Melton Mowbray falls silent on the 80th anniversary of VJ Day
Melton Mowbray fell silent shortly before midday today (Friday) to recognise the sacrifices made by allied service personnel during conflict in the Far East and Pacific during the Second World War.
A service was held outside the town’s Royal British Legion Club, in Thorpe End, as part of the national commemoration of the 80th anniversary of VJ Day – Victory in Japan – which signalled the end of the war.
The standard for the Melton branch of the legion was paraded at the ceremony as a crowd gathered to pay their respects on the pavement.
The Last Post and the National Anthem were sounded superbly by Paul Hing, who is well known for playing the ‘Post Horn Gallop’ at the King Power Stadium as teams take the field for Leicester City matches.
Legion branch chair, Nick Pridden, addressed those present after two minutes of silence.
He spoke the words penned by John Maxwell Edmonds and which are inscribed on the on the Memorial of the 2nd British Division in the Kohima War Cemetery in India: “When you go home, tell them of us and say, For your tomorrow, we gave our today."
After the service, Nick told the Melton Times: “The town of Melton Mowbray have supported the VJ Day commemorations, with the turnout today and many of the shops have VJ banners and union jacks out.”
There has been some national criticism that VJ Day has not been given the same prominence as the 80th anniversary of VE Day (Victory in Europe) was back in May.
Nick commented: “It is important to remember VJ Day but there has been a shortage of VJ Day memorabilia and we’ve struggled to get hold of some.”
Services were held throughout the UK with the King and Queen attending the main event at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire with war veterans and their families.
The royals laid wreaths and listened to moving speeches with flypasts made by Spitfires, a Lancaster bomber and the Red Arrows display team.
More than 70,000 UK and Commonwealth service people were killed in fighting against Japanese forces with 12,000 being taken prisoner and held in brutal conditions.