Malpas High Street are decorated today with Union Jacks

Malpas High Street decorated today with Union Jacks

Wondering why the high street has flags flying?

The reason is that the 15th August 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of VJ Day,
VJ Day marks both the surrender of Japan and the end of the Second World War.

There will be a national two minutes' silence and it is hoped that wherever you are on Saturday at 11am, you are able to take time to participate in the silence.

On 2 September 1945, in a formal ceremony aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, Japan, representatives of the Japanese government signed the Instrument of Surrender, officially ending World War II.

General Douglas MacArthur, Commander in the Southwest Pacific, signed for the United States and accepted the surrender in his capacity as the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers.

The pen that was used for the signing was gifted by General MacArthur to Lt General Arthur Percival, a former forces commander.
Lt General Percival was in charge of forces in Malaysia and was held in a Japanese prisoner of war camp after it fell to the Japanese in 1942.

After Japan's surrender, MacArthur secured Percival's release and brought him on board the USS Missouri to witness the Japanese signing the surrender. MacArthur then presented the pen to Percival.
He, in turn, donated it to the Cheshire Regiment before his death in 1966.

A Chester civic service will be broadcast live via the links below on Saturday 15 August from 10.30am.
The service can be watched at your own leisure on the following YouTube links (no accounts or pre-step up is required).

https://www.youtube.com/c/ChesterCathedralChoirandOrgan/

https://www.youtube.com/user/cheshirewest