Thurmaston Parish Council has hosted a service of commemoration on the 80th anniversary of VJ Day to mark the sacrifice of those who served and died in the Far East in World War II, and to remember those who returned but with the physical and mental scars of what they had seen in that most brutal of conflicts.
As Thurmaston's local MP Edward joined Thurmaston's Councillors, representatives of the RBL, Thurmaston Parish Council, and many local residents at a moving service held at the war Memorial outside Thumaston's War Memorial Hall on Melton Road in the village, to commemorate the day in 1945 when Imperial Japan surrendered, effectively ending the World War II. After the commemorations, the Memorial Hall hosted a deeply thought-provoking exhibition, and provided tea and coffee.
Edward said: "Just as today's visits started with a VJ Day commemoration service, it is right that my last engagement of the day as the local MP was also a VJ Day service. It reflects the importance of the events 80 years ago, and in the Far East throughout WWII, and the importance that we remember, and express our gratitude to all those who fought and died for our freedom in the war in the Far East. I want to pay tribute to everyone who helped organise, and who participated in, this important community event in Thurmaston, helping to bring the gratitude we owe that wartime generation who served in the Far East into sharper focus. We should continue to show that gratitude in our support for our veterans, and those who serve today."
