Queen emotional as veteran goes ‘off script' to honour King's cancer battle
VJ Day on August 15 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the six-year war, but much of the celebration in 1945 focused on VE (Victory in Europe) Day in May, with those who served in the Far East labelled The Forgotten Army.
Yavar Abbas, who was a captain in the 11th Sikh Regiment, took to the stage at the National Memorial Arboretum to read extracts from his diaries during his time in Burma in 1945, but took a moment to pay tribute to his 'brave king' first.
Camilla looked at her husband sitting next to her and appeared to wipe away a tear as Mr Abbas, 105, originally from Lucknow in India, said: 'I make no apologies for briefly going off the script to salute my brave king, who is here with his beloved queen in spite of the fact that he is under treatment for cancer.'
Applause rang out among the crowd of around 1,500 guests as Mr Abbas said he had also battled cancer, adding that he hoped it would bring 'comfort' that he had been rid of the disease himself for 25 years.
He added: 'I salute him for gracing this occasion, because by his presence here, he has gone a long way to make sure that his grandad's 14th Army is never given the sobriquet again of The Forgotten Army.'
The ceremony was hosted by actress Celia Imrie and featured readings by actor Robert Lindsay and veterans, as well as musical performances from the National Children's Choir of Great Britain, Jennifer Pike and the Royal Corps of Signals Pipes and Drums.
Ahead of the service, the King, in a pre-recorded audio address to the nation, vowed that the sacrifice of heroes who fought and died in the campaigns 'shall never be forgotten'.
He also significantly acknowledged the devastation caused by the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki which led to Japan's surrender, describing the 'immense price' paid by its citizens as one 'we pray no nation need ever pay again'.
He said: 'Please know that the courage and camaraderie displayed in humanity's darkest hour is a flame that shall blaze for eternity – a beacon that honours our past and guides our future.'
After the service of remembrance, which started with a two-minute silence and a Red Arrows flypast, the King made his way to the Far East corner of the arboretum, where he met Silas Sarbah and Khadak Chettri, the grandsons of Second World War soldiers, as well as William Slim, the great-grandson of General Bill Slim, who led the so-called Forgotten Army.
He viewed tributes at the Burma Railway memorial, which is constructed from 30 metres of original track from the so-called 'Railway of Death', and took a moment of reflection at the Burma Star Memorial and the Chindit Memorial, before heading to a reception for VJ veterans and their families.
The King and Queen were joined by the Prime Minister and Lady Starmer, as they met some 30 veterans who served in the Far East during the Second World War for the British and Commonwealth Armed Forces, accompanied by their families and carers.
A dinner reception was held after the service at which The King, the Queen, and the Prime Minister chatted at length with several of the Far East veterans, including Mr Abbas.
Speaking after the reception, the 105-year-old veteran, a retired write and TV producer, told reporters: 'I make no apology for going off the script.
'I admire the man… I admire The King. He has similar views about things as I have, about the environment for example.
'He's human. When I went up to him and talked to him, he said something very touching to me. He said to me when you said that I almost cried. That's our King and he's a great King.'
Intelligence Corps veteran George Durrant, aged 100 and from West Sussex, addressed the service alongside his great-granddaughter Elsbeth.
He enlisted as a private in 1942 and trained to be a tank driver, before volunteering for a special mission which turned out to be serving in Burma.
In his reading to the commemoration, Mr Durrant said people always talked about how brave the veterans were, but added that few of them saw it that way.
He told the service: 'We must look to the future and ensure that the next generation remember our sacrifices so that they can strive for a more peaceful tomorrow.'
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