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WW2 veterans urged to come forward now to mark 80th anniversary of victory

Joyce Digney left and Cynthia Covello celebrate VE Day 1945 with sailors in one of Trafalgar Squares
6 January 2025
World War 2 veterans and their families should register so they can play their full part in this year’s VE and VJ anniversary commemorations – and tell their stories to the nation.

The 80th anniversaries of victory over Fascism (VE Day on May 8), and Japanese militarism (VJ Day, August 15) are likely to be the last major events attended by those who contributed to the victories.

With the passage of eight decades, the youngest men and women who contributed to victory will be 96, those who fought 98 or older.

As it did with last year’s events honouring the heroes of D-Day, the Royal British Legion is helping to co-ordinate some of the major national events marking the end of World War 2.

Those commemorations will focus on the combined efforts of the Allies, from Britain, the Commonwealth and beyond.

The charity is calling on those who served between 1939-45 – numbers of survivors are thought to be a few thousand – or their family or carers on their behalf, to register on its website to join national and local community events.

It is always an honour being part of a Royal British Legion event, joining with comrades to remember and pay tribute to those we lost.

John Roberts

Among those who is urging fellow veterans to come forward is John Roberts – a sub-lieutenant on D-Day, today a long-retired rear admiral.

He played his full part in the Normandy landings – and in shaping the post-war world. He remained in the Royal Navy, re-trained as an aviator, flew fighters over Korea, captained aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal and headed the Fleet Air Arm before retiring after an impressive 40-year career in 1978.

“2025 is an important year for my generation, with anniversaries for both VE and VJ Day,” said the 100-year-old senior officer from Whitstable in Kent.

“I want to encourage all those who served their country in the Second World War to register on the RBL’s website, to make sure they are involved.”

The charity helped 21 veterans and their families return to Normandy for June’s D-Day commemorations, and assisted 26 unable to attend who instead took pride of place at a service of thanksgiving at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

“Everyone in modern Britain will somehow have a connection to those who experienced the war, either through their family or community heritage,” said the RBL’s director of remembrance, Philippa Rawlinson.

“It’s important we mark these anniversaries with commemorations in communities across the UK and with national moments to thank our armed forces veterans, without whom the way of life we enjoy today would not have been possible.”

As well as those serving in the armed forces from Britain, some six million personnel from the Commonwealth also contributed throughout the war.

Registration for the commemorative events is open via the legion’s website – www.britishlegion.org.uk – to surviving British and Commonwealth armed forces veterans, as well as those who contributed to the war effort.

That includes munitions workers, those conscripted back home, from reservist occupations and in the Special Operations Executive.

Those who register will be informed of commemorative plans and invited to attend local and national events.

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