VJ Day veterans to be honoured on 80th anniversary

Veteran Owen Filer, from Cwmbran, was serving in India on VJ Day in 1945

Veterans who served in the Far East during World War Two are being invited as guests of honour to a service to mark the 80th anniversary of the allied victory there.

The Royal British Legion (RBL) is asking both veterans and their families to register for the event, at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire, on 15 August.

VJ Day (Victory in Japan) marks Japan's surrender to the Allies in 1945 following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which effectively ended the war.

The service will pay tribute to all those who served in the region, including Burma Star recipients, British Indian Army veterans and former prisoners of war.

It will also commemorate those who fought in pivotal battles, including Kohima and Imphal in India.

Crowds gathered across the UK, including at Buckingham Palace, London to celebrate VJ Day on 15 August 1945

Veteran Owen Filer, 105, who was serving in India on VJ Day in 1945, plans to travel to the event from his home in Cwmbran, Wales, and said it would be a "poignant day".

He said: "This is a significant moment for my generation and for all those who served out there and back home before Japan surrendered.

"It will be an honour to be with the Royal British Legion and fellow veterans 80 years after the world went through so much, and to remember those who never made it back."

Mr Filer said VJ Day was a significant moment for his generation

The event comes weeks after the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.

RBL research suggests there are about 8,000 surviving World War Two veterans in England and Wales, based on census and ONS data.

The charity warned the number was likely to fall to below 300 over the next decade.

Director General Mark Atkinson described the 80th anniversary as "one of the last opportunities" for the nation to thank veterans for their service.

"We owe it to all those with a connection to VJ Day to pause and reflect on their contribution and legacy," he added.