The Royal British Legion today issued a call to Second World War veterans to register to join commemorations for the 80th anniversaries of VE Day and VJ Day later this year.
This year will mark 80 years since the end of the Second World War, with Victory in Europe (VE) Day observed on May 8 and Victory over Japan (VJ) Day on August 15.
The Legion said it was planning major events to mark the anniversaries on a local and national level.
D-Day veteran Bernard Morgan is 100 and from Longsight in Manchester. The great-grandad is a Royal British Legion ambassador and was the youngest RAF sergeant to land in Normandy in June, 1944, Bernard landed on Gold Beach at 6.30pm on D-Day, 6 June, 1944, aged 20, after he had joined the RAF on his birthday two years earlier.
He said: “2025 is an important year for my generation, with anniversaries for both VE and VJ Day. 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.
Bernard pictured in France
(Image: PA)
“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.”
Registration has now opened on the RBL’s website, and those who served in the Second World War, or their family or carers on their behalf, are being encouraged to register and join in commemorations
Last year marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day, with the public attending major events in Normandy, at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, and around the country.
Philippa Rawlinson, Director of Remembrance at the Royal British Legion, said: “These incredibly poignant occasions marking the 80th anniversaries of VE and VJ Day are now likely to be our last opportunities to come together as a nation with veterans of the Second World War to pay tribute to their bravery and to those who made the ultimate sacrifice and lost their lives.
The Royal British Legion
(Image: PA)
“Everyone in modern Britain will somehow have a connection to those who experienced the War, either through their family or community heritage. 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.
“We are inviting all those who served in the Second World War with British and Commonwealth Armed Forces to register with us, so that we can share their wartime experiences and sometimes ‘forgotten stories’ and ensure the significance of their contribution in shaping our world today is always remembered.”
The RBL said it was working with the Government and stakeholders to develop the national plans.
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