VJ Day memorial unveiling in Swindon park

A new war memorial in Queens Park will be formally unveiled on the 75th anniversary of VJ Day.

The date - Saturday, 15 August - marks the final end of World War Two following the surrender of Japan.

South Swindon Parish Council decided to put up the memorial to honour people who served in the war effort at home and abroad, and the unveiling will include a service between 11.30am and noon.

The formal ceremony will be performed by Mayor of Swindon Coun Garry Perkins. 

The parish council's World Wars Working Party oversaw the creation of the memorial, along with a new commemorative mural in the park and posters.

Its chair, Coun John Firmin, said: “The Parish Council wanted to mark this significant occasion with a new war memorial. 

"The theme of the memorial is to remember those who served in the war effort domestically. 

"Everybody rightly remembers the service personnel who fought abroad, but it sometimes gets forgotten the role people played in the war effort domestically. For example, Swindon residents took a lot of child evacuees when the war started, and also housed American service personnel when America entered the war in 1941. 

"People who attend the memorial’s opening will also get an opportunity to view the new war-themed mural on the wall overlooking Queens Park lake, and there will be posters tied to trees in Queens Park of people who served in the war effort. 

"We will be operating a covid-safe event so social distancing guidelines will be followed and we will be operating a track and trace system. 

"We hope this event will be supported by the Swindon community.” 

Refreshments will be available from 11am on the day.

The parish council will be operating a track and trace system at the event, and is asking that those wishing to attend tell the Parish Council in advance by emailing [email protected] or by calling 01793 312006.