A special commemorative event will be held in Ellesmere on Friday evening, August 15th to mark the 80th anniversary of V.J Day, which saw the end of the 2nd World War in 1945 with Victory over Japan.
The town council and the local branch of the Royal British Legion are inviting people to gather at the War Memorial in the grounds of St Mary’s parish church for a short service to honour British, Commonwealth and Allied forces who were killed and injured in the Far East conflict.
The service, starting at 7 pm,, will be led by the Rev John Vernon and will include a wreath-laying ceremony with the Mayor and other civic leaders taking part, together with Legion officials. A bugler will sound Last Post to signal two minutes’ silence.
Legion branch chairman Bob McBride said: “This is a very significant and poignant anniversary. As Europe celebrated the surrender of German forces on V.E Day, May 8, 1945, thousands of men were still involved in bitter jungle fighting across the Far East, including Malaya, Singapore, Burma and Borneo.
“The conflict continued for a further three months before the Japanese finally surrendered after being hit by two atomic bombs, dropped by American aircraft on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
“Britain incurred more than ninety thousand armed forces casualties. This included nearly thirty thousand killed, of whom more than twelve thousand were prisoners of war. In total, 37,000 British troops were taken prisoner by the Japanese and many were subjected to such unspeakable cruelty, that a large number of those who came home suffered life-limiting health issues..”
Mr McBride added: “The Asia-Pacific conflict is sometimes described as the ‘forgotten war,’ but it’s something that we must never forget. We would like to see as many people as possible at the war memorial on August 15 and we’re asking everyone to assemble in the churchyard from 6.45 pm.”
Refreshments will be served inside the parish church after the service.
