YOUNG Roy Hanson was given the task of flying the Union Jack on his village church tower on VE Day in 1945.

Next month, the 83-year-old will be recreating the event at the same church in Wootton, near Woodstock.

The heart-warming event will be part of a day of activities to mark the 70th anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) Day, which celebrated the defeat of Nazi Germany in the Second World War.

Mr Hanson was just 13 when the tower captain asked him to climb to the top of St Mary’s Church in the centre of the village and fly the flag.

He said: “I was in the choir and I can remember this man was going to put the flag up on VE Day so I went up with him.

“He said ‘you haul this flag up and you’ll remember it for the rest of your life’ and I always have.”

Mr Hanson repeated the task on VE Day in 1995 to make the 50th anniversary but this year he has recruited the assistance of 11-year-old village boy Albert Warner.

Witney Gazette:

 Roy Hanson on VE Day 1995

Mr Hanson said: “I shall be 84 in August so I couldn’t get up the stairs of the tower so I was asked if I would hand over the flag to a young lad and say the same to him as was said to me.”

Albert, a pupil at The Marl-borough School in Woodstock, said: “It’s quite an honour. It was a shock to be asked but a nice surprise.

“I’m going to go up and because it’s a little bit dangerous my dad is going to come with me as well and I’m going to put the flag up.”

Dad Andy, 50, a plumbing and heating engineer, said he was “extremely proud” his son was asked to perform the important task.

He said: “He gets involved with plays in the village hall and he makes himself useful and chats to the adults. The organisers came and asked me first because they needed my permission and I was well chuffed.”

Mr Hanson was born in Wootton and worked as a stonemason and builder in the village where he still lives with his wife Hazel.

He said: “I can remember all through the war – the planes going over and bombing Birmingham and Coventry.

“Americans were stationed in our village and used to come into our pub, The Killingworth Castle. I remember a lot.”

Mr Hanson and Albert will be flying the flag as part of the VE Day anniversary celebrations at 3pm on Friday, May 8.

In the evening, bell ringers will sound a victory peal and there will be a 21-gun salute before a beacon is lit on the War Memorial Playing Field in the centre of the village.