On the 15 August 1945 Japan surrendered. The Victory over Japan came at a heavy price, and today on the anniversary of VJ Day here at Erskine we remember and recognise all those who served and sacrificed in the Far East and ultimately brought an end to the Second World War.

Over the years we have had the honour of caring for many Veterans who bore witness to the war in the Far East, some with memories they could not share for many, many years.

One Royal Marine was in Singapore, in 1945 when the Japanese surrendered.  He remembered it as a momentous day in the history of the world.

Another Royal Navy Veteran was aged just 20 and attached to the Pacific Fleet.  On 15th August 1945 he was on his way to Japan. He said: “When news of the surrender came through it was a relief”.

Yet another Veteran, aged 21, was working on top secret work in the RAF unit in Burma. He remembered that after Victory in Europe, war raged on in the Far East. While celebrations took place at home, after the defeat of Nazi Germany, troops continued to fight in the sweaty, malaria-ridden conditions the other side of the world, still in a brutal fight with Japan. 

That was until the atom bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, resulting the Japanese surrendering on August 15, 1945, officially bringing the Second World War to an end.  

He recalled: “As far as I was concerned, August 15 was when the war ended. I will never forget it. By dropping those bombs, so many lost their lives, but so many others would have died had that not happened, as Japan would have fought to the last man. A lot of lives were saved on both sides because the bombs were dropped.

Important memories from the past.  Lest we forget.

To find out more about Erskine’s work please visit our website at www.erskine.org.uk, follow on twitter@ErskineCharity via Facebook www.facebook.com/ErskineVeteransCharity or listen to Erskine Veterans Radio at Erskine.org.uk/radio