The 1945 General Election: How Britain’s war heroes cast their votes
Two months after VE Day, Britain was back at the polls once again to decide who was going to lead the country into a new era of peace. In an outcome that shocked the world, the victorious wartime leader, Conservative Winston Churchill, was defeated by a new Labour government led by Clement Atlee.
As the polls were opened so close to the end of the war, many British troops were still stationed across the globe – so temporary polling stations were erected for the soldiers to get their chance to vote.
Below is a selection of images showing the army polling stations around war-torn Europe and North Africa as the soldiers cast their votes.
A makeshift polling station at the Royal Artillery Base Depot near CairoLieutenant T Marflett in his role as Postal Voting Officer for Cairo.Soldiers look through their voting papers before making that all important decisionThe troops are lectured on the British voting system by Flight Lieutenant S J Richardson, Lecce, ItalyBritish papers were sent to the soldiers stationed overseas so they could swot up on the latest politics back homeLeading Aircraftman McLeash of Musselburgh, Scotland, serving with an RAF Squadron in North Africa, drops his paper into the ballot box outside a polling booth marquee, during voting for the 1945 General Election.Members of 43 Squadron, Royal Air Force, stationed near Klagenfurt, Austria, queue up outside the Wing Post Office to collect their ballot papers for voting in the General Election.Mechanics of 43 Squadron, Royal Air Force, stationed near Klagenfurt, Austria, study literature relating to the General Election.
The election was also in full swing back home as voters flocked to their local polling station to decide the political fate of the nation.
Voters arriving at a polling station in the Italian Hospital, Queen Square, Holborn, London to cast their vote.
