The commemorative activities to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world war this year have ensured the sacrifice made by those who lost their lives is not forgotten.
Parades, fly-pasts, church services and street parties celebrated VE Day in May, the anniversary of the Nazi regime’s surrender in Europe. It was followed, in August, by VJ Day, recalling the defeat of Japan.
Then, Victory Day, in September, marked the formal surrender of Japanese forces in China, with events on the mainland and in Hong Kong, including a big military parade in Beijing.
The anniversary’s commemorations served as a timely and much-needed reminder of the horror of war. They make today’s Remembrance Sunday memorials all the more poignant and meaningful.
Among them will be the traditional ceremony at the cenotaph in Central this morning, organised by the Hong Kong Ex-Servicemen’s Association and Royal British Legion’s Hong Kong and China Branch (RBL). The memorial was first held in 1923 when memories of the 1914-18 first world war were still fresh.
The annual poppy appeal, run by the RBL, is in full swing and runs until Friday. The campaign raises funds every year to help mostly elderly ex-servicemen and women and their families, providing them with much-needed care. All the beneficiaries are Hong Kong residents.