Today, the Royal Family commemorated the 70th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day in Central London, despite media reports that extremists aimed to explode a bomb during those events.
 |
| Photo by Sgt Ross Tilly RAF © MOD Crown copyright 2015 |
Pauline Simpson, an organiser of the events from the National Far East Prisoners of War Fellowship Welfare Remembrance Association, said of the day: 'I think it's very important to the veterans because they feel that they've been treated as the forgotten army. Their comrades that fought in Europe came home in May 1945 and they came back to a huge welcome and celebration. And for many people in the nation it was the end of the war, but in actual fact for all of the men still in the Far East in captivity, many of them didn't even know that the war had ended and they didn't start returning home until three or four months later. I think it will be a very emotional day because I know that at the very heart of those attending today will be the memory of those that didn't return'.
 |
| Photo by Sgt Ross Tilly RAF © MOD Crown copyright 2015 |
Service was attended by The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Earl and Countess of Wessex, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Prime Minister, more than 1,000 veterans of the Far East campaign and their families.
 |
| Photo by Sgt Ross Tilly RAF © MOD Crown copyright 2015 |
The Countess of Wessex is a Patron of Java Far East Prisoners of War Club, who has brought together Far East Prisoners of War captured in Java but later spread across camps throughout Japanese-occupied territory. My post about HRH's Patronage can be found here.
 |
| Photo by Sgt Ross Tilly RAF © MOD Crown copyright 2015 |
The service included special readings and hymns, an address by The Right Reverend Nigel Stock, Bishop of Southwark and Bishop to HM Armed Forces, and a wreath-laying at the Far East Prisoner of War Memorial in the church. The service was supported by the Band of the Honourable Artillery Company and the St Martin’s Voices Choir.
 |
| Photo by Sgt Ross Tilly RAF © MOD Crown copyright 2015 |
Dr Sam Wells, vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields, told the congregation: 'We are gathered together in the presence of Almighty God to remember, with gratitude, those who gave their lives for the cause which we have believed to be right. And especially to remember our comrades who, in prison camps, or in the seas of the Far East, made the supreme sacrifice, and also to remember those who have died, since their return, as a result of their suffering. That their sacrifice be not in vain, we meet to dedicate ourselves anew to his service, and to ask his guidance in all that lies ahead of us.'
 |
| Photo by Sgt Ross Tilly RAF © MOD Crown copyright 2015 |
Victory over Japan Day is the day on which Japan surrendered in World War II, in effect ending the war. August 15 is the official V-J Day for the UK, while the official U.S. commemoration is September 2.
 |
| Photo by Sgt Ross Tilly RAF © MOD Crown copyright 2015 |
On September 2, 1945, a formal surrender ceremony was performed in Tokyo Bay, Japan, aboard the battleship USS Missouri. In Japan, August 15 usually is known as the "memorial day for the end of the war" ; the official name for the day, however, is "the day for mourning of war dead and praying for peace".
 |
| Photo by Sgt Ross Tilly RAF © MOD Crown copyright 2015 |
Britain suffered 90,332 casualties in the war against Japan of whom 29,968 died - 12,433 whilst prisoners of war. More than 60,000 Allied Prisoners of War were put to work on the railway and subjected to brutal treatment. Around 12,621 of them died during its construction, including 6,904 British personnel. Rebecca English of Daily Mail wrote "A survivors's wife once told me her husband woke screaming every night 50 years later but couldn't bring himself to talk about it"...
 |
| Photo by Sgt Ross Tilly RAF © MOD Crown copyright 2015 |
The Railway Man, movie with Colin Firth & Nicole Kidman, tells a story about a former British Army officer, who was tormented as a prisoner of war at a Japanese labor camp during World War II.
 |
| Photo by Sgt Ross Tilly RAF © MOD Crown copyright 2015 |
Here's video of The Duke of Edinburgh, reflecting on his time with the Royal Navy in Tokyo Bay in 1945, while serving as First Lieutenant on HMS WHELP.
 |
| Photo by Sgt Ross Tilly RAF © MOD Crown copyright 2015 |
Article about events leading to the VJ Day 70 years ago: 'VJ Day 70th anniversary: What happened on Victory over Japan Day?'
 |
| Photo by Sgt Ross Tilly RAF © MOD Crown copyright 2015 |
Moving article about Judy: The Dog who became a prisoner of war. Worth reading and knowing that animals also helped people during those very hard times. More articles about VJ Day anniversary here.
Later, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall attended a Drumhead Service and wreath-laying ceremony on Horse Guards Parade followed by a reception in the grounds of Westminster Abbey, hosted by The Royal British Legion. More in Hello.
Outfit & jewellery:
Emilia Wickstead, longer version of Irune striped silk-satin dress.
Jane Taylor Millinery hat, navy version of Suzi hat, first worn during Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
Back-to-Front Pearl earrings by Heavenly Necklaces.
Clutch by Jane Taylor.
LK Bennett Harley pumps.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso watch.
 |
| Historic & iconic photo of V-J Day in Times Square NY, a photograph by Alfred Eisenstaedt, that was published in Life in 1945 |
Outfit & jewellery:
Emilia Wickstead, longer version of Irune striped silk-satin dress.
Jane Taylor Millinery hat, navy version of Suzi hat, first worn during Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
Back-to-Front Pearl earrings by Heavenly Necklaces.
Clutch by Jane Taylor.
LK Bennett Harley pumps.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso watch.
0 comments:
Post a Comment