Ross-on-Wye to mark VJ Day

A County rector will play a traditional bagpipes tune to mark the 75th Victory over Japan Day.

Reverend Sean Semple, rector of Ross, will join in with hundreds of pipers around the world who will play Battle’s O’er on August 15.

This traditional march which was played at the end of a battle will officially start the day of commemoration in the town

The first pipes will sound in New Zealand and will end 22 hours later across the Pacific on the Island of O’ahu, Hawaii.

Revd Semple will be playing the pipes from the tower of St Mary’s Church at 6am.

He will play it again at 10.30am ahead of the Last Post  at 10.58 am when hundreds of buglers, trumpeters and cornet players will join in around the country.

At 11am members of the Royal British Legion will observe the two minutes’ silence and lay a wreath.

Ten minutes later 75 Town Criers, one for each of the 75 years since VJ Day will undertake the ‘Cry for Peace’ in memory of the millions of those at home and abroad that lost and gave so much to enable us to share and enjoy the freedom we have today.

Ross’s Town Crier, Ray Churchill, will be crying from the top of St Mary’s Church tower and will be followed by the Church ringing a bell 75 times, one for each year since VJ Day – August 15, 1945, as part of ‘Ringing out for Peace Around the World.’

The bells will ring again at around 11.20am as part of their tribute to those caught up in the conflict in the far east.

At 8.30pm, a bugler will play Sunset at the Prospect as the sun sets, forming the finale to the commemoration.

The events have been devised and planned by pageant master Bruno Peek LVO OBE OPR, who has organised major historic celebrations and international events for nearly 40 years.

He said: “It’s wonderful to see VJ Day 75 being embraced by so many organisations both in this country and around the world.

“While we must remember and commemorate those who gave their lives or were gravely wounded during years of war, I believe VJ Day 75 is also an opportunity to celebrate the peace that came to us all at the end of this campaign and of WW II.

“VJ Veterans and families have always felt they were the ‘forgotten army’ so I felt it important we let them know, and show them, that they are not and never will be forgotten.”