St Albans Mayor to lead VJ Day 80 celebrations
St Albans Mayor, Councillor Teresa Heritage, will lay a wreath at the City’s war memorial to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day.
She will be joined by other Councillors and senior Council officers with representatives of the Royal British Legion also invited.
Everyone is welcome at the event, held at the war memorial in St Peter’s Street, which will start shortly before noon on Friday 15 August.
This was the day in 1945 when Japan surrendered to Allied forces, bringing an end to the Second World War.
The ceremony at the war memorial will be an opportunity for the local community to come together and pay their respects to the victims of the war in the Far East.
The Town Crier, Stephen Potter, will read a proclamation to honour the courage of those who perished.
The Rev’d Vanessa Jefferson, Precentor at St Albans Cathedral, will then lead a two-minute silence at noon which is being held throughout the country.
In a further show of respect and commemoration, the Union flag will be flown from St Albans Museum + Gallery,
Cllr Heritage, the Mayor of St Albans City and District, said:
It is a great honour to lead the District’s celebrations of this important occasion, VJ Day 80.
I hope many of our residents will join me at the war memorial as a wreath is laid and the silence observed in memory of all those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and way of life.
We must not overlook the suffering and bravery of those who fought many, many miles away from home against the Japanese in Burma, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong. We will always remember them.
You can find out more about VJ Day and the war in the Far East here.
Contact for the media: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer: 01727-819533; john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.