisted in World War II with many initially sent to Europe, but following a declaration of war against Japan, returned to serve in the islands of the Pacific including New Guinea and Borneo.
The RAAF established an operational training base for pilots which is now the Mildura Airport which was known as Number 2 (Fighter) Operational Training Unit and more than 2000 airmen received training there.
Fifty-one of the young pilots died in training.
Sunraysia Daily made no apology for the delayed publication of the August 15 edition as it explained on the front page:
“Few people as they read this issue will realise the headaches, heartaches and, finally, relief, which went into this publication. All night long the news chopped and changed. The war was over; it wasn’t over; it was over; it wasn’t over. Tokio says this; Swiss radio says that; Washington claims this; London disclaims that; Reuters correspondent reports; Associated Press says something else — and so it went on throughout the night. Headings announcing victory substituted for headings announcing doubts, and vice-versa. And then — the big news. It really was over. And here you have it — Sunraysia Daily‘s special victory issue.”
The newspaper did not publish the following day as usual, instead announcing August 15, 1945, would be a holiday.
