ODP army veteran Steve’s VE Day message
The nation will fall silent for two minutes from 11am today to commemorate VE Day and to remember all those heroes who sadly lost their lives during the Second World War.
Royal Derby Hospital’s Steve Astles spent the early part of his life in the Army as an Operating Theatre Technician – carrying on a proud tradition that has seen three generations of his family serve in the Armed Forces post-1939.
Steve first joined the Army in 1982 as a 16-year-old and proudly served his country over the next 14 years in the Gulf War, Bosnia and in the Falklands, among other conflicts, before then deciding “it was time for a new challenge” and making the career switch to the NHS.
He has been caring for our patients as an Operating Department Practitioner (ODP) at UHDB ever since and, as we prepare to mark the 75th anniversary of our Victory in Europe, Steve has told us what the landmark day means to him.
ODP army veteran Steve's VE Day message from UHDB Communications on Vimeo.
Steve said: “The Army means so much to me. I’m rather proud to have been in the military, with three generations of my family serving in the Army during the Second World War and other conflicts since. To me, VE Day means a huge milestone being overcome in the fight against discrimination and is about honouring all of those who put their lives on the line to protect us.”
Millions of people up and down the country will be looking to pay their respects to our Armed Forces, past and present, as part of the VE Day celebrations but Steve has appealed with the public to please do so safely by staying at home.
He added: “I’d like to say thank you, in advance, to everybody for respecting and celebrating the fact that we defeated fascism back in the Second World War. I’d also like to thank everybody for staying indoors and doing your own thing to protect people in a totally different way.”