VE Day 80: “We stand on their shoulders with immense pride and gratitude”

To mark VE Day 80, we spoke to Squadron Leader Barney Polden about why VE Day is important to him as a proud member of a military family spanning generations.  

Squadron Leader Barney Polden serves at RAF Benson with the Rotary Wing Support Hub and is a dedicated volunteer for the Fund.

Barney is part of the core team that make up RAF Benson’s RAF Benevolent Fund Charity Committee – a voluntary group of serving personnel who raise awareness of our services and fundraise at significant events at RAF Benson, including sporting events and airshows.

In 2024, the Committee helped with activities including a BBQ at RAF Watersports Centre, Danesfield, a Halloween Scarecrow Trail event, a festive concert at Dorchester Abbey, performed by the RAF Central Band and the delivery of festive hampers to local RAF veterans.

Barney said: "We have grown within the last year from nothing to quite a busy Committee delivering a variety of activities throughout the year, supporting sections and individuals on camp to organise fun activities and gain sponsorship wherever possible."

Barney shared why VE Day is important to him, saying: "VE Day 80 is more than a historical milestone, it’s a national moment of remembrance, gratitude, and pride. As a serving Royal Air Force Engineering Officer, and a proud member of a military family that spans generations, this anniversary holds extraordinary meaning for me and my whole family. Both my grandfather, who bravely fought in the D-Day landings and returned home after losing a leg, and my father, who was a dedicated Royal Marine Commando, have both left indelible marks on the story of our country’s service and sacrifice. "

Barney’s grandfather Bernard Morgan Smith was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his involvement in the D-Day landings in 1944.

Barney continued: "I believe that VE Day is about honouring the courage, unity, and resilience of all those who have stood firm in the face of tyranny. Eighty years on, the world they fought to preserve still benefits from the courage of people like my father and grandfather, and we must never forget that freedom is never free.

"It’s a privilege and a responsibility I carry with pride every single day I wear this uniform. My grandfather sadly passed away when I was very young, but his legacy is alive in the values I uphold, the service I give, and the pride I feel in being part of something greater than myself."

Barney concluded: "Being part of the RAF Family connects me directly to that legacy of service. Every maintenance activity my team completes and every mission we support, it’s built on the foundation they laid with blood, sweat, and unimaginable bravery. We remember them not only in ceremony, but through the way we serve with professionalism, dedication, and honour, and we stand on their shoulders with immense pride and gratitude."