Winston Churchill funeral anniversary: Watch wartime leader announce victory in Europe

Watch Churchill announce the end of the Second World War in Europe

(Peter Macdiarmid | Getty Images)

As Britain marks 50 years since the state funeral of Winston Churchill, the country's prime minister during World War Two, David Cameron called on the nation to draw on the "courage and resolve" of one of the great wartime leaders.

Churchill was the only commoner to be granted a state funeral during the 20th century and leaders from over 100 countries attended the ceremony. Churchill led the United Kingdom between 1940-45 and 1951-55 and was a fixture in the House of Commons for 64 years, starting in 1900.

Archive footage shows the moment Londoners took to the streets on 8 May 1945 after Churchill had broadcast a message to the nation from the Cabinet room at Number 10. He announced that a ceasefire had been signed at 02:41 the day before and that: "The German War is therefore at an end. We may allow ourselves a brief period of rejoicing. Today is victory in Europe day."

In London on Friday, Tower Bridge will be raised at 12:45 GMT as the boat which carried Churchill's coffin along the Thames will make the same journey once more, from the Tower of London to Westminster. Once it reaches the Palace of Westminster, there will be special service and wreath laying in the waters.