Brackley to Mark 80 Years Since Victory Over Japan

Posted 19 hours ago in Events

On Friday 15 August 2025, Brackley will join communities across the nation in commemorating the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day). This important date marks the moment in 1945 when Japan announced its surrender to the Allied forces, bringing the Second World War to an end.

The Royal British Legion (RBL) will lead a short memorial service on the Piazza to pay tribute to the courage and sacrifice of those who served, and to remember the lives lost in the war against Japan.

Residents are invited to gather on the Piazza from 8.45am, with the service beginning shortly after the Town Hall clock chimes at 9.00am.

• Friday 15 August
• Piazza (Town Square)
• 8:45am

About VJ Day

VJ Day is an occasion for reflection as well as remembrance. While it was a day of national relief and celebration, it also carried immense sadness. The war against Japan had been long and brutal. Over 90,000 British troops were casualties of that campaign, including 30,000 who lost their lives and 37,500 who were held as prisoners of war.

For many service personnel from Britain and across the Commonwealth, the end of the war meant a long journey home and months of waiting before being reunited with families, in some cases after more than five years apart.

The Brackley service is an opportunity for the community to come together, honour the service and sacrifice of that generation, and ensure that their contribution is never forgotten.

RBL - VJ DAY