Bolton Remembers the War Logo
PRESERVING BOLTON PEOPLE'S MEMORIES OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR
VJ Day - The End of the War in the Far East
 
HOME
PEOPLE
TOPICS
IMAGES
A to Z INDEX
LINKS
INFORMATION AND FEEDBACK
Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund
Union Flag

Leila Parker

Now VJ Day, that was the 15th of August 1945 and I often think about that... It was very quiet. It wasn’t like VE day. It was sad really because they had been still fighting out in Burma but it was just kept fairly quiet...
(more >)

Bill Brown - HMS Indomitable, Sydney Harbour, Australia

When it came to our notice that it was true, the Japanese had surrendered, all the lads were getting in their tiddley suits, you know, waiting for shore leave and a few bevies but as they got to the gangplank... I was duty anyway, so I had no problem, I couldn't go anyway, but the lads were trying to go down the gangway but the Marines were there with fixed bayonets telling them to get back, 'You're not coming ashore' and the lads were telling the Marines what they would do to them, you know, but then the skipper came on, and we all got the message, he said 'All our armaments and many of the aircraft are going to be taken off, and we are going to load with medical supplies and foods and things that the prisoners of war needed', he said 'and before we can get there' he said 'we don't know how many would have died because we can't get there soon enough' so everybody was subdued, you see everybody, ashamed I suppose, because... forgotten about those lads, but we didn't need telling twice, and everybody turned to and worked with a will, and they did work, they didn't wait for the dock workers.
(more >)

Constance Thomasson

On VJ Day we had staying with us the wife of one of my father's dear friends. Quite soon, her husband, who had been a POW in Japan, arrived at our house. He was near 6 foot and weighed under 7stone.

I worked at B and F Carter's as a draughtsman by day and drove a Roocroft's toffee van / ambulance at night, even on some ‘scary trips' to Liverpool.

Mary Freda Boydell

On VJ Day my mother, an aunt and I were going on a trip to Southport with our local pub. When they announced VJ Day my aunt and I went to the centre of Westhoughton where we lived at that time, and we danced and sang along with lots more people. The day after, we went to Southport and I don't remember much about the day. My husband came home in 1945.