Red Arrows flypast to mark 75th anniversary of VJ Day

A Red Arrows flypast will be one of the few physical events to mark Victory in Japan Day this year, as commemorations move online due to the coronavirus pandemic.

An online service of remembrance and a concert, as well as a two-minute silence, will lead the commemoration of the 75th anniversary on August 15 .

VJ Day saw the end of the conflict in Asia and brought the Second World War to a close.

Veterans minister Graeme Dey said the day will be a time for the nation to “come together to remember the sacrifices” which ensured the “peace and freedoms we enjoy today”.

He added: “The whole country owes our current and ex-service personnel an immense debt of gratitude for their service and sacrifice.”

Claire Armstrong, chief executive of Legion Scotland, said: “Whilst VE Day marked the end of the war in Europe in May 1945, many thousands of Armed Forces personnel were still engaged in bitter fighting in the Far East.

“This campaign saw some of the fiercest fighting of the Second World War and in some of the harshest conditions, with many thousands of British and Commonwealth forces and civilians being taken as prisoners of war, enduring terrible mental and physical trauma.”

Among the events planned is a message from First Minster Nicola Sturgeon, thanking the Second World War generation, and a two-minute silence.

The Red Arrows will perform a flypast of Edinburgh and Legion Scotland will be issuing medallions in honour of those who made a contribution to the war effort.