VJ Day anniversary commemorations

The bravery of all who served in the Far East during the Second World War was remembered at a special service at Norwich Cathedral to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day.

The service was organised in partnership with the National FEPOW (Far East Prisoners of War) Fellowship Welfare Remembrance Association and was attended by the association’s Royal Patron, His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester, who was accompanied by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester.

Watch the live stream recording of the service below.

The Dean of Norwich, the Very Revd Dr Andrew Braddock, said: “The VJ Day service was an opportunity to remember the enormous human cost of the Second World War and its ending, both across the world and in successive generations.

“We remember the fortitude of those who were prisoners of war in the Far East, subjected to unimaginable pain and torment, and the part played by all the people of our nation and Commonwealth in the shared conviction that oppression and tyranny must not prevail.”

While VE Day marked the end of the war in Europe in May 1945, many thousands of Armed Forces personnel were still engaged in combat in the Far East for a further three months after this.

VJ Day (Victory over Japan Day) marked the day Japan surrendered on 15 August 1945, which ended the Second World War.

The 80th anniversary commemorations at Norwich Cathedral saw a military parade march through the Cathedral Close ahead of the Service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance which was sung by Norwich Cathedral Choir and saw more than 1,000 people gather to pay their respects.

During the service wreaths were laid by His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester, Olga Henderson, who was representing the National FEPOW Fellowship Welfare Remembrance Association, and The Lord Dannatt GCB CBE MC, on behalf of the Veterans of Norfolk.

Following the service, Their Royal Highnesses joined a reception in the Cloister where they spoke with civilian internees, family members of Far East prisoners of war and representatives of the National FEPOW Fellowship Welfare Remembrance Association (NFFWRA).

Pictures: Bill Smith