Yeovil's Virtual Museum

1945 VJ Day celebrations

How Yeovil celebrated the end of the Second World War in the Far East

 

Victory over Japan Day (also known as V-J Day) is the day on which Imperial Japan surrendered in World War II, in effect bringing the war to an end. The term has been applied to both of the days on which the initial announcement of Japan's surrender was made – 15 August 1945, in Japan – as well as 2 September 1945, when the surrender document was signed, officially ending World War II. 15 August is the official VJ Day for the United Kingdom.

While Yeovil celebrated massively for VE Day, the end of the war in Europe, much less appears to have happened in Yeovil to mark the actual end of the war - Yeovilians apparently having had enough of the war by this time and the war in the far east being of lesser significance to most people.

 

A crowd gathers in the Borough to listen to speeches on 15 August 1945. The crowd was noticeably smaller that that which celebrated VE Day. This is the site of the bombed Medical Hall and the buildings at right are in Wine Street.

 

The crowd was not as sparse as the first photo would make it seem - the crowd extended into the Borough.

 

A British sailor chats with American GIs in front of Lloyds Bank in the Borough on VJ Day.

 

Courtesy of Angela Wright

The Salvation Army's Yeovil Temple Band march along High Street. Judging by the bunting and the crowds, this is likely to be part of the celebrations of V-J Day. 

 

There was at least one street party in Yeovil to celebrate VJ Day - sorry, I don't know the exact location and apologies to whoever originally sent me the photo.