King Charles' tribute to VJ Day heroes: Monarch echoes his grandfather George VI in inspirational message 80 years on from end of World War Two

Daily Mail​

2 days ago

The King will tell the nation tomorrow how the sacrifice of the heroes of VJ Day will never be forgotten.
In a moving audio message, echoing one broadcast by his grandfather, King George VI, eighty years ago, Charles will describe how those who lived and died in the Far East 'gave us more than freedom; they left us the example of how it can and must be protected'.
August 15, 1945, marked not only the cessation of war over Japan but the end of the Second World War as a whole.
More than 90,000 British troops were casualties of the Far East conflict, of which almost 30,000 died and over 12,400 were held as prisoners of war, in often horrific conditions.
But despite the magnitude and brutality of the conflict, many feel that their contribution was deliberately overlooked at the time and has continued to be forgotten over the years, particularly given the historic significance of events to mark Victory in Europe in May of that year.
Now on one of the last major commemorations the dwindling number who served at the time will live to see, the monarch's six-minute audio recording will be played to the nation, Realms and Commonwealth.
The message was recorded earlier this month, in the Morning Room at Clarence House.
Notably the King will make reference to the experience endured by Prisoners of War, and to the innocent civilians of occupied lands in the region, whose suffering 'reminds us that war's true cost extends beyond battlefields, touching every aspect of life'.
His Majesty will also describe how the heroes of V.J. Day 'gave us more than freedom; they left us the example of how it can and must be protected', since victory was made possible by close collaboration between nations, 'across vast distances, faiths and cultural divides'.
He will add that this demonstrates 'in times of war and in times of peace, the greatest weapons of all are not the arms you bear but the arms you link.'
The King, accompanied by Queen Camilla, will lead the national commemorations by attending a Service of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire organised by the Royal British Legion tomorrow.
Their Majesties will join veterans, members of VJ associations, military personnel and senior politicians for the event.
They will lay wreaths at the Armed Forces Memorial, before a national two-minute silence and a flypast from the RAF Red Arrows. There will also be a flypast by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight of historic aircraft.
Afterwards they will meet with around 30 surviving veterans who served in the Pacific and Indian Ocean territories, those who were prisoners of war and veterans stationed throughout the UK and Commonwealth, who contributed to the war effort in the Far East.
The Prince and Princess of Wales will not be present but plan to share a 'personal message of reflection' to mark the occasion.