The End of WWII Celebrations - Crescent Gardens

Filey Town Council presents 'The End of WWII Celebrations' at Filey Bandstand, Crescent Gardens.

Burma (Myanmar) was liberated by the 14th Army, the principle British fighting force in the east. It was composed of troops mostly from the Indian Army, plus African, British and Gurkha units. They pushed determined Japanese forces back through hundreds of miles of malaria-infested jungle, supported by continual supply drops from the air.

In the Pacific, Australian forces faced fierce resistance on Borneo, and US forces fought to take the strategically important islands of Iwo Jima and Okinawa; battles which were marked by appalling levels of casualties. After Okinawa fell on 22nd June, an invasion of the Japanese home islands planned, with enormous levels of casualties expected. Before the invasion was to take place, the most destructive war in history came to a rapid end. On 6th August, the United States dropped the first atomic bomb over Hiroshima. Two days later, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan followed by a huge attack on 9th August. That day also saw the dropping of the second atomic bomb – over Nagasaki. The number of deaths from the bombs has been estimated as high as 200,000.

Recognising that victory was impossible, the Japanese government finally accepted the Allied surrender terms on 14th August. The following day was declared Victory over Japan (VJ) Day.
(Source: Royal British Legion)

Filey Town Council will be marking the occasion on 24th August 2025, during the bank holiday weekend, with performances from Filey Showgroup and The Vintage Vocalist.

Attendance is free but we welcome donations on the day.

We look forward to seeing you there!