Victory over Japan Day

[dangerboy]

Today (15 August) is the 80th anniversary of V-J Day (Victory over Japan), which is the date that the Commonwealth traditionally commemorates this occasion, as this was the day that Emperor Hirohito's announcement of Japan’s surrender was made. The United States of America uses 2 September 1945 as the date, as that is when the Japanese government signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender aboard the USS Missouri. The Canadian signatory to the document was Col Lawrence Moore Cosgrave, an Artillery officer who was awarded the DSO with bar during the First World War and was friends with LCol John McCrae (author of “In Flanders Fields”).

The Pacific theatre has often been overshadowed by the European theatre, so a lot of people are not aware of what the Soldiers, Sailors, and Aviators experienced against a deadly enemy. So take a moment to remember the Soldiers, Sailors, and Aviators who fought and, sadly in many cases died in the Pacific during the Second World War.

 

[Halifax Tar]

He also signed on the wrong line of the instrument of surrender document.

 

[dapaterson]

He also signed on the wrong line of the instrument of surrender document.

Gunners...

 

[daftandbarmy]

Gunners...

The pen is an area weapon too...

 

[GR66]

The pen is an area weapon too...

"Ubique"

 

[daftandbarmy]

Today (15 August) is the 80th anniversary of V-J Day (Victory over Japan), which is the date that the Commonwealth traditionally commemorates this occasion, as this was the day that Emperor Hirohito's announcement of Japan’s surrender was made. The United States of America uses 2 September 1945 as the date, as that is when the Japanese government signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender aboard the USS Missouri. The Canadian signatory to the document was Col Lawrence Moore Cosgrave, an Artillery officer who was awarded the DSO with bar during the First World War and was friends with LCol John McCrae (author of “In Flanders Fields”).

The Pacific theatre has often been overshadowed by the European theatre, so a lot of people are not aware of what the Soldiers, Sailors, and Aviators experienced against a deadly enemy. So take a moment to remember the Soldiers, Sailors, and Aviators who fought and, sadly in many cases died in the Pacific during the Second World War.

These guys look mildly happy about the whole thing... then again, a good cuppa and a fag go a long way too

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Look at the sores on his legs

 

[Blackadder1916]

Look at the sores on his legs

Yep. Not that bad. Relatively lucky that they weren't worse.

Tropical ulcers forming on the lower legs of two unidentified members of "F Force", on the ...

www.awm.gov.au

Tropical Ulcers | COFEPOW

Tropical ulcers were a massive problem for prisoners of war because of bare legs, hard thorns of new bamboo shoots and a lack of vitamins and protein.

www.cofepow.org.uk

 

[OldSolduer]

Mr Bardahl of Bardhal Funeral Chapel served with The Winnipeg Grenadiers. The Colours of the Winnipeg Grenadiers fly proudly in the funeral chapel.

 

[RangerRay]

Canadians in the Pacific do not get enough recognition. Whether it’s the defence of Hong Kong, the RCN’s participation in some the most important battles in at theatre or the role of RCNVR (Wavy Navy) in theatre.

 

[lenaitch]

Sadly, they were the lucky ones.

 

[Rifleman62]

Don't forget the 13th Canadian Brigade Group "Greenlight Force" that fought the Japanese in the Aleutians in 1943.

Included was The Winnipeg Grenadiers, newly reformed after Hong Kong.

I believe that these troops were not on Active Service which meant they could not be sent overseas.

 

[Rifleman62]

Two RCAF squadrons, No. 8 (Bomber Reconnaissance) and No. 111 (Fighter), were deployed to Alaska in June 1942 to support the US Army Air Force in the Aleutians. The RCAF's contribution included anti-submarine patrols and fighter support, with one notable air victory by Squadron Leader K.A. Boomer.

 

[RangerRay]

Don't forget the 13th Canadian Brigade Group "Greenlight Force" that fought the Japanese in the Aleutians in 1943.

Included was The Winnipeg Grenadiers, newly reformed after Hong Kong.

I believe that these troops were not on Active Service which meant they could not be sent overseas.

