Bristol Beaufighters of 252 Squadron flying over Athens during the Victory in Europe flypast, 1945

While news of the German surrender and Victory in Europe on 8 May 1945 was greeted with joy by the Allies, for many countries it did not mark the end of the fighting or the suffering.

Greece was already in the early throes of Civil War by the time of VE Day. The Greek Civil War moved through three main phases but itensified after 1944 and the Germans being driven out of Athens as different factions sought to take control, at times backed overtly or covertly by the Western Allies or the Soviet Union. The Civil War would ultimately last until 1949. 252 Squadron of Coastal Command had been operating with their Beaufighters throughout the Mediterranean since 1941. They were disbanded in Greece on 1 December 1946.