- Event at National Memorial Arboretum to honour VJ veterans will be broadcast live
- Red Arrows will join historic Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft for flypast over national VJ Day 80 commemorations
Members of the public are encouraged to participate in a national two-minute silence on Friday 15 August to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
A Service of Remembrance will honour and remember those who fought and died during the Second World War in the Far East at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, which will be broadcast live on BBC1 from midday.
It will host a spectacular tribute to veterans involving 400 members of the Armed Forces, the Red Arrows and historic aircraft from The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
This follows four days of events in May to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, which marked the end of the Second World War in Europe.
However, at that time 80 years ago, thousands of British and Commonwealth military personnel continued to fight Japanese forces in Asia and the Pacific for a further three months when Victory over Japan (VJ Day) was declared on 15 August 1945, following Imperial Japan’s surrender to Allied Forces. Alongside British Armed Forces, hundreds of thousands of people served in the Far East from countries including pre-partition India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Nepal and from African nations.
The Service of Remembrance will be run in partnership with the Royal British Legion and will be attended by Second World War veterans, VJ association members, senior politicians, and military personnel. It will pay tribute to the British, Commonwealth and Allied veterans who served in the Far East theatres of war, the Pacific and Indian Ocean territories.
The event will include a guard of honour of Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force and music provided by military bands. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will lead a breathtaking flypast featuring the historic Dakota, Hurricane and Spitfire aircrafts.
Veterans attending will include Burma Star recipients, British Indian Army veterans and those involved in the Battles of Kohima and Imphal, as well as Prisoners of War held across the region and veterans stationed in the UK or Commonwealth countries, who contributed to the war effort.
The service is a ticketed event, but members of the public visiting the Arboretum on the day are invited to observe the two-minute silence and watch the service on large screens at a nearby public viewing area.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said
Those who continued to fight bravely in Asia and the Pacific in those last few months of the Second World War must never be forgotten.
It is so important for us as a nation to come together on this important anniversary to remember our VJ Day veterans and hear their stories first-hand so we can ensure that their legacy is passed on to future generations and their sacrifice is never forgotten.
Defence Secretary John Healey said
VJ Day was the final victory in a war that changed the world, and we honour those who served in the Far East with enduring gratitude.
Just as we proudly marked VE Day, we reflect on the courage, sacrifice and resilience shown by so many to secure peace.
Their legacy must never be forgotten, and it’s our duty to pass their stories on to future generations.
Mark Atkinson, Director General of the Royal British Legion, said
We encourage everyone across the country to take a moment to reflect during the two-minute silence on VJ Day, to watch the Service of Remembrance live on the BBC or at the Arboretum, and pay tribute to those from Britain and across the Commonwealth who fought in the Far East in the Second World War.
It was so moving to see the nation come together for VE80 and to be putting veterans at the heart of these commemorations – now we have one of our last chances to honour all those VJ Day veterans whose service and sacrifice finally brought an end to the War.
Second World War veteran and RBL ambassador Tom Berry, 101, from Cheshire, who was serving on HMS Tartar in the Pacific when Japan surrendered, said
For veterans like me and all those who carried on fighting until VJ Day was announced, this will be a very emotional day – a moment in history. I’ll be watching the service at home, and I’d ask the country to do the same – to stop and remember all those who gave so much for our freedoms, and those who never made it back.
The national commemorations will commence with a government reception to celebrate VJ Day with veterans.
Government buildings and High Commissions across the globe will also be lit up on 15 August to commemorate VJ Day.
In addition, Imperial War Museums (IWM) will be screening I Saw The World End, a digital public artwork by celebrated artist and designer Es Devlin, at Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday 6th August to commemorate the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
IWM will also invite visitors to reflect on the events leading up to the end of the Second World War through paper dove and crane making activities at IWM London and IWM North.
On VJ Day itself, IWM will premiere a new contemporary film exploring the events and significance of VJ Day and the war in Asia and the Pacific. The film, which can be seen at IWM North and outdoor screens in locations across the UK, is produced in partnership with SODA (School of Digital Arts), part of Manchester Metropolitan University. A new augmented reality experience at IWM North will also engage audiences in a deeper exploration of the Second World War in Asia and the Pacific and its significance, bringing to life some of the personal stories, sound and film from IWM’s collection.
Following the success of IWM’s VE Day Letters to Loved Ones initiative, the public are asked to delve into their family history to find letters sent by relatives to loved ones that provide fresh insight and first-hand testimonies of VJ Day and the war in the Far East. Digital copies can be uploaded onto the official VE/VJ80 website.
Minister Steph Peacock shares her family story, remembering her Grandad and all those he served alongside
James Taylor, IWM’s Principal Curator of Public History said
The story of the Second World does not finish with VE Day on 8 May 1945, with intense fighting in Asia and the Pacific continuing for another three months, and the destruction of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Through this varied programme of activities, we will shine a light on these often-overlooked stories from the final months of the Second World War. Through public film screenings, digital experiences, and artist commissions, IWM will give people the opportunity to delve deeper into the significance of the war in Asia and the Pacific and its lasting global impact.
The Government is working with partners across the UK, including the Devolved Governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to ensure commemorations are inclusive and UK-wide.
The Commonwealth War Graves will continue their Every Story For Evermore campaign through events, new content, and augmented reality tours at international sites. These will include Commonwealth War Graves Cemeteries at Nairobi in Kenya, Sai Wan in Hong Kong, Kranji in Singapore, Kanchanaburi in Thailand, and Yokohama in Japan. This will enable international audiences to learn about the men and women who continued to serve in the Second World War after VE Day.
Director of Education, Engagement and Volunteering at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Simon Bendry, said
As part of the anniversary commemorations marking the end of the Second World War, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission is encouraging people around the world to pause and reflect on the human cost of conflict.
We commemorate more than 580,000 casualties who died during the Second World War, and we invite the public to ensure their stories are never forgotten by exploring and contributing to our online story collection, For Evermore, and by joining commemorative events taking place across the globe. From sites in the UK to Japan, from Kenya to Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore, local communities will have opportunities to honour and remember those who gave their lives and acknowledge the huge sacrifices made in pursuit of peace.
Notes to editors
- Access to the service at the base of the Arboretum’s Armed Forces Memorial will be strictly by event ticket only.
- Members of the public can participate in the commemorations by attending a live screening at the nearby Naval Review and observe the two-minute national silence; pre-booking of car parking via the National Memorial Arboretum website is strongly recommended to guarantee entry.
- For further information about VJ Day 80 and to pre-book parking, visit https//thenma.org.uk/what’s-on/events/remembering-vj-day-80-years-on-national-commemorative-event
- Visit the dedicated interactive website ve-vjday80.gov.uk for latest information and ways to get involved.
