UK to hold national two minute silence on August 15
The nation is set to fall silent for two minutes to honour the 80th anniversary of VJ Day. The day marks the victory over Imperial Japan that heralded the end of the Second World War.
A host of commemorative events are planned and a service of remembrance will take place at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire on August 15, featuring a 400-strong contingent from the armed forces, a display by the Red Arrows and historic planes from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. Officials say the country will come together in a national silence at midday to remember the sacrifices made.
While VE Day, which marked the conclusion of the war in Europe, was honoured with four days of events in May, the fight against Japanese forces in Asia and the Pacific continued for three more months 80 years ago, involving thousands of British and Commonwealth troops.
Organised in collaboration with the Royal British Legion (RBL), the remembrance service will be attended by Second World War veterans, reports Bristol Live. It will also feature members of the VJ associations, top-ranking politicians, and military officials, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said.
Tom Berry, a 101-year-old Second World War veteran and RBL ambassador from Cheshire, who served on HMS Tartar during Japan's surrender, 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."
The Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is encouraging people to stay home and tune in to the ceremony on TV. He said: "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."
Lisa Nandy, Secretary for Culture, 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 Minister 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."
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