The ship is playing a lead role in Liverpool’s Commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of VJ Day
Cunard’s Queen Anne in Liverpool in May (Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
Cunard’s newest ship Queen Anne is set to return to Liverpool today as she plays a leading role in Liverpool’s Commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of VJ Day. The ship will make a day call at Liverpool Cruise Port on Friday, August 15 as part of her Iceland and British Isles voyage.
She will form a majestic backdrop to commemorative events taking place throughout the day at Liverpool waterfront. VJ Day on August 15, 1945 signalled the end of WWII, following Japan’s surrender. For many men and women who had served in Asia, including prisoners of war and civilian internees, it brought a long-awaited return to peace after years of hardship and captivity.
Cunard’s contribution to the war effort, planned at its headquarters in Cunard Building at Pier Head, was praised by then Prime Minister Winston Churchill and declared it shortened the war “by at least a year”. Several Cunard ships, including the largest (Queen Elizabeth) and fastest (Queen Mary) in the world, were requisitioned and converted into troop transports.
These ships were instrumental in transporting large numbers of Allied soldiers, with Queen Mary setting an unbeaten record for carrying 16,683 souls in a single voyage.
At the war’s end, the Queens remained in service, making westbound transatlantic crossings to return home victorious troops (and their new brides) to North America, and eastbound crossings to bring home British prisoners of war held captive by Japan.
On Friday, a national two-minute silence will be held at 12pm to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day and at 12.02pm Queen Anne will lead all vessels on the River Mersey in sounding their whistles to mark the end of the silence being observed.
Captain Inger Thorhauge, Queen Anne’s Master, will join Liverpool’s Civic Commemoration Service and place a wreath at the Prisoners of War Memorial at the Pier Head.
Katie McAlister, president of Cunard, said: “It is an honour for Cunard to be part of commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of VJ Day at our spiritual home in Liverpool.
“We are immensely proud of our maritime heritage as well as our association with Liverpool and welcome the opportunity to help recognise the extraordinary service and sacrifice of those who gave so much.”
Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2 will participate in commemorations being held in her home port at Southampton on Friday.
Queen Anne’s visit marks her third call at Liverpool, where she was named and dedicated to the city at a ceremony in 2024. The ship returned to the city in May, starting global celebrations across the Cunard fleet to mark this year’s 185th anniversary of its first transatlantic crossing, which left Liverpool in 1840.
She is scheduled off Formby Point at 7.40am on Friday as she starts her final approach to Liverpool. She will then pass Crosby Beach at 8.05pm, New Brighton at 8.30am and is due alongside at Liverpool Cruise Port at 9am.
The ship will remain alongside all day until her scheduled departure at 8pm on Friday, passing New Brighton at 8.40pm, Crosby at 9.05pm and Formby at 9.30pm. Queen Anne will then depart Liverpool bound for Southampton.
All timings are provisional and depending on prevailing conditions.