Latest Updates
- Town Council Mayor
- 7/24/2025 9:42:30 AM
V.J. DAY - Friday, 15th August, 2025
Events were held in May to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of V.E. Day, which marked the end of the Second World War in Europe; however, at that time eighty years ago, thousands of British and Commonwealth military personnel continued to fight Japanese forces in Asia and the Pacific for a further three months until Victory over Japan (V.J. Day) was declared on 15th August, 1945, following Imperial Japan’s surrender to Allied Forces. Alongside British Armed Forces were hundreds of thousands of people, who served in the Far East, from countries including pre-partition India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Nepal and African nations.
Tredegar Town Council is very proud to take part in celebrations and commemorate, as follows:
- National two-minute silence to mark V.J. Day 80 – 12.00 noon
Commemorations will commence here in Bedwellty Park, Tredegar NP22 3XN, with the National two-minute silence to be held at 12.00 noon on Friday, 15th August, 2025 to honour the 80th Anniversary of V.J. Day. This will immediately be followed by a short commemorative service at the Burma Shrine, located in the foyer of Bedwellty House, led by Reverend Matt Davis. St. George's Church will participate in commemorations with the ringing of the Church bell to mark the occasion, immediately following the two-minute silence.
Members of the public are encouraged to participate to mark the 80th Anniversary of the end of the Second World War, which will pay tribute to the British, Commonwealth and Allied veterans who served in the Far East, the Pacific and Indian Ocean territories.
- V.J. Day Parade and Service – 7.00 p.m.
The Royal British Legion – Tredegar Branch have planned a V.J. Day Parade from the World War II Memorial Gates at Bedwellty Park to the War Memorial for a short service: the Parade will march off at 7.00 p.m. All are welcome to attend.
- Beacons and Lamp Lights of Peace – 9.00 p.m.
Lighting of a Beacon at Aneurin Bevan Stones, Bryn Serth, Tredegar NP22 4NZ: all are welcome – the public are encouraged to come together in tribute to this special moment in time.
The Mayor, Councillor Alyson Tippings, said: ‘While the war in Europe had ended, it was still raging in the Far East. V.J. Day is particularly poignant for the people of Tredegar, as the town had suffered large losses in the battle that secured the Mayu Tunnels on the Arakan peninsular. Twelve young men from our town lost their lives and a further twenty-nine were injured. This loss is never forgotten in our town and it is an honour to hold the Burma Shrine in Bedwellty House to remember those brave young men who gave their all. The ridge in Burma that marks the battlefield is called Tredegar Hill, recalling that it was the courage, skill and fortitude of the 6th Battalion South Wales Borderers, who were largely from Tredegar, that took it by storm on 26th March, 1944.’
- Ends -