The Nation’s keystone event to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day was a Service of Remembrance that took place at the National Memorial Arboretum on Friday 15th August 2025. The occasion was led by His Majesty the King, accompanied by Her Majesty the Queen and associated dignitaries, including the Prime Minister. The order of service can be downloaded here.
Foremost amongst those attending was a sadly limited and rapidly diminishing number of veterans who fought as part of the 14th Army and its supporting Services.
A limited Gurkha Brigade Association (GBA) contingent, led by John Anderson as acting Chairman GBA. William Shuttlewood (rep 2GR), Louise Anderson (rep 6GR), Heather Willis (rep 7GR), Peter Pearson and Rupert Litherland (rep 10GR) and Rob Cross (rep QGE) also attended. The event was effectively arranged and coordinated by the Royal British Legion. With the Arboretum’s Wall of Remembrance as a stunning backcloth the audience was treated to a 90 minute programme of nostalgic and artistic cameos, the former provided by veterans of the Burma campaign, the latter by individuals drawn from the nation’s arts communities.
The event is available on the BBC’s iPlayer (click here) for those who did not see the live broadcast. It is worth a look. Members of the GBA in attendance would probably agree that the highlights were:
– The short but clearly very personal address by Capt Yavar Abbas 11th Sikh Regt who, at the age of 104, spoke not only eloquently of his experiences as a “combat Cameraman” during the campaign, but also (off script) of his love and respect for the Monarch and his Queen.
– Laura Main’s rendition of “When They Sound the Last All Clear”.
– Vaughan Williams’ “the Lark Ascending” performed by Jennifer Pike.
– The flypasts by the Red Arrows and the Battle of Britain Memorial flight.
The contribution made by Gurkha Regiments to the success of the Burma campaign was evident throughout the event, with constant references in the script to their fighting prowess. The front cover of the Event Programme includes a contingent of Gurkhas on the march; a contingent of QG SIGNALS formed part of the Guard of Honour; four pipers performed a lament and WO2 Khadakbahadur Chhetri GSPS was filmed laying a wreath at the Sumatra Railway Memorial. His grandfather, Kalusing Chhetri, was acting Subedar Major of the 2nd Battalion of the 2nd Goorkhas in Japanese captivity in Changi Jail, Singapore: see his biography here.
At the conclusion of the Service members of the GBA contingent withdrew to the Gurkha Chautara where wreaths were laid in memory of the Brigade’s achievements during the campaign and the horrific losses incurred.
In summary, an occasion worthy of the memory of those who fought in Burma and who endured the most challenging of conditions. From defeat to victory.
It sounds as if it was a very well-organised and evocative event: well done the Royal British Legion. It was good that there was Gurkha representation at it but a shame that the Brigade didn’t have a more prominent part in the proceedings, given the large number of Gurkhas who took part in the Far Eastern campaigns.