VE Day and VJ Day 80th Anniversary

The city will be remembering the sacrifices that finally brought peace to Europe in 1945.  Southampton City Council is working in partnership with local armed forces veterans, the Royal British Legion, GO! Southampton and other local organisations and businesses to organise events in May and August.

Many people were extremely happy that the fighting had stopped, celebrating with street parties across the country. 

VE Day was also a moment of sadness and reflection, as millions of people had lost their lives or loved ones in the conflict with many continuing to fight in other battles or still prisoners of war abroad. Even though VE Day marked victory for Europe over Germany, it did not mark the end of World War Two.

This special 80th anniversary allows us to reflect on the enormous sacrifice, courage and determination of people from all walks of life who saw the nation through this dark and terrifying period.

The usual road closure fees will be waived for residential street parties, and applications should be submitted by Sunday 30th March.
Download your VE Day Community Street Closure Form here.
Applications to be submitted to southamptontma@balfourbeatty.com 
More information can be found here.

The Together Coalition’s VE Day 80 webpage details plans for the 80th anniversary of VE Day in 2025. While VE Day falls on 8 May, the bank holiday on Monday, 5 May, has been set aside for nationwide community celebrations.

The coalition is encouraging participation in the Great British Food Festival, which can take many forms—from barbecues and curry nights to street parties and Big Lunches.

Schools across the UK are also invited to take part in the VE Day 80 Schools Challenge, helping students learn about the significance of VE Day ahead of the anniversary. More details available here https://together.org.uk/ve80/

Applications must be received by Friday 28th March. Spaces are limited, with priority given to World War II veterans, other veterans, and residents with memorabilia or photos of Southampton during World War II or VE Day to share on the day.

Successful applicants will be notified by Tuesday 8th April, and if oversubscribed, names will be chosen at random. Apply here to attend The Lord Mayor's VE Day 80 Tea Party. 

Pennants can be plain or decorated: Feel free to decorate your pennant with unique touches, using techniques such as embroidery and applique to reflect Southampton's story during World War II. Ideas include planes, ships, victory symbols, iconic landmarks, or designs honouring a relative who experienced life in Southampton during the war.

Where to take your completed pennant: Once finished, you can drop off your pennants at any Southampton City Library. Please submit your pennants by Friday 2nd May.

If you need a printed pattern: You can pick up a pattern at Bitterne, Central, Lordshill, Portswood, Shirley or Woolston Libraries. For more information go to www.southampton.gov.uk/bunting

More VE Day activities

Alongside community celebrations, the city will host a programme of public events to honour Southampton’s pivotal role in World War Two, including

• Proclamation Ceremony – a public event at the Civic Centre on Thursday 8th May, featuring the Lord Mayor, Town Crier and a piper, followed by raising the VE Day 80 flag.
• Beacon Lighting – an evening ceremony on Thursday 8 May, with a performance by the City of Southampton (Albion) Band.
• Themed Guided walks - explore the city's wartime history through guided tours.
• Outdoor Screens – historic photographs from the city's archives will be displayed on the digital screens across the city
• Banners – Union Flags displayed in Above Bar Street from April to August.

Information about VJ Day
VJ Day stands for Victory Over Japan Day and it marks the day on which Imperial Japan surrendered in World War Two, which in effect, brought the war to an end. In the UK and the US, VJ Day is celebrated on different dates.
The initial announcement of Japan’s surrender was made on 15 August 1945, which is why the UK marks VJ Day on 15 August each year.
However, the surrender documents were officially signed on the USS Missouri battleship on 2 September 1945, which is why America celebrates on 2 September instead. In Japan, the day is known as the “memorial day for the end of the war”, and is observed on 15 August.

How is VJ Day linked to VE Day?
VE Day stands for Victory in Europe Day, and it refers to the surrender of Nazi Germany on 8 May 1945, after nearly six years of war. Despite the battle against the Nazis coming to an end, Japan stood firm and war continued to rage on in the Pacific where Japan, a key German ally, fought off the advancing US army. The Japan surrender didn’t come until after the German surrender, and this marked the end of World War Two entirely, which is why there’s a separate day of remembrance and celebration.

VJ Day and Southampton
The men and women of Southampton had sacrificed much during the war, over 3,000 homes in the town were destroyed or had to be demolished due to enemy bombing raids, and over 630 people paid the ultimate sacrifice during the Southampton Blitz.

Thousands of local men from the town fought in the theatres of war in Europe and the Far East, and the town’s docks played a vital role in the events surrounding D-Day in June 1944. 3 and a half million military personnel passed through the port in the weeks and months after D-Day.

Even at the war’s end, many soldiers had still not returned, or were held in Prisoner of War camps in the Far East, their families waiting anxiously for their return. For 22,000 people returning from prisoner of war camps in 1945 their first smell, touch and welcome on home soil was here in Southampton.
Peace had come at a great price and the War had left its indelible mark on Southampton and its people. Still today, the resonances of the history of the town, in the Second World War, before and since can be seen and felt.

On 18th November 1945 the ‘Queen Mary’ brought 3,500 troops back to Southampton and the same day the former Italian hospital ship, the ‘Principessa Giovanna’ brought another c. 400.

Find your local VJ Memorial
Residents are encouraged to visit the World War Two memorials in Southampton.

There is a plaque at Town Quay Park which commemorates the repatriation of men, women and children who survived Far East Captivity. It was unveiled on the 27 October 2013.

On the roundabout at Grosvenor Square there is a Burma Memorial which was unveiled on the 11 October 1998 and attended by Countess Mountbatten of Burma.

A memorial stone for the Southampton Far East Prisoners of War can be seen at Holy Saviour Churchyard, Bursledon Rd, Bitterne. It was dedicated on 15 August 2003 and attended by Veterans and former Prisoners of War including Bert Warne, 95, who survived four years in captivity and worked on the Death Railway.

At the Southampton Cenotaph eleven new names, six of which are from World War Two, will be added to the glass Memorial Wall at the Cenotaph ready for VJ Day.

View the national VE Day 80 website 

View the Royal British Legion website for VE and VJ Day 80

With thanks to Southampton Archives for some of the images featured.