Fire Service marks 80th Anniversary of VJ Day
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service joined forces with military and community leaders at a public ceremony in Castle Park, Colchester, on Friday 15 August to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan (VJ Day).
The event included a service of remembrance, readings, wreath-laying and a moment of silence, honouring those who served and sacrificed in the Pacific during the Second World War.
Group Manager Scott Meekings, from Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, attended the ceremony to represent fire service colleagues in the Armed Forces, both serving and formerly serving.
He arrived in a specially wrapped fire engine featuring the words “Lest We Forget” designed to support The Royal British Legion and laid a wreath during the ceremony.
Scott said: “We proudly attended the ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day to remember everyone who made sacrifices for the freedoms we enjoy today and also to show our support to our Armed Forces colleagues serving across the world. We have firefighters and members of staff who are currently serving, are former service personnel or have links to the Armed Forces and we’re proud to stand alongside them as part of the Essex community, standing with our Armed Forces partners in commemorating this significant milestone in history.”
As a proud signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant since 2022, Essex County Fire and Rescue Service reaffirms its ongoing commitment to supporting serving personnel, veterans and their families. Its pledge ensures fair treatment in recruitment, employment support and access to services across the organisation.
Stephen Caldwell, Business Analyst at Essex County Fire and Rescue Service and on-call firefighter at West Mersea Fire Station, served for 37 years in the Army before joining the fire service.
He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel at Colchester Garrison and has shared powerful reflections about his experiences and why he feels it’s important to remember and reflect on the sacrifices of those who served.
He said: “VJ Day marks the end of the Second World War and for many Allied Service personnel, it meant that they would return home having been overseas for many years either still fighting or held in atrocious conditions as a prisoner of war.
“In the late 1970s, I was a Scout and was greatly influenced by our leader - a former member of the Chindit Brigade who fought the Japanese and was later held as a prisoner of war. He regaled us with many stories about his time as a soldier in the Far East and occasionally but far less frequently as his time as a prisoner of war. His hands bore the scars, but he also spoke about the need to forgive and to move forward.
“I joined the Army in part due to his encouragement. Many years later, I had the annual honour of laying a wreath at Colchester as part of the Remembrance Service where I met another proud Chindit veteran at the memorial. His message was similar: ‘At a human level we fought with and for our mates.' I was proud to attend his funeral and to see the huge turnout from serving and retired service personnel who ensured that he would not be forgotten."
He added: “Having retired from the Army, I now serve as an on-call firefighter. Both roles fill me with pride. We help people when in a time of great need and we provide the community with reassurance that we are there for them. I love the fact that, like the Army, I still serve with a close-knit crew who look after each other.
“The veterans of the Second World War are sadly disappearing and we must cherish them while they remain. Sadly, wars have not ended and British military personnel are today standing in harm’s way around the world. I lost numerous friends while I served in the Army and it is only right that we all remember their sacrifice for us and future generations.”
About Essex County Fire and Rescue Service and the Armed Forces Covenant
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service is committed to the Armed Forces Covenant, signed in 2022, reinforcing its pledge to treating serving personnel, veterans and their families fairly and supportively. The Service honours the skills, values and dedication that serving community members bring to the fire service and beyond.
This work is part of a wider Essex Armed Forces community covenant, which includes collaboration with Essex County Council, local NHS, police, and charities to ensure broad support across the county.