Goddamnit! I can’t believe I forgot about the Aleutian Campaign!

 

[daftandbarmy]

Don't forget the 13th Canadian Brigade Group "Greenlight Force" that fought the Japanese in the Aleutians in 1943.

Included was The Winnipeg Grenadiers, newly reformed after Hong Kong.

I believe that these troops were not on Active Service which meant they could not be sent overseas.

As captured by EJ Hughes...

#314 E.J. Hughes renewed

E.J. Hughes Paints Vancouver Island by Robert Amos, with the participation of the estate of E.J. Hughes Victoria: TouchWood Editions, 2018 $35.00 / 9781771512558 Reviewed by Alan Twigg First p

thebcreview.ca

 

[Grimey]

Canadians in the Pacific do not get enough recognition. Whether it’s the defence of Hong Kong, the RCN’s participation in some the most important battles in at theatre or the role of RCNVR (Wavy Navy) in theatre.

This guy certainly doesn’t get enough. One of four VC recipients from BC during the war, and the only Vancouver Islander:

Major Charles Hoey VC MC, The Lincolnshire Regiment - Burma Star Memorial Fund

Charles Ferguson Hoey was born on 29 March 1914, son of Ferguson Hoey of Duncan, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada and his wife Mary Rudyerd, daughter of Major General Charles Rudyerd Simpson CB, who had been Colonel of The Lincolnshire Regiment. He began his education at&nb…

burmastarmemorial.org

The VC citations for the Burma Campaign are truly epic. Two were awarded after the recipients were either run through or lost an arm to a kanata, after which they grappled the sword away then killed their assailant with it.

 

[daftandbarmy]

This guy certainly doesn’t get enough. One of four VC recipients from BC during the war, and the only Vancouver Islander:

Major Charles Hoey VC MC, The Lincolnshire Regiment - Burma Star Memorial Fund

Charles Ferguson Hoey was born on 29 March 1914, son of Ferguson Hoey of Duncan, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada and his wife Mary Rudyerd, daughter of Major General Charles Rudyerd Simpson CB, who had been Colonel of The Lincolnshire Regiment. He began his education at&nb…

burmastarmemorial.org

The VC citations for the Burma Campaign are truly epic. Two were awarded after the recipients were either run through or lost an arm to a kanata, after which they grappled the sword away then killed their assailant with it.

One of my personal favourites


...He doubled forward and leapt on to the roof of the bunker from where, his hand grenades being finished, he flung two No. 77 smoke grenades into the bunker slit. Gurung killed two Japanese soldiers who ran out of the bunker with his Kukri, and then crawled into the cramped bunker and killed the remaining Japanese soldier by "beat[ing] the gunner's brains out with a rock"

Bhanbhagta Gurung - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[mariomike]

Today (15 August) is the 80th anniversary of V-J Day (Victory over Japan), which is the date that the Commonwealth traditionally commemorates this occasion, as this was the day that Emperor Hirohito's announcement of Japan’s surrender was made.

My father was a crew member of HMCS FORT ERIE, a River-class frigate with a tropicalization refit in preparation for service in the Pacific Ocean, when the war in the Pacific ended.

The only 80th anniversary commemoration ceremony this month at our City Hall was on 6 August .

Nothing scheduled for September.

 

[Grimey]

One of my personal favourites


...He doubled forward and leapt on to the roof of the bunker from where, his hand grenades being finished, he flung two No. 77 smoke grenades into the bunker slit. Gurung killed two Japanese soldiers who ran out of the bunker with his Kukri, and then crawled into the cramped bunker and killed the remaining Japanese soldier by "beat[ing] the gunner's brains out with a rock"

Bhanbhagta Gurung - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

George Cairns.

 

[MacNav63]

Let's not forget 436 Squadron flying in support of 14th Army.

George MacDonald Fraser, author of the Flashman series, served in the Border Regiment in 14th Army in the last year of the war and I highly recommend his memoir of that time, Quartered Safe out Here. His semi-fictional MacAuslan stories of his post war service after being commissioned in the Gordon Highlanders doing garrison duty in North Africa are, in sharp contrast, hilarious.