Cabra-Vale Diggers Commemorates 79th Anniversary of VP Day

Seventy-nine years later at Cabra-Vale Diggers in Sydney’s west, a special commemoration was held to mark the occasion.

The Victory in the Pacific Committee, formed by Cabra-Vale Diggers, Mounties and St Johns Park Bowling Club, along with six RSL sub branches, organised the service and march which was attended by Governor of NSW Margaret Beazley AC KC, along with the Consulate Generals from the UK, USA, Japan and New Zealand, as well as local school students.

President of Cabra-Vale Diggers, Major Walter Robinson OAM (Ret’d), this year gave special thanks to female Australians who serve and have served in our armed forces. 

“This year we will be putting the spotlight on women in war. We are very pleased to announce that we have Brigadier Jocelyn King CSC, Commander 2 Health Brigade alongside Warrant Officer Class One Kimberly Kiely RSM 2 BDE — two prominent high ranking officers in the Australian Army,” he said.

VP Day commemorates Japan’s acceptance of the Allied demand for unconditional surrender. Australia had been at war for five years, 11 months and 11 days when on 15 August 1945, news broke that the war was finally over. 

Australian forces were engaged in campaigns across the Pacific — in New Guinea, Bougainville, New Britain, Borneo, and in the Philippines — and Australian prisoners of the Japanese were spread throughout Asia. 

A number of commemorative services were held across other NSW clubs as well as around the world to commemorate this day and acknowledge the service of our veterans.

Minister for Veterans David Harris attended a service at Martin Place and addressed the crowd.

“Today on VP Day we come together to remember all those men and women who served during the Second World War, in our Navy, Army, Air Force, the Merchant Navy and nursing, and thank them for their sacrifices, through conflict and, for many, long periods in captivity. 

“We honour the nearly one million Australians who served, and the 39,000 Australians who made the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of peace and the freedom we enjoy to this day. 

“August 15 is a date our nation will never forget, as it brought an end to the war that was fought so close to our shores.”

In June 2005, the Cabramatta district received a grant from the Commonwealth Government to establish a permanent memorial marking the 60th Anniversary of the Victory in the Pacific. It was decided to install a plaque on two columns or pedestals near the steps to the Rotunda in Cabravale Memorial Park. A joint Commemoration Service was held on 14 August 2005 to unveil the plaque, drawing hundreds of spectators and proving to be a resounding success. In 2007, it was determined that this event would become an annual tradition, focusing on educating the local community and school students.