WATCH: My RAF hero pilot grandfather wrote these few emotional words in his diary on VE Day 1945

A few words marking a momentous moment on May 8, 1945 - VE Day. Squadron Leader Peter Gardner Bell, known to his RAF colleagues as ‘Dinga’, was based out in India and Burma during WW2. A pilot, he flew a number of aircraft, and his work included the transportation of high ranking individuals and he also flew bombers - including the notorious Lockheed Hudson while fighting the Japanese in Burma.

Unlike so many of his counterparts, he survived the war, and although he loved talking about his squadron and his planes - he never really spoke much about what really went on. It was only upon his death we, as a family, realised the extent of his heroics. Like so many veterans, finding themselves back in normal society, he held his experiences close to his chest.

The recipient of the RAF’s Distinguished Flying Cross from the King, he also given a rare honour for a non-citizen, the The Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) for his actions flying a US general across enemy lines safely. We only learned this from the medal citation.

But like so many in these pre social media days, he did write a diary faithfully, for every day of the war. We know he worked closely with the Americans and the Canadians and he discusses this in his diary. I also have something very precious - a baseball - signed by the 7th regiment. (See video)

The diary includes May 8 - VE Day -where his few words, recorded after he listened to Winston Churchill’s famous speech ending the War in Europe, were ‘Everybody very quiet’. Over following days he goes on to talk more about his feelings, expressing his gratitude that war in Europe was over and also hoping ‘his’ war would be over soon.

I know my granpa and he wouldn’t mind me sharing these small bits - he was my friend as well as my grandparent. An avid photographer, his prolific work paints a picture of a generation - we are lucky to have so many pictures thanks to his photo journalist passion. He would have been happy to know I became a journalist, but he passed too soon.

In fact he became a dentist in Manchester on his eventual return from India alongside his new bride. My grandmother Norma who has been living their with her cotton industry parents and they met at a boat party in Kashmir.

Soon they celebrated the birth of their eldest child, Anne Bell, my late mum - and the story continues.

Peter Bell was a former schoolboy at Repton School in Derbyshire and later lives in Manchester and Leyland, Lancashire.