The 75th anniversary of VJ Day was commemorated in the War Memorial Gardens in Ashby this morning (August 15) at a socially distanced ceremony.

The event was organised by the Ashby and District Royal British Legion with Mayor Graham Allman, Mayoress Charmaigne, and North West Leicestershire MP Andrew Bridgen also attending.

In our video above, you can seen how the town remembered the those who fought, died and were imprisoned in the Far East during the Second World War.

A wreath was laid, Paul Stokes of the Royal British Legion played the town crier's role and a bugler ??? Played the Last Post.

The Chair of Ashby and District Royal British Legion Valerie Gale explained how important it was for the ceremony to go ahead.

And she revealed she had a special connection to the war through her family as her stepfather was a survivor of the Kokoda Trail - a campaign consisting of a series of battles fought between July and November 1942 in what was then the Australian Territory of Papua.

It was primarily a land battle, between the Japanese South Seas Detachment Australian and Papuan land forces.

"VJ is when Japan finally surrendered, and a lot of people celebrate VE Day but not VJ Day, because they don't always know when it is, that's why we feel it is very important to celebrate it properly, laying a wreath which will go to the front of the memorial, but we felt the ceremony should be in the garden with social distancing in place," explained Valerie, a former Naval Commander in the Wrens.

"My stepfather, Frank Hunter, was Australian and a veteran and a survivor of the Kokoda Trail - and only five survived, the Japanese killed the rest. But he was one of the five. He was a lovely man and very proud of his medals which I've brought here.

"But it's so very important we remember things in Ashby, that's how we feel as a branch of the Royal British Legion.

"We have social distancing which means we can't meet as a branch, we can't have committee meetings as such, but that's why it was important for us to be here to make a proper act of remembrance.

"Caitlin is our bugler, she lives just around the corner from me which is fortunate, she's always with us on Remembrance Day and is a part of our branch, not officially but we own her - she's ours!

"We had a beautiful turnout and we were really pleased. I didn't know how many people would come out in Ashby but it's been brilliant and perfect.

"It was important we came out to remember."

The Mayor, Cllr Allman, said he was representing Ashby de la Zouch Town Council.

"It was a magnificent event and the turnout was very good considering the distancing that had to be in place which is why we couldn't advertise it to the general public for that reason," he explained.

"VE Day was lost because the of the pandemic, but when you look at VJ Day, it's actually more important, when you look at it, because it was the true ending of World War Two.

"What people don't always realise is that 80 per cent of the soldiers involved at this time were from the Commonwealth, although there were British soldiers among them, I think this needs to be recognised and the message needs to go out further."

Mayoress Charmaigne added: "It was so important this event went ahead, we had the distancing and everyone's been very sensible.

"It was critical that people like us, who support the town, did come out and support VJ Day."