THE SACRIFICE made by the ‘remarkable’ wartime generation is to be remembered in a special event on Anglesey commemorating the 80th anniversary of VJ Day.
The commemoration of Victory over Japan Day is being held at Parys Mountain, and will include the lighting of the most northern beacon in Wales.
It aims to remember those who took part in the conflict in the Far East and the date which heralded the end of conflict, finally ending the Second World War.
Thousands of British and Commonwealth military personnel had continued to fight Japanese forces in Asia and the Pacific for three months after the celebrations had broken out to mark the end of World War II in Europe – ‘VE Day’ – on May 8, 1945.
But Victory over Japan – ‘VJ Day’ – was not declared until August 15, 1945.
The ‘Copper’ mountain event will see a special programme of wartime music, songs, speeches, hymns and readings, and a small military parade.
The event is set to start at 9pm, in the Parys Mountain car park, on Friday, August 15.
Attending are members of the armed forces and services, land, sea and air, including cadet groups and Scouts, VIPs, community leaders, councillors and officers, politicians and clergy.
Gp Captain GJJ Curry OBE, ADC MA RAF Station Commander RAF Valley and the Lord Lieutenant of Gwynedd Edmund Seymour Bailey, are also scheduled to take part.
Among the speakers will be Cllr Aled Morris Jones, giving the welcome, along with Rev Llewelyn Moules-Jones, and the RAF Valley’s Rev (Squadron Leader) Mike Hall.
The evening is hoped to follow on from the success of a VE Day memorial which was attended by a huge crowd, despite the chill evening, on Thursday, May 8.
At the previous event, some members of the public had got into the spirit of the era, dressing in costumes of the time and joining in singing.
There were vintage cars and army Jeeps of yester-year, on show as well as flags of all nations flying on the Copper Mountain.
The evening is expected to follow a similar pattern as last time after the beacon was lit, the Last Post will sound, followed by the Lowering of the flag Standards and the sounding of Reveille.
One of the organisers Anglesey Councillor Aled Morris Jones said: “We feel it is very important to remember VJ Day.
“It was the actual end of World War II which had been raging for nearly six years, and 450,000 military and civilians made the ultimate sacrifice to keep us free.
“In the Far East we put together the largest army that has ever put in the field – over one million men and women, from 20 nations and 40 languages, and this army won a total of 29 Victoria Crosses during the Burma Campaign.
“It was the first time the Japanese had been defeated on land and this was by a British Army in the battles of Admin Box, Kohima and Imphal.
“The army had close air support from the RAF and it was a text book exercise on how to keep troops supplied when behind enemy lines.
“It is vital we remember VJ Day as we remembered VE Day.
“The sacrifice of the remarkable wartime generation literally saved us all, so it is our privilege and duty to remember.”
