Eternal Gratitude, Britain Marks 80 Years Since Victory Over Japan

Published: 15 August 2025 — The English Chronicle Online

Britain today stood still in solemn remembrance, honouring the heroes of the Second World War’s final chapter on the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan (VJ) Day. From the sweeping grounds of the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire to the bustling streets of cities across the United Kingdom, two minutes of silence united the nation in reflection, gratitude, and remembrance.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla, joined by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, led the central commemoration alongside veterans whose memories bridge eight decades. Among them were some of the last living witnesses to the war in the Asia-Pacific, men and women now in their late nineties and beyond, carrying stories of endurance, sacrifice, and hope.

The Royal Family’s presence lent an air of deep symbolism. The King, in his address, spoke of the “vital lesson” these veterans have left for future generations: that the greatest weapons in war and peace are “not the arms you bear, but the arms you link.” He reminded the nation that VJ Day marked not simply a military victory, but a moment when disparate nations and peoples stood together for freedom, overcoming divisions of distance, culture, and faith.

As the ceremony unfolded at midday, the Red Arrows roared across the Staffordshire skies, joined by historic Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft. Veterans in wheelchairs, their jackets heavy with medals, looked upward in silence, some wiping away tears. Wreaths were laid, and the haunting notes of a lone piper echoed from the battlements of Edinburgh Castle — one of six simultaneous performances across the UK and East Asia, from Brunei to Nepal.

Among the day’s most poignant moments were the stories of those who served in the Far East. Denis Elix, 101, who served as a Wireless Operator in the RAF, recalled celebrating VJ Day with villagers in Nainital, India, the air filled with relief and joy. Bob Gelder, now 100, remembered the freezing horrors of Arctic convoy duty before being sent to the Pacific, where an accident left him hospitalised in Melbourne on the day peace was declared. From their hospital blues, he and fellow patients joined Australians in jubilant street celebrations.

Some stories carried darker echoes. Arthur Edward Giddings, 99, recalled guarding Japanese prisoners of war accused of war crimes in Singapore. Others, like John Eskdale of Gloucestershire, spoke bluntly of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, believing the devastation spared them from what they feared would have been a “bloodbath” in a ground invasion of Japan.

Viscount Mark Slim, grandson of Field Marshal Viscount William Slim — commander of the so-called “forgotten army” in Burma — urged the nation not to let VJ Day fade from memory. “VE Day was not the end of the war,” he said. “VJ Day was the end — the day when all hostilities ceased. We must remember the cost, or history will repeat itself.”

The Prince and Princess of Wales added their own tribute, praising the “courage, sacrifice and resilience” of those who fought in the Asia-Pacific, and affirming Britain’s “enduring debt” to their generation.

In Japan, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba marked the day with an unprecedented admission of “remorse” for the war, vowing that the country would “never repeat the tragedy.” Though stopping short of a full apology, his words marked a departure from past rhetoric.Today’s commemorations were not only about history but about lessons for the present. As the King concluded: “The courage and camaraderie displayed in humanity’s darkest hour is a flame that shall blaze for eternity — a beacon that honours our past and guides our future.” His words, echoing the inscription at Kohima War Cemetery — “For your tomorrow, we gave our today” — seemed to capture the essence of the day: remembrance, gratitude, and the hope that such a war need never be fought again.