WAR VETERANS have come to pay their respects to those that died on VJ Day 70 years ago.

In a memorial held at the Southampton cenotaph, veterans, members of the Royal British Legion and the Mayor of Southampton came to lay wreaths and remember.

With tears in her eyes, Cllr Linda Norris said: "I always get emotional at these things. As we look back at this day 70 years ago when many people were celebrating the end of the Second World War it's also a day for commemorating and remembering those people who gave their lives, in particular those from Southampton.

"We lost a lot of our own and today we are looking at those from Southampton who died in the Far East so we may have a future."

People also gathered at the Holy Saviour Church in Bitterne today to pay tribute to personnel who sacrificed their lives in the Far East during World War Two.

Those at the church included veterans and former Prisoners of War from the so called Forgotten Army who fought against the Japanese.

The service was led by the Southampton and District Far East Prisoners of War Club.

Daily Echo:

Three members gathered to lay flowers on a memorial stone in the church graveyard in what is likely to be the last time they will mark the occasion.

The Last Post was sounded and the congregation marked a minute's silence and said prayers.

Laying the flowers was Bert Warne who survived after being captured by the Japanese during the campaign.

The 95-year-old from Bitterne spend four years in captivity and was forced to work on the notorious Death Railway where 14,000 men perished.

The great grandfather, wearing military regalia, said: "Today I've said a prayer to remember all my friends I served with. It's very emotional but it's a great pleasure to remember them.

"It's good for younger generation to acknowledge it and remember."

The memorial was followed by a service led by lay minister Meg Cook and attended  by the Bitterne Royal British Legion who carried in standards into the service.