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VJ Day veterans to be honoured on 80th anniversary

Susie Rack
BBC News, West Midlands
PA Media A black and white image of a man in a peaked army cap with royal insignia on the front and and open-necked shirt. The man has dark hair and a serious expression. Just his head and shoulders can be seen, against a dark background.PA Media
Veteran Owen Filer, from Cwmbran, was serving in India on VJ Day in 1945

Veterans who served in the Far East during World War Two are being invited as guests of honour to a service to mark the 80th anniversary of the allied victory there.

The Royal British Legion (RBL) is asking both veterans and their families to register for the event, at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire, on 15 August.

VJ Day (Victory in Japan) marks Japan's surrender to the Allies in 1945 following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which effectively ended the war.

The service will pay tribute to all those who served in the region, including Burma Star recipients, British Indian Army veterans and former prisoners of war.

It will also commemorate those who fought in pivotal battles, including Kohima and Imphal in India.

Getty Images A high-angle black-and-white view of crowds of people celebrating VJ Day, some climbing on the Victoria Memorial, on The Mall outside Buckingham Palace in Westminster, London.Getty Images
Crowds gathered across the UK, including at Buckingham Palace, London to celebrate VJ Day on 15 August 1945

Veteran Owen Filer, 105, who was serving in India on VJ Day in 1945, plans to travel to the event from his home in Cwmbran, Wales, and said it would be a "poignant day".

He said: "This is a significant moment for my generation and for all those who served out there and back home before Japan surrendered.

"It will be an honour to be with the Royal British Legion and fellow veterans 80 years after the world went through so much, and to remember those who never made it back."

PA Media The head and shoulders of an elderly man wearing dark-framed glasses, a black and grey patterned cardigan, grey jumper, shirt and tie. He is sitting on a cream sofa and there is cream wallpaper behind him.PA Media
Mr Filer said VJ Day was a significant moment for his generation

Amrit Dhatt, whose grandfather Rajindar Singh Dhatt was drafted to East Asia with the Indian army, said he and comrades had "fought for our peace for today".

"We need to come now together to remember that and to remain in unity," she told BBC Breakfast.

The former Sgt Maj died on 21 May, at the age of 103 and Ms Dhatt said he had lived an "incredible life".

"He was always so fond of speaking about his memories and for that I'm grateful because I had that first-hand experience of learning about what he went through," she added.

A close-up of an elderly man with a white beard, wearing a blue turban. His mouth is partially open as if he is speaking and he has on a dark jacket and grey and white checked scarf. He is sitting on a dark brown sofa, which can just be seen blurred in the background against a white wall.
Rajindar Singh Dhatt joined the British-Indian Army and later served in the Asia-Pacific region, before settling in the UK

The event comes weeks after the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.

RBL research suggests there are about 8,000 surviving World War Two veterans in England and Wales, based on census and ONS data.

The charity warned the number was likely to fall to below 300 over the next decade.

Director General Mark Atkinson described the 80th anniversary as "one of the last opportunities" for the nation to thank veterans for their service.

"We owe it to all those with a connection to VJ Day to pause and reflect on their contribution and legacy," he added.

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