VJ Day: Ellesmere remembers with service
Ellesmere remembered those who served in the Far East during the Second World War during a simple outdoor service at St Mary's Parish Church.
Reverend Pat Hawkins led the service alongside members of the Royal British Legion and civic dignitaries.
She said those attending were representing people who were unable to be at the service because they were shielding and also those still bearing the scars from the war.
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"In Ellesmere we remember especially two men from the Far East campaign commemorated on the War Memorial: Flying Officer George Needham, who died aged 21 and is buried in Rangoon War Cemetery, Burma, and Staff Sergeant Noel Vernon of the Royal Engineers, who died aged 33, and is buried in a cemetery in Sri Lanka," she added.
Flowers were also lain in memory of two friends from Paisley in Scotland who served in Burma. Gordon MacKellar, who now lives in Ellesmere with his family, said his father, Bryden, and his father's friend, Andrew Borland, served together in Burma.
"Andrew died a few days after VJ day," Gordon said.
"My father always laid a wreath in his memory every year."
During the service the Mayor of Ellesmere Paul Golbourne laid a wreath, the last post was sounded and, after a two minute silence a bell tolled 75 times, one for each year since the end of the war.
