Victory over Japan: 80th Anniversary

Helen Maguire Excerpts

Monday 21st July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Helen Maguire (Epsom and Ewell) (LD)]

It is an absolute privilege to speak today as we mark the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan, an occasion for national reflection, remembrance and gratitude.

We in the Liberal Democrats are proud that so many of our colleagues have served in the armed forces. They, together with veterans and serving personnel across the UK, carry the torch of service passed down from that greatest generation—those who fought to preserve freedom and democracy in the face of fascism and tyranny. This anniversary is not just a historical milestone; it is a vital opportunity to honour those who served, fought and, in so many cases, made the ultimate sacrifice. Their courage shaped the world we live in. It secured peace, it secured democracy and it left a legacy of international co-operation that we must never take for granted.

In the far east, where the war continued long after peace had been declared in Europe, tens of thousands of British and Commonwealth troops, including the legendary Fourteenth Army, fought under unimaginable conditions in the jungles of Burma, in the heat of the Pacific islands, and in the face of fierce resistance. Fighting took place over a vast region, from Hawaii to India, and Allied forces faced disease, the constant risk of capture and the heartbreak of separation. Victory over Japan only came on 15 August, after devastating losses on all sides, including the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

This anniversary carries a personal resonance for me. My grandfather served in Burma as a captain in what we believe was the Yorkshire Regiment, part of the British 2nd Infantry Division. He fought in the battle of Kohima, a brutal turning point in the war where the terrain, climate and conditions pushed soldiers to the absolute limits of human endurance. Like many people who fought in those conditions, he never spoke about his experience, but it was clear that the impact of the war stayed with him for his whole life. I remember him today with pride, and honour the sacrifice of all those who served alongside him.

We have no surviving veterans who served in the far east in my constituency, but the memory of their service lives on powerfully in our community. On Victory over Japan Day, local residents flooded the streets in a spontaneous torchlit procession from Epsom town centre to the Downs. A 30-foot bonfire, built from the ruins of bomb sites, was lit by the mayor and effigies of Axis leaders were cast into flames. Across Ewell, Hook Road, Horton Estate and Rosebery Park, families gathered to celebrate, give thanks and remember. We remember still brave men from our borough, such as Sergeant Jack Canham, killed at Imphal; Lance Bombardier Alfred Cates, who died as a prisoner of war on the Burma railway; Corporal William Murphy, who fought and fell at Kohima; and Corporal Noel Seymour, a young RAF wireless operator, who died aged just 21. All are commemorated on our local war memorials and in the book of remembrance at the town hall. Their stories are part of Epsom and Ewell’s history, and they deserve to be part of our nation’s collective memory, too.

The war in the Pacific was brutal. Captured soldiers faced inhumane treatment, while many of those who served in that theatre felt forgotten in the decades that followed, earning the title “the forgotten Army”. Today, we remember them. We remember the soldiers from India, the Caribbean, Africa and all those from the Commonwealth who fought under the British flag. Theirs was one of the most diverse fighting forces in history: men and women from across the empire, speaking dozens of languages, united by duty. Their contribution should be recognised not as an afterthought, but as a central part of our national narrative.

I want to recognise and commend the efforts of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and its global “For Evermore” tour, which has worked to preserve the memories of those who served, from Singapore to Kenya, from Hong Kong to Thailand. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s torch for peace is a vital symbol of remembrance, passed from one generation to the next.

As we commemorate, we must also recommit to supporting those who serve today and those who have served. It is not acceptable that, in 2025, veterans continue to fall through the cracks, struggling with mental health, homelessness or poor housing. The Liberal Democrats believe in a fair deal for our veterans. A fair deal means action on homelessness, by building 150,000 more social homes every year to allow every member of society access to their own home; a fair deal means proper mental health support, by providing mental health support and easy access to professional help; and a fair deal means making sure veterans count, by ensuring there is better recording of the physical and mental health outcomes of veterans, including waiting times for treatment.

Those who now carry the torch—current service personnel—must have a fair deal. I am proud that last week my Liberal Democrat colleagues in the other place defeated the Government to extend the decent homes standard to Ministry of Defence accommodation. I hope that that remains in the Renters’ Rights Bill when it returns to the Commons. It is a basic principle: if someone is willing to put their life on the line for our democracy, they should at the very least have a warm, safe home.

The injustices faced by many Commonwealth and other overseas armed forces personnel and their families must also be rectified. Some are still being asked to pay thousands of pounds in visa fees just to live in the country they served. Those fees should be scrapped. No veteran’s family should be priced out of their place in our society.

Finally, we must ensure that this 80th anniversary is a living act of remembrance, and we must teach our children the full story of the blitz and the Burma railway. In doing so, we preserve the memory of those who fought and those who never came home, and we pass on their stories with honesty, pride and gratitude. Remembrance is about not only the past, but the present and the future; and as threats to freedom rise again in our world, we must remember why they fought and ensure that we honour their legacy in our teachings, in our words and in our deeds.