The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Stephanie Peacock)
I beg to move,
That this House has considered the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan.
It is an honour to open today’s debate as we come together as a House and as a country to mark 80 years since victory over Japan, which brought an end to fighting in the far east. The anniversary will be commemorated on 15 August. On 15 August 1945, King George VI delivered a speech to the nation and the Commonwealth, saying,
“now we shall have to work hard to restore what has been lost, and to establish peace on the unshakable foundations”.
Eighty years on, we remember the British, Northern Irish and Commonwealth veterans—the second world war generation who gave so much, and those who paid the ultimate sacrifice to secure our freedom and peace. To them, we say thank you.
VE Day 1945 marked the end of the second world war in Europe, but thousands of British, Northern Irish and Commonwealth troops continued to battle against Japanese forces in Asia and the Pacific. Three months later, victory over Japan was declared on 15 August, following Japan’s agreement to surrender unconditionally to the allies. The Prime Minister of the day, Clement Attlee, gave a radio broadcast to announce the end of hostilities, declaring:
“Japan has today surrendered. The last of our enemies is laid low.”
Eighty years on, this Government recognise the huge importance of commemorating this anniversary. VJ Day is a moment to reflect on the remarkable perseverance and bravery shown by those who fought, or endured, the war in the far east.
The human cost of the second world war was overwhelming. It led to death and destruction for millions of people. The dropping of two atomic bombs on Japanese cities—one on Hiroshima on 6 August and the other three days later on Nagasaki—resulted in enormous devastation, bringing the six-year global conflict to a rapid end and introducing the atomic age. The end of the war brought sadness, relief, and renewed hope that families and soldiers who had long been separated would soon be reunited. However, it would take months and much effort to bring British service personnel back home.
Shortly after VE Day, we saw the liberation of Jersey and Guernsey on 9 May, and Alderney on 16 May. It was a huge honour to visit Jersey and Sark this year for the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day. The story of the islands is one of perseverance, which I was grateful to hear more about when I attended a number of commemoration events there, but the period of time from May 1945 through to VJ Day on 15 August was a period of suffering. Tens of thousands of service personnel from Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Commonwealth fought and gave their lives, including thousands of allied troops who were taken as prisoners of war and forced into hard labour. Many allied prisoners of war in Japanese captivity died before liberation in August 1945. Those individuals experienced unimaginable suffering, including starvation and disease, and their memory and sacrifice must not be forgotten.
Alongside the British armed forces, hundreds of thousands served in the far east from countries including pre-partition India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Nepal, and from east and west Africa. The British Pacific fleet worked in parallel with our US allies, making the second world war an international effort.
This year’s commemorations to mark VJ Day have been, and will continue to be, led by those with first-hand experience of the war. We acknowledge the importance of this, as this year is likely to be the last significant anniversary at which veterans who served in the second world war are present. The Government are honoured to be working closely with the Royal British Legion to put veterans front and centre of the VJ Day commemorations. I take this opportunity to thank the partners who have worked with us throughout this commemorative year, including the Royal British Legion, Imperial War Museums, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the National Theatre, Arts Council England, Historic Royal Palaces, the Together Coalition, the Big Lunch, Atlantic Productions, the BBC and the National Lottery Community Fund.
I also thank officials from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and from the Ministry of Defence. Of course, we have been working across Government, and in particular with the Ministry of Defence. I am joined by the Minister for the Armed Forces, and I have worked closely with my noble Friend Lord Coaker, who is with us this evening.
As living history fades into the past, it is more important than ever that we listen to the stories of the remaining veterans who fought for their country in that conflict. The diverse armies that fought together for our freedom reflect the very fabric of modern Britain. The national commemorations will commence with a Government reception to celebrate and commemorate VJ Day with veterans. On Friday 15 August, the Royal British Legion will lead the nation in honouring and remembering those who fought and died during the war in the far east, with a service marking the 80th anniversary of VJ Day. That will take place at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire and will be broadcast live on BBC One from midday. It will pay tribute to British, Northern Irish, Commonwealth and allied veterans who served in the far east theatres of war, the Pacific and Indian Ocean territories.
With veterans in attendance, the VJ service will be a tribute to them, involving 400 members of the armed forces, and the Red Arrows. The event will feature a guard of honour of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force. Music will be provided by military bands, and the battle of Britain memorial flight will lead a breathtaking flypast. The national two-minute silence will be held on Friday 15 August at midday to remember and thank those who fought for our freedom. The silence will be marked by all UK Government Departments, which will also fly the Union flag at full mast.
The Government continue to support and promote a range of initiatives to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the ending of the second world war throughout the year, to Remembrance Sunday and beyond. To mark VJ Day specifically, the Imperial War Museum will screen a short film, “I Saw the World End”, produced by Es Devlin, to commemorate the dropping of the atomic bombs. There is a new augmented reality experience offering a deeper exploration of the second world war in Asia and the Pacific. Children and families will be welcomed to the museum’s sites in London and the north to participate in making paper cranes as a symbol of peace.
