By nightfall, their prey had got away.

News of the end of the war in Europe filtered back, and Lieutenant Callaghan and his shipmates marked the occasion in time honoured naval fashion. 👇

🧵 5/6 #VEDay #VEDay80 #WW2

Seeing "a war that ought to be fought," Callaghan followed in his late father's footsteps, joining the Royal Navy as a rating.

On voyages between the north of Scotland and Iceland, he soon discovered how harsh conditions afloat could be 👇

🧵 2/6 #VEDay #VEDay80 #WW2

But it was perhaps Heath's views on Europe which were shaped the most by his exposure to war.

As he turned his attention to politics, those experiences would become formative. 👇

🧵 7/7 #VEDay #VEDay80 #WW2

In January 1945, Heath was given command of a battery and had particular success in the anti-aircraft defence of Antwerp.

On #VEDay, however, his battery's guns were otherwise employed. 👇

🧵 5/7 #VEDay #VEDay80 #WW2