Typhoon fighter pilot Derek Lovell received the best present of all on 5 May 1945, when Germany announced its surrender to the Allied forces on his 23rd birthday.
For troops involved in Operation Manna, one of the RAF's first humanitarian aid missions, the knowledge they were helping to save lives rather than destroy them was key.
In an exclusive interview with the RAF Benevolent Fund, Spitfire pilot and Battle of Britain veteran Squadron Leader Nigel Rose reveals his feelings about flying the…