MEMBERS of the Royal British Legion and representatives from Truro City Council paid their respects at 11am on the 80th anniversary of VJ Day [Friday, August 15]. They were joined by veterans and descendants of those who served in the Far East for the final push of the Second World War – some of whom lost their lives.

From December 11, 1941, British and Commonwealth forces battled Japanese forces that had invaded Burma through Thailand. Japan’s surrender on August 15, 1945 was the act that finally brought World War Two to an end.

The service was led by Barry Cooper, chairman of the Truro branch of the Royal British Legion, and branch chaplain Rev Chris Parson. At 11am, Mr Cooper recited lines from Laurence Binyon’s poem For The Fallen and the city centre fell silent save for the strains of bugler Gillian Allen playing The Last Post and Reveille as the Royal Standard was lowered and lifted.

Among the crowd were Malcolm Bell, his sister Alison Adams and friend Diane Smith, all of whom were present to honour family members who received Burma Star medals for the service in the campaign against Japanese forces.

Diane Smith, Malcolm Bell and Alison Adams at the VJ memorial service in Truro
Diane Smith, Malcolm Bell and Alison Adams at the VJ memorial service in Truro (Tindle)

Mr Bell was wearing the medals awarded to his late father, Kenneth, one of three brothers to return from Burma. “I’m remembering not just those who were there, like my dad, but also people like my gran and all the other families,” he said. “They must have wondered what was happening to their sons so many miles away, in the days before Facebook and Instagram.”

“They were the forgotten army,” added Alison. “While for many, VE Day represented the end of the war, the families of those in Burma had three more months of worrying about their loved ones. Of those who came home, there aren’t many left – Dad would have been 100, and he was one of the younger ones.”

Diane Smith’s father was on the first British ship that attempted to enter Rangoon. “My father never talked about Burma – he signed the Official Secrets Act, and only spoke about it on his death bed,” she said.

She added that compared with VE Day memorials, “there were very few people here, which is testament to how VJ Day is perceived and saddens me”.