We continue to promote a range of educational and cultural activities to help schools and communities to engage with the 80th commemorations designed to mark both VE and VJ Day, including: “Our Shared Story”, a collection of educational resources; “Letters to Loved Ones”, a project encouraging people to share family letters from the war to illustrate what everyday life was like—it was lovely to discover some of my grandparents’ letters from when my grandad, Bobby, who I am very proud of, was serving in the RAF during the war; and “The Next Morning”, a new production written by James Graham that focuses on the hopes, dreams and ambitions of young people after the second world war.
The Government have provided funding to support arts centres, libraries and museums across the country to work with their local communities to develop activities that commemorate and reflect the VE and VJ Day anniversaries. I look forward to visiting one such project in my area, taking place at the Barnsley Civic, to hear more about its work exploring community solidarity in Barnsley from the 1940s to the present day.
My Department has been working with the Common-wealth War Graves Commission on the “For Evermore Tour”, which is travelling across the UK and global sites including cemeteries in Kenya, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Japan. The tour will honour and shine a light on stories from those across the world who fought in the second world war, and I was grateful for the opportunity to see the tour at first hand in May. UK landmarks, high commissions in Commonwealth countries and prominent memorials will be lit up in white on 15 August as beacons of strength and national unity, as they were 80 years ago.
Dr Andrew Murrison (South West Wiltshire) (Con)
We have just been through the centenary of the great war. Does the Minister agree that the difference between 80 years and 100 is that we still have veterans among us? Sadly, when we come to the centenary of the events we are commemorating this year, that will not be the case. Will she therefore make absolutely sure that it is the veterans who are centre stage during this commemoration?
Stephanie Peacock
The right hon. Gentleman makes an incredibly important point. I hope I have outlined this in my contribution, but I reiterate that we want veterans to be front and centre of these commemorations.
Importantly, commemorative activity is taking place across the UK, with each of the devolved Governments marking VJ Day 80. The Scottish Government will be leading a concert at Edinburgh castle, where I recently visited the national war memorial. In Northern Ireland, a charity concert will take place in Lurgan, and I was pleased to visit the area a few months ago when I was invited by the hon. Member for Upper Bann (Carla Lockhart). I recently visited Cathays cemetery in Cardiff to see the work it carries out to honour the Commonwealth war graves. National wreath-laying at the Wales national war memorial will lead a programme in Wales centred on peace and reconciliation.
Those are just some of the events taking place across our devolved nations, and together they reflect a shared commitment to remembrance and recognition across the UK. More than 144 commemorations are taking place across the nation throughout August to mark VJ Day, from those that I have already mentioned to services in Lichfield and Norwich cathedrals, which the public are encouraged to join. We commemorate the end of the second world war throughout the year, and not only on VE Day on 8 May or VJ day on 15 August; troops returned home gradually throughout the year until Alderney’s Homecoming Day on 15 December.
The strength and courage of those who fought are truly unmatched, and the horror that they suffered as prisoners of war in the far east is unimaginable. Strength is what we remember about VJ veterans: their unshakable resilience, determination, service and sacrifice in unimaginable circumstances, and the way in which they came together to support one another long after the war had ended. I am sure that I speak for Members on both sides of the House in expressing our deep gratitude to our great second world war generation. We come together in the House in a moment of unity today to mark 80 years since victory over Japan, in awe of those who gave more than many of us will ever have to give.
Several hon. Members rose—
The Minister for the Armed Forces (Luke Pollard)
It is a particular privilege to close this debate, which has seen such a strong and united House say thank you to those who served in the Pacific theatre in the second world war. A number of Members have spoken about their family members, but we thank all those who stood up to serve, defend our values and ensure the freedom that we have today.
I am grateful to the Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley South (Stephanie Peacock), who is responsible for ceremonials, for opening this debate and clearly setting out how the nation will mark VJ Day on 15 August. It is an opportunity for all our communities in every part of the United Kingdom to tell the stories that Members have been sharing with the House today. They are stories of sacrifice, of courage and of ordinary folk doing extraordinary things, and it is so important that we keep those stories going today.
Jessica Toale (Bournemouth West) (Lab)
I pay tribute to the father of my constituent Sally Hedges Greenwood, Lance Sergeant Frank Jeremy Hedges, who served in the 135th Field Regiment. He was captured at the fall of Singapore and served on the infamous Burma railway. While the nation celebrated VE Day and continues to do so every year, Sally’s family and many others like them feel forgotten. Does the Minister agree that these VJ Day celebrations will give those men and women and their families the honour they deserve?
Luke Pollard
I thank my hon. Friend for her intervention, and for remembering Frank Jeremy Hedges in her remarks. It is so important that we remember all those who served in every part of the second world war. Just as we remember all those who served in the European theatres and who lost their lives, or who went to war and came back forever changed, we must remember all those who served in the far east, across the Pacific and the Indian ocean, and further afield as well. We must tell their stories with pride, so that their sacrifices live on.
