Northernhay Gardens, Exeter
3.30pm on 15 August 2025
I have the honour of performing “VJ Day 2025” as part of the civic ceremony in Exeter marking the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan (VJ) Day on Friday 15 August.
We will process from the Guildhall to the War Memorial in Northernhay Gardens and the ceremony will start at 3.30pm with a welcome from the Lord Mayor of Exeter, Cllr Anne Jobson. High Sheriff Caroline Harlow will speak about her father’s experiences as a POW in Burma, and I will then give my reading.
This will be followed by prayers led by the Lord Mayor’s Chaplain. The Vice Lieutenant of Devon will read the Exhortation and the Kohima Epitaph and there will be a two minute’s silence.
The Civic Party will be joined by a Bugler from The Salamanca Band and Bugles of The Rifles, who will perform The Last Post and Reveille to conclude the ceremony.
The ceremony is expected to last about 30 minutes. Members of the public are more than welcome to attend.
The ceremony running order can be found on the Exeter City Council website.
Chloe Axford of the Diocese of Exeter has written an article about the background to the poem.