Remembering VJ Day 70 Years On In Worplesdon

Published on: 18 Aug, 2015
Updated on: 21 Aug, 2015

Worplesdon remembered the 70th anniversary of VJ Day (the end of the Second World War) by holding a ‘street party’ for the residents at Worplesdon View care home along with members of their families and friends.

Bob McShee dressed as a wartime RAF officer.

Bob McShee, the organisers of the ‘street party’, dressed as a wartime RAF officer.

The event, on Saturday, August 15, was attended by the Deputy Mayor of Guildford, Gordon Jackson, and the Deputy Mayoress, Sue Jackson. They enjoyed the afternoon’s entertainment which featured the top of the bill tribute act to Laurel and Hardy.

Laurel and Hardy played by Philip Hutchinson (left) and Tony Carpenter.

The comic pair were brilliantly played by Philip Hutchinson and Tony Carpenter who appeared by kind arrangement of Lucky Dog Theatre Productions.

The show was organised by Bob McShee, who appeared as an RAF officer and John McLean who had arranged for the choir from St Mary’s and St Alban’s Churches to join in with the singing of some well known Second World War songs.

Christine Laskey and Sylvia Lavan of Worplesdon View hosted the event and the catering staff provided refreshments, which included fresh strawberries donated by Cheesman Bros.

Jan Messinger reads the poem The Last Pilot.

The audience were invited to recount their wartime memories during the show which included Jan Messinger reading a poem titled The Last Pilot, while John McLean read an extract from George VI’s speech on VJ Day in 1945.

The Revd Martin xxx reading the Fepow prayer.

The Revd Martin Wright reading the Fepow prayer.

The Revd Martin Wright read the Fepow prayer and gave the blessing at the end of the show.

The event was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended and as the weather was fine, many people had eaten their lunch in the garden of the care home.

Some of the audience at Worplesdon View enjoying the afternoon’s event.

Do any readers know of any other VJ commemoration events held in Guildford Borough? If so please let us know using the “Leave a Reply” feature below. Ed.

Responses to Remembering VJ Day 70 Years On In Worplesdon

Bibhas Neogi Reply

August 19, 2015 at 12:17 am

My wife was remembering her father from Guildford and wrote this:

“VJ Day. My father was one of the so-called ‘Forgotten [14th] Army’ serving in Burma, Ceylon, India and South Africa during World War 2.

“When the atom bombs were launched on Hiroshima and Nagasaki he wrote home to his father-in-law giving thanks that the war had been brought to a close and pleading that the formula should now be destroyed.

“He finally reached home on Boxing Day 1945 when life was already returning to normal in England and no-one stopped to offer a lift to a skinny young man in his demob uniform, so his Mum and mine endured another Christmas without him.

“He was a gentle and forgiving soul, Mum a little less so…
http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/VJ-Day/”

“My father walked all the way from Guildford railway station to Burpham where they bought their first home, a bungalow in Mead Way. He almost frightened my mother-in-law (I was told this by her) when she saw a very skinny man she could barely recognize standing in front of her door in the middle of the night.”