On August 15, 2025, the tranquil grounds of the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire became the poignant stage for one of the United Kingdom’s most emotional commemorations in recent memory. Marking the 80th anniversary of VJ Day—the day in 1945 when Japan surrendered and the Second World War finally ended—the ceremony was a deeply moving tribute to the veterans of the Far East, a group long referred to as the “forgotten” soldiers of WWII. For a few hours, these men and women, some now centenarians, were not only remembered but celebrated, front and center alongside the King, Queen, government ministers, diplomats, and hundreds of proud families, as reported by the Daily Mail.
The event, organized by the Royal British Legion in partnership with the government, was smaller in scale and budget than the grand commemorations for D-Day and VE Day. Yet, as the Daily Mail noted, the setting sun and the relentless 84-degree heat did little to dampen the spirits of those gathered. Many of the veterans wore their Burma or Pacific Star medals with quiet pride, a testament to the hardships they had endured—hardships that, for decades, were rarely spoken of, even among their own families.
Among the most powerful moments of the service were the first-hand accounts from those who had fought in the Far East. On a giant screen, 103-year-old Thomas Jones, an ex-Royal Artillery bombardier from Salford, described the brutal conditions: “Imagine you’ve never been able to have a wash or a bath or a change of clothing for 12 months. And on top of that, you had to fight the Japanese!” His humor—“this is my last day,” he recalled thinking as a Japanese officer charged at him, only to be saved by a Gurkha soldier—brought laughter and tears in equal measure. As Daily Mail reported, Jones sadly passed away just the day before the ceremony, adding a layer of immediacy and loss to his words.
The ceremony was not without its lighter moments. Pat Crisp, daughter of Major Richard Clarkson-Littleford of the South Wales Borderers, was moved to tears by a triple flypast from the legendary Spitfire, Hurricane, and Lancaster aircraft. “The Major never left anyone behind,” his men had told her, a sentiment echoed by many families present. Bill Smith, a former London truck driver, wore the tropical uniform of his father, Sergeant Reg Smith of the Chindits—a special forces unit dropped deep behind enemy lines. “They always felt forgotten because they were told not to talk about it after the war,” Smith explained. “They didn’t want the relatives of the dead to know how awful it was.”
The ceremony’s emotional impact was not lost on the nation’s leaders. King Charles III and Queen Camilla were visibly moved, at times holding back tears as veterans recounted their stories. The Daily Mail described how the Queen laid a posy of jasmine, marigold, orchids, and other tropical flowers, while the King greeted veterans and their families with warmth and gratitude. The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, attended alongside his wife, participating in the laying of wreaths and standing in solidarity with those who served.
One of the most memorable unscripted moments came from Captain Yavar Abbas, a film-maker and former officer in the 11th Sikh Regiment, who at 105 years old looked decades younger. Stepping up to the microphone, Abbas paused to salute the King: “I apologise for briefly going off the script... to salute my brave King – who is here with his beloved Queen.” He reminded everyone that the monarch is undergoing cancer treatment, and shared, “if it provides any comfort,” that he himself had been clear of the disease for 25 years. “And I salute him because, by his presence here, he has gone a long way to make sure his granddad’s 14th army is never given the sobriquet again of a ‘forgotten’ army.” The King, visibly touched, responded with a clenched-fist salute, a rare gesture of camaraderie and gratitude.
Throughout the day, the Arboretum echoed with messages of remembrance. Wreaths and crosses, many with handwritten notes to lost fathers and grandfathers, lined the memorials. Queen Camilla sat beside John Harlow, a 100-year-old former Royal Navy submarine telegraphist, whose tribute to his lost friend Mark Webber left those nearby in tears. The stories shared—of death, survival, and the daily struggle against disease and the elements—offered a stark reminder of the price paid for peace in the Pacific theater.
The commemoration also highlighted the Commonwealth’s critical role in the victory. As King Charles reflected in his message to the nation, “Countries and communities that had never before fought together learned to co-ordinate their efforts across vast distances, faiths and cultural divides. Together they proved that the greatest weapons of all are not the arms you bear, but the arms you link.” Troops from India, Australia, Africa, and beyond had outnumbered the British, and their sacrifices were finally being recognized as integral to the Allied victory.
In a significant gesture of reconciliation, the Japanese Ambassador to the UK, Hiroshi Suzuki, laid a wreath at the Burma Railway Memorial—a first for a national VJ Day event. According to the Daily Mail, Suzuki had sought and received permission from the surviving holders of the Burma Star, a symbolic act that would have been unthinkable even a decade earlier. Viscount Slim, grandson of General “Bill” Slim, shook the ambassador’s hand, reflecting on how far relations had come since the war.
As the Red Arrows soared overhead in their iconic diamond nine formation, the crowd looked up in awe. Yet, earlier that day, one of the jets had suffered a bird strike en route to the flypast. The Royal Air Force confirmed via social media that the pilot returned safely to Bournemouth, and the flypast continued with eight aircraft, as reported by BBC News. Hours later, all nine jets performed at the Eastbourne International Airshow, a testament to the skill and resilience of the team. Flight Lieutenant George Hobday, pilot of Red 7, described the experience as “humbling” and “an absolute honour.” “We’re always focused on putting the best possible flypast. It’s always really special to be a part of,” he said, according to BBC News.
For many, the 80th anniversary of VJ Day was not just a commemoration but a long-overdue recognition. The stories shared, the tears shed, and the gestures of unity and reconciliation offered a powerful reminder: the sacrifices of the Far East veterans, once overlooked, are now woven indelibly into the nation’s memory.