Posted on: Friday 14 August 2020
The next celebration on the Armed Forces calendar is the 75th Anniversary of Victory in Japan, which takes place this Saturday, 15th August 2020.
To honour the sacrifices made by the Allied forces in Japan, we will be flying our Welsh, Union Jack and Torfaen Flags. Commemorations on the day include:
- a national moment of remembrance will be marked with a two minute silence at 11am.
- the Red Arrows conducting a UK-wide flypast tribute over Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff and London during the afternoon.
- a ‘VJ Day 75: The Nation’s Tribute,’ a special programme will be broadcast on BBC One In the evening.
The Royal British Legion have issued guidance to their members across then UK advising on groups of no bigger than 30 meeting to mark the occasion ( e.g at a local war memorial). This is in line with Welsh Government current regulations which limits a group of up to 30 meeting outdoors. Coronavirus guidelines can be found here: https://gov.wales/coronavirus
Torfaen Councils Armed Forces Champion, Councillor Alan Jones said,
“We recently celebrated Victory in Europe Day, paying tribute to all the brave service men and women that served at home and abroad. Victory in Japan Day also marks another momentous occasion that we should never forget.
On the 15 August 1945, victory in the Far East brought an end to the Second World War, with many in the armed forces paying the ultimate sacrifice. This coming Saturday we will remember all those who courageously fought to keep our country and our allied countries safe.
Let’s celebrate this important moment in our country’s history together, ensuring we celebrate responsibly in order to keep Wales safe.”
Memories and messages of support can be shared on the day by using the VJ Day hashtag - #VJDay75
Please note, this year no ceremonies have been organised by the Council.