Chris Webb (Blackpool South) (Lab)
While we celebrate VJ Day on 15 August, as we should, does the Minister agree that we should also encourage schools to mark that anniversary when term resumes, so that young people remember the sacrifices that so many made and the stories of so many valiant veterans and armed forces personnel?
Luke Pollard
I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention, which gives me an opportunity to inform the House that there are resources available for our schools. “Our Shared Story” is one of those resources, which will enable people to find out more and tell the story in a way that is age-appropriate for all our young people. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising that matter in the Chamber today.
Eighty years may have passed since VJ Day, but that can never diminish the triumphs of that extraordinary world war two generation—the greatest generation—or the unimaginable sacrifices they made to secure a legacy of peace and freedom. When we commemorate the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, we will particularly remember the British and Commonwealth heroes who fought across the Indo-Pacific. We will remember those who fell on the battlefield; those who endured some of the most hostile combat environments in the history of warfare; those who were sunk on ships in oceans far from home; those who suffered terribly in prison camps, or on forced labour construction projects; those who continued fighting in the far east for another three months after VE Day; and those few surviving veterans of the campaign who are still with us today. We are eternally grateful to every one of them. Let the united message from this House go out: “Thank you for your service.”
Remembrance is not passive, and our duty does not end with words—it requires action. As we have heard in this debate, there will be events across the nation inviting people to take a moment out of their day to remember those who served. Just as we did for VE Day, we must do for VJ Day.
John Slinger (Rugby) (Lab)
Does my hon. Friend agree that, although of course there was victory over Japan, the second world war was victory over fascism and over those who trample on human rights, democracy and freedom? Japan, once an enemy, is now an ally, defending the values of civilisation alongside our forces. Does he further agree that when my constituents light a beacon in Hillmorton on 15 August, it will be a beacon of hope in our troubled world, and that we owe a debt of gratitude to those whose sacrifices made that victory possible?
Luke Pollard
I thank my hon. Friend for that. A theme picked up by a number of colleagues, including the Chair of the Defence Committee, my hon. Friend the Member for Slough (Mr Dhesi), was that old adversaries can become good friends. When there are rising tensions and conflicts in the world, it is worth remembering, 80 years on from VE and VJ Day, that those nations that were at war with us all those decades ago now stand alongside us, with shared values and a shared outlook on the world. That is an important message to send.
In the moments left to me, I will mention a few of the speeches that we have heard today. I am particularly grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth North (Amanda Martin). As the MP for the other shipyard, as she described Devonport in the debate, let me say how pleased I was that she mentioned the sacrifice of the Royal Navy and all those who served in our Pacific fleet. I think in particular of those brave sailors who served on HMS Prince of Wales, HMS Electra and HMS Exeter, which went down in the east Java sea. Those shipwrecks are war graves. Although we cannot see them in the same way we can see the rows of headstones in the cemeteries and the D-Day beaches, it is none the less important that we preserve them, protect them and tell the story of those who served.
I am grateful to all those who spoke about the importance of the Commonwealth forces, including my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Adam Jogee), who spoke about his grandfather who served. Indeed, a number of Members talked about their family members who served, including the hon. Member for Meriden and Solihull East (Saqib Bhatti), my hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle (Ms Minns), and the hon. Member for Taunton and Wellington (Gideon Amos), whose remark about everyday folk who get caught up in war and do extraordinary things I found exactly right in the stories that we must tell.
My hon. Friend the Member for Erewash (Adam Thompson) spoke powerfully about Donald Rose, and the hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Dr Spencer) spoke about his family member who fought in Burma. My hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Northfield (Laurence Turner) put Ken Tinkler on the record, and he was right to do so. The hon. Member for Tewkesbury (Cameron Thomas) spoke about the stories of evil that were prosecuted in war, and he was right to put that on the record. The hon. Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) spoke about the important contribution of people from his constituency. My hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool North and Fleetwood (Lorraine Beavers) spoke about Harold Rhodes and the death railway, and that powerful story will be told often as we approach VJ Day itself.
I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Lancaster and Wyre (Cat Smith), who spoke about her grandfather, who was awarded the Burma Star. The hon. Member for Windsor (Jack Rankin), who mentioned Charles Snelling, powerfully invited not just Members of the House but all those watching to choose a name on a war memorial and find out the stories behind those names, why they matter, and why their stories continue to be told. My hon. Friend the Member for Aldershot (Alex Baker) spoke passionately not only about the Gurkhas, who I know she is proud to represent, but about Frank Mole, a prisoner of war.
It is so important in this debate that we remember all those who served in our forces, as well as the civilians who died in the conflicts, many of whom will not have names on war memorials. Equally, we must remember all those who died in Hiroshima and Nagasaki when the atomic bombs were dropped that brought the war to a close. In the moments left to me, I join the shadow Defence Secretary, who spoke so well about the debate, and echo the words of John Maxwell Edmonds in the Kohima epitaph:
“When you go home, tell them of us and say,
For your tomorrow, we gave our today.”
Question put and agreed to.
Resolved,
That this House has considered the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan.