VJ Day 80 - Victory over Japan - Royal Marines in SE Asia & the Pacific

Si Biggs
Aug 15
2 min read

Updated: Aug 31

On August 6 and 9, 1945, the Allies dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively. On August 9, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan. The Japanese government on August 10 communicated its intention to surrender under the terms of the Potsdam Declaration.

Warships of the U.S. Third Fleet and the British Pacific Fleet in Sagami Wan, 28 August 1945. Mt Fujiyama is in the background. The nearest ship is USS Missouri (BB-63), flying Adm. William F. Halsey's four-star flag. British battleship Duke of York is just beyond her, with HMS King George V further back. USS Colorado (BB-45) is in the far-center distance. Also present are U.S. and British cruisers and U.S. destroyers.

Imperial Japan surrendered on the 15th August 1945, the formal surrender occurred aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on 2nd September 1945.

Many Royal Marines served in the South-East Asian theatre of War on capital ships, in the air and on the ground in various roles and units.

Royal Marines in action in the Pacific SE Asia WW2

On the 80th Anniversary of Victory over Japan VJ Day, the number of Royal Marines killed in this theater are difficult to ascertain, but I hope that I can add a theater specific search on this sites Royal Marines Roll of Honour data base, a task which will never be fully completed, but with every new detail I add we build the story of someone who died serving his country.

Royal Marines saw action in all areas of this theatre including;