Frome commemorates VJ Day 80th anniversary

Frome commemorated the 80th anniversary of Victory Over Japan Day (VJ Day) with a series of events run by the Royal British Legion aimed at providing a point for reflection and Remembrance for all generations.   

The events marked the anniversary of the end of World War II in the Far East and Pacific, following well-attended ceremonies in May commemorating the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day.

A service at St John’s Church was held on the eve of VJ Day, on 14th August.

Organiser Jane Norris said, “A Lantern of Hope was lit by Gina Parsons, daughter of one of the bravest of the brave Chindit soldiers who went behind enemy lines in the Burmese jungle on reconnaissance.   

“Her father never spoke of his experiences. Likewise, Steward Jenkinson, RBL member, shared photos of his father, a RM commando who was present at the Japanese surrender after the dropping of two atomic bombs. No one wins in war, as the world is witnessing now.

“Jonathan Cheal spoke eloquently at the church service of the purpose of Remembrance, recognising the fall out for all; the innocents and civilians in Japan and all Far East countries. He considered the conditions and brutality that had to be stopped.   

“Hand-held candles distributed to all, became the linking theme for the 12 noon Act of Remembrance with wreath laying at the Frome Memorial on VJ Day, 15th August, when Mayor of Frome, Anita Collier read Rudyard Kipling’s poem Recessional.

“The Last Post, followed by the recorded voice of Ron Stone, a Burma veteran who died aged 101 in 2021, echoed the words of the Kohima Epitaph. No one present could have been unmoved.

“The afternoon continued with Lights of Hope, Music of Peace at Victoria Park, when the Frome community bunting, made to commemorate VE and VJ Day, was laid out for drone photographs. The commemorations ended at 6pm with eight minutes of silence at the Memorial, before the bunting was linked and extended, stretching from the Memorial to St John’s Church, following the route of the soldiers who marched in the Victory Parade of 1946.

“We must do all we can to ensure the Light of Hope is never extinguished,” says Jane Norris. “As a generation passes, they and their families will never be forgotten. Lest we forget the lessons learned.

“Such notable dates cannot go unrecognised. It is to the generation who witnessed the time and its aftermath, and for some who experienced first-hand the atrocities in the Far East and in the Pacific, that we respectfully acknowledge the 15th of August – when Japan surrendered and World War Two finally came to an end.”