VJ Day 80: Marking 80 years since the end of the Second World War

Friday, August 15, marks the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, when victory over Japan was declared and with it came the end of the global conflict that was the Second World War.

While Europe celebrated the surrender of German forces on VE Day in May 1945, thousands of British, Commonwealth and Allied Armed Forces remained involved in fighting in the Far East. That was until VJ Day was declared.

War in the Pacific

Between 1941 and 1945, war in the Pacific raged between Japan, a key ally for Germany, and Britain, the Commonwealth and its Allies. In the Far East, conditions were very different from those in the war in Europe. Battles were fought across oceans, in jungles, over snow covered hills and in scorching temperatures on remote and far away islands.

Between 100,000 and 200,000 Allied soldiers lost their lives in the Far East during the Second World War. Two of those were police officers of Glamorgan: Joseph Hubert Hill who died of injuries sustained during a Japanese Air Raid in Malaya in December 1941 and Godfrey Howard Stenner who was killed in action at the Battle of Kohima in India in April 1944.

The names of both men are remembered on the Glamorgan Police War Memorial at Police Headquarters. They are also remembered in the Second World War Roll of Honour which has been produced to mark the 80^th anniversary of the end of the War.

Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan said:

“On VJ Day we honour all those that fought and served in the Far East during the Second World War, paying particular respects to our colleagues Joseph Hubert Hill and Godfrey Howard Stenner.
“Their courage and sacrifice secured a peace they themselves would never see. It is our duty to remember them. They will never be forgotten.”

We remain committed to remembering those who lost their lives in the Second World War. They will not be forgotten.