Armed Forces lead tributes
The UK’s Armed Forces are centre stage in global commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day 80) this week.
A packed programme of events will pay tribute to those who served in the Far East during the Second World War and honour the sacrifice of the Commonwealth’s military personnel.
From ceremonial flypasts to dawn laments, the commemorations will be held across the UK and around the world, reflecting the enduring bonds formed during the conflict.
Defence Secretary John Healey said the anniversary was a chance to “thank those who served and remember those who died”, adding that today’s Armed Forces continue “the legacy of the Greatest Generation”.
Ceremonies in Staffordshire and London
The national commemorative event, hosted by the Royal British Legion, will be held at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire on August 15. Around 400 members of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force will form a guard of honour, joined by the Brigade of Gurkhas in recognition of the 120,000 Gurkha soldiers who fought in Malaya, Burma and Singapore.
Flypasts by the Red Arrows and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight – featuring a Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster – will headline the ceremony, which will also include music and formal tributes.
The evening before, a sunset ceremony at London’s Memorial Gates will pay homage to Commonwealth personnel who served and died in the Far East. The event will feature an emotive lightshow projecting images and stories from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s “For Evermore” archive. Lord Boateng, chair of the Memorial Gates Council, will lay a wreath on behalf of HM The King, and the Torch for Peace will be lit as a symbol of shared commitment to global stability.
Global dawn laments
At dawn on VJ Day, military bagpipers will perform the traditional lament Battle’s O’er simultaneously at The Cenotaph, the Far East section of the National Memorial Arboretum, and Edinburgh Castle. The performances will be broadcast live and synchronised with pipers stationed around the world, including in Japan, Nepal, Brunei and New Zealand.
These dawn tributes will also be echoed at a Japanese peace garden, marking decades of reconciliation between the UK and Japan since the end of the war. The music will honour the service and sacrifices made across the Indo-Pacific and underline the international nature of the Far East campaign.
HMS Prince of Wales at sea
Commemorations will also extend to the Indo-Pacific, where the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales – currently leading the UK Carrier Strike Group – will host a remembrance service on its flight deck. A Royal Navy chaplain will lead prayers, followed by a minute’s silence, as the ship sails alongside 12 allied navies.
The Carrier Strike Group’s deployment is designed to reinforce the UK’s commitment to NATO, demonstrate operational capability, and uphold peace and prosperity in the region – a mission closely tied to the legacy of the Second World War alliances being honoured.
A moment of reflection
Across the UK and in overseas deployments, Armed Forces personnel will pause their duties to remember those who fought and those who never returned. The Ministry of Defence will also lead a moment of reflection at The Cenotaph, Britain’s national monument to the fallen of both world wars.
Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said the commemorations were a reminder that “the service and sacrifice of the Second World War generation continues to inspire the men and women of today’s Armed Forces” and that the alliances forged then “still keep us safe today”.
With events ranging from solemn memorials to stirring displays of music and aviation, VJ Day 80 will serve as both a tribute to history and a reaffirmation of the UK’s enduring military partnerships around the world.
