VJ Day 80: Doncaster to host city centre commemoration
Doncaster will mark the 80th Anniversary of VJ Day tomorrow (August 15) with a ceremony and two minute silence in Sir Nigel Gresley Square.
The occasion will include a speech by Civic Mayor Councillor Tim Needham and prayers led by Father Peter Das.
The ceremony will conclude with pipers playing the lament as the VJ flag is raised.
Members of the public are welcome to join the ceremony to support the event from around 11.50am and observe the two-minute silence at noon in honour of the 80th Anniversary of VJ Day.
What is VJ Day?
VJ Day, also known as Victory over Japan Day, Victory in the Pacific Day, or V-P Day is the day on which Imperial Japan surrendered in World War II, in effect bringing the war to an end.
The term has been applied to both of the days on which the initial announcement of Japan's surrender was made – 15 August 1945, in Japan, and because of time zone differences, 14 August 1945 (when it was announced in the United States and the rest of the Americas and Eastern Pacific Islands) – as well as to 2 September 1945, when the surrender document was signed, officially ending World War II.
15 August is the official V-J Day for the United Kingdom, while the official US commemoration is 2 September.
The name, V-J Day, had been selected by the Allies after they named V-E Day for the victory in Europe, which is marked on May 8 and earlier this year staged its 80th anniversary.