VJ Day 80 – BBMF flypast at the National Memorial Arboretum
Header Image: The RAF BBMF three-ship formation of a Lancaster, Hurricane and Spitfire overflying the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire on 15th August 2025. (Photo: Crown copyright)
To mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day the Royal British Legion, in partnership with the Government and the UK Armed Forces, hosted 33 Second World War veterans as guests of honour at a Service of Remembrance at the base of the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire on Friday 15th August.
Attended by Their Majesties The King, The Queen, and the Prime Minister, this national event honoured the British, Commonwealth and Allied Veterans who served in the Far East theatres of war including Burma, now Myanmar, the Pacific and Indian Ocean Territories. Around 1,500 guests attended the service which recognised the diverse backgrounds that contributed to the Allied victory, including those from India, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Africa and other parts of the world. Thousands more watched the event live on TV. The event paid tribute to those who fought and died during the War in the Far East and featured moving first hand testimony from veterans who had experienced the conflict. The veterans in attendance included recipients of the Burma Star, veterans involved in the Battles of Kohima and Imphal and Far East prisoners of war.
The ceremony began with the nation observing a two-minute silence, a powerful moment of reflection broadcast live on BBC One. A guard of honour was made up of men and women drawn from the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force. The Red Arrows flew over the ceremony and later the BBMF formation of the Lancaster, Hurricane and Spitfire made three flypasts.
