Today marks VJ Day, marking 80 years since the end of the Second World War.
I was honoured to be able to lay a wreath on behalf of Parliament at today’s service at The Thinking Soldier Memorial alongside representatives from HM The King, the RAF, the RBL and the Town Council.
The campaign in the Pacific against Japan saw brutal fighting against an unrelenting enemy and unimaginable sacrifices from those British and Commonwealth troops who fought for our freedom.
Having commissioned into the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (West Riding) it was an honour to recall the part that my former Regiment played as Chindits, operating behind Japanese lines and fighting at the battles of Imphal and Kohima. My tie today is a nod to that history.
Britain lost nearly 30,000 soldiers in the Pacific theatre, over 12,000 of whom were as POWs from a staggering 50,000 taken. Across British and Commonwealth forces there were a total of 235,000 casualties. The Royal Navy lost 23 warships. These are figures that seem almost unimaginable in today’s context.
We owe those soldiers our gratitude and whilst often overshadowed by the war in Europe, must never forget their sacrifice.
