Overview

• Members of Hoylake Social Club gathered on August 16 for a 1940s-themed party that included care home residents sharing wartime memories and a tribute from Wirral’s Mayor Brian Kenny.
• Southampton hosted a military parade in Watts Park followed by a ceremony in Palmerston Park where Army veteran Vic Thorne paid homage to the estimated 210,000 victims of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings.
• Isle of Wight events encompassed Second World War exhibits at the Bus and Coach Museum, beacon lightings in East Cowes, and a remembrance service in Newport officiated by the High Sheriff.
• Local media outlets ran archival retrospectives recalling 1945 street celebrations in Manchester’s Albert Square to connect contemporary observances with historical context.
• Civic leaders urged public reflection on British losses in the Pacific campaign, citing around 90,332 service casualties, nearly 30,000 deaths, and over 12,000 POWs.