Take time to remember heroes in VJ Day salute
THE Royal Family will lead the nation in honouring the country’s military heroes on the 75th anniversary ofVJ Day.
Commemorations will be held across the country on August 15 to mark the end of the SecondWorldWar after Japan’s surrender.
The Red Arrows will take to the skies for a UK-wide flypast and veterans of the Far East campaign will attend a national service in memory of their fallen comrades.
Captain Sir Tom Moore, who served in Burma, called on the country to “take some time to remember” the sacrifice made during the brutal campaign.
Tens of thousands of British and Commonwealth troops died fighting the Japanese or in grim PoW camps.
Yet the heroes in the Far East called themselves the Forgotten Army because the public focus was often on battles in Europe.
VJ Day in 1945 was marked by a massive crowd gathering outside Buckingham Palace to cheer King George VI and members of his family – including the Queen, then teenage Princess Elizabeth – on the balcony.
This year’s commemorations will see three generations of royals take part in events on the day with Prince Philip, who has retired from official duties, making an appearance in a photo montage of living veterans that will be shown on screens around the country.
Liberated
The Duke of Edinburgh was on board the destroyer HMS Whelp in Tokyo Bay for the signing of the Japanese surrender.
Charles and Camilla will lead a two-minute silence at 11am at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire as part of a special televised service.
The Duke of Cambridge will pay tribute to the country’s war dead in a special BBC broadcast,VJ Day 75.
Announcing the programme yesterday PM Boris Johnson said: “When the war ended British soldiers, sailors and airmen serving in the Far East were among the last to come home.
“On this anniversary I want to remember what we owe the veterans of the Far East campaign.
“They brought an end to the Second World War, they changed the course of history for the better, liberated South East Asia, and many paid the ultimate sacrifice.”
Captain Sir Tom Moore said: “For me VJ Day will always be the most special of days, remembering all those who served in such challenging conditions in the Far East.
“I respectfully ask Britain to stop whatever it is doing and take some time to remember that were it not for the ultimate sacrifices made all those years ago we would not be enjoying the freedoms we have today.”
A number of veterans, including 93-yearold Royal Navy veteran Albert Wills, will be at the National Memorial Arboretum service hosted by the Royal British Legion.
Music will be provided by the Central
Band of the RAF and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will take part in a flypast following the two-minute silence.
The service is not open to the public because of the coronavirus pandemic but will be broadcast live on BBC One.
At sunrise, a piper will play Battle’s Over at HMS Belfast in London and pipers will also be playing at dawn in India, Australia, New Zealand and Nepal.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, himself a former Army officer, said: “VJ Day is sometimes seen as the forgotten victory but this year, on its 75th anniversary, our celebrations are rightly focused on paying special tribute to the greatest generation and their service and sacrifice in the Far East.”