Islander lays wreath at official VJ Day ceremony

The wreath in memory of Channel Islanders is set to be laid at 10:00 local time (04:00 BST) in Thailand

A Guernsey man is to lay a wreath on behalf of the Channel Islands to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan (VJ) Day.

Chris Oliver, a local military historian and trustee of the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry, will lay the wreath at Kanchanburi War Cemetery in Thailand.

VJ Day is commemorated on 15 August each year, and marks the date in 1945 when Japan surrendered to the Allied Forces, ending World War Two. Mr Oliver said he was "humbled" to be invited to lay the wreath to remember islanders in the war.

In Guernsey, the bailiff has approved the flying of Union Flags on States buildings to commemorate. Islanders will also take part in a national two-minute silence at 12:00 BST.

"I think it would be fair to say everyone knows VE Day, and VJ Day is less familiar" Mr Oliver said.

"VE Day in Europe is of course the day before our own liberation. But Commonwealth troops were still fighting here in the Far East.

"The very final end to the Second World War was seen here, in south-east Asia, after nearly six years of conflict, on 15 August 1945."

Victory in Europe Day, or VE Day, happened on 8 May 1945, when Nazi Germany surrendered to the Allied Forces.

A day later, troops arrived in Guernsey and Jersey and brought five years of Nazi German occupation to an end, which is celebrated as Liberation Day.

'Forgotten war'

The area of Thailand where the wreath laying is set to take place is known through the story of the novel and film Bridge over the River Kwai, which saw thousands of troops, including British and Commonwealth, in forced labour while building the Japanese a strategic railway line.

Mr Oliver said VJ Day in Guernsey was not about commemorating but remembering.

"There were Channel Islanders who served in the Second World War," he said.

"It's absolutely true to say an awful large proportion of them served in Europe, but we do have stories of men who served in the Far East.

"It's often called by historians the 'forgotten war' out in Japan and south-east Asia, and that's true."

He explained: "Looking up some of these men who served, we've got some extraordinary people. One chap from the Douglas family fought as an RAF squadron leader and won the Distinguished Flying Cross.

"His brother, a chap called Shorter, was an officer with the Gordon Highlanders who was captured by Japanese forces, and sadly he must've died and I say he must've died because he is lost after he becomes a prisoner of war."

Mr Oliver will lay his wreath in memory of Channel Islanders who lost their lives at 10:00 local time (04:00 BST).