Britain is set to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe with a four-day commemoration featuring street parties, a military procession, and a flypast of both historic and modern aircraft.
The celebrations, which will be among the last major wartime commemorations attended by a significant number of veterans, will include the display of union flags at London’s Cenotaph war memorial in honor of Britain’s war dead.
“Eighty years ago, the freedoms we enjoy today were defended by our remarkable Second World War generation,” said British Defence Secretary John Healey in a statement on Tuesday. “Our duty today is to safeguard the British values they sacrificed so much to uphold.”
The events will commence with a military procession leading to Buckingham Palace, followed by an aerial display featuring the Red Arrows aerobatics team alongside historic military aircraft. A special street party will take place on HMS Belfast, a surviving World War II warship moored in the River Thames.
In addition, nearly 30,000 ceramic poppies will be installed at the Tower of London as a tribute to the fallen soldiers. The commemoration will culminate on May 8—Victory in Europe (VE) Day—with a remembrance service at Westminster Abbey and a concert at the historic Horse Guards Parade featuring musical performances and military bands.
A separate event marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in Japan (VJ) Day will take place on August 15 at the National Memorial Arboretum in central England.
