Red Arrows prepare for flypast over London ahead of VE Day
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Powys County Times
3 days ago
- Powys County Times
Remembering VJ Day and the Powys hero who returned home
Today marks the 80th Anniversary of VJ Day, when Japan surrendered and the Second World War ended in the Far East. While VE Day marked the end of the war in Europe on May 8, 1945 many thousands of Armed Forces personnel were still involved in bitter fighting in the Far East. Today is also a poigniant day for one Powys family. Chrissy Maddy shared the amazing story of her father Lawrie Price who lived in Hay on Wye following the end of the war. Mr Price had to lie about his age to get enlisted in the Oxe and Bucks Light Infantry and would train in Oxford, Northern Ireland and Scotland before boarding a ship to South Africa. From there he was sent to India and flown into Burma. They landed in the middle of the jungle where he joined the Chindits, a special force under the command of General Wingate. They had a long march from the crossings of the Irrawaddy river in Burma - now Myanmar - and completed a 600 mile trek over three months which saw the soldiers navigate narrow valleys and mountain sides. Daughter Chrissy said: "Dad witnessed many harrowing scenes and the loss of fellow recruits played heavily on his mind for the rest of his life. "Few of us can imagine the hardship those brave soldiers endured. "Trekking like mules carrying half their body weight in a backpack across mosquito infested rivers, through steamy dense jungle terrain with scant water, little food, high humidity, temperatures of 110-112F, monsoons and always the threat of the Japanese. "Life here was no paradise and conditions were extremely tough." The Chindits, named after a Burmese mythical animnal, endured some of the worst conditions of the War. They suffered terrible casualties from savage hand-to-hand combat as well as sickness and slow starvation. In the first expedition a third of the men were lost and 600 of the survivors were too ill to ever fight again. Malaria, Dysentery and Tuphus were rife and Mr Price suffered with all three of these diseases as he plunged from a sturdy 12 stole to a skeletal seven sone. "Dad was desperately ill and taken by raft across a lake to a hospital in Assa," said Chrissy. "There were many sick and wounded men on this raft and many were thrown overboard as one by one they died. "By the time they got to Assam my Dad was the only survivor. "He recovered slowly in hospital for three months were the nurses taught him embroidery and after convalescing he was able to join his Battalion in Poona." However, fate intervened and changed the course of Mr Price's life. When the day finally came to leave hospital and join his Battalion there wasn't room for him onboard. The next day he learned that the boat had sunk and there were no survivors. Chrissy said: "Dad always believed that there was someone with him all the time looking after him and that he was meant to survive. "He was brought up in a religious family and like the rest of our family had a strong faith which helped him enormously. My Dad was a survivor one of the lucky ones." After the end of the war, Mr Price returned home to Hay on Wye on the Powys border and married his sweetheart Peggy and together they raised seven children. Mr Price re-joined Hay St Mary's Football Club having been a keen football player in his younger years and even declined a trial at Liverpool Football Club. Chrissy said: "My Dad treasured each day and lived it to the full, his love of nature, the River Wye, his family and life's simple pleasures that cost nothing were what was important to him . "Dad never talked about his time in Burma and only received his medals when my sister wrote to the British Legion when he was in his eighties and was dying of Bowel Cancer, so he did get to see his medals before he died."
BBC News
4 days ago
- BBC News
Birds strike Red Arrows jet before VJ Day flypast
One of the RAF Red Arrows experienced a bird strike on the way to a flypast on aerobatic display team were headed to the National Memorial Arboretum, near Lichfield, Staffordshire, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, when the strike a social media post the RAF confirmed the pilot "returned safely to Bournemouth" and the planned flypast went ahead as an eight aircraft later, all nine jets were performing at Eastbourne International Airshow, East Sussex. Flight Lieutenant George Hobday, pilot of Red 7, described flying for the veterans on VJ Day as "humbling" and "an absolute honour".He said: "It's always extraordinary. There's a lot of planning that goes into these things. We're always focused on putting the best possible flypast."It's always really special to be a part of."VJ Day, or Victory over Japan Day, is marked each year on 15 August - the date in 1945 when Japan surrendered to the Allied forces and World War Two Red Arrows have exhibited a diamond nine shape and a combination of close formations, flypasts and precision flying since 1965. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices
Glasgow Times
5 days ago
- Glasgow Times
10 pictures from Glasgow's VJ Day 80th anniversary service
The poignant service was attended by senior military personnel from the Royal Navy, Army and RAF and reserve units, and representatives from faith groups and organisations across the city. (Image: Colin Mearns) (Image: Colin Mearns) (Image: Colin Mearns) Lord Provost Jacqueline McLaren, who also attended the event, said: 'When Japan announced its surrender to the allied forces, the time was met with relief and celebration that after six long years the Second World War was finally over. 'People sometimes forget that after VE Day in May there was service personnel still actively engaged in combat, and today we remember them and their sacrifices, just as we did a few weeks ago. (Image: Colin Mearns) (Image: Colin Mearns) (Image: Colin Mearns) 'This is a time to reflect on their selflessness, the courage displayed, and the resilience of those brave people who put their lives on the line, on the ground, in the air, and on the oceans, to keep us safe and to build a better world for our children.' A parade remembering the Glasgow heroes who fought in the 'forgotten war' will be held in Knightswood on Saturday. (Image: Colin Mearns) (Image: Colin Mearns) (Image: Colin Mearns) Bailie Anne McTaggart will represent the Lord Provost and lay a wreath at the Veterans' Memorial Monument. She will also present a commemorative Glasgow 850 plate to the Knightswood veterans' organisation as acknowledgement and appreciation, from the city, of the organisation's work and support to city events and causes over the years.
