Armed Forces Memorial to temporarily close for VJ Day 80 commemorations

The Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum and its immediate surroundings will be closed to visitors from 9am on Friday 8 August to 5pm on Sunday 17 August – ahead of the National Commemorative Event to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day and the end of the Second World War.

The event will take place on Friday 15 August.

The rest of the Arboretum, including the Remembrance Centre and the Wondrous Trees summer activity programme will remain open as normal. 

Mark Ellis, National Memorial Arboretum lead said: “The National Memorial Arboretum will remain open while we prepare to welcome thousands of people for the national event commemorating the 80th anniversary of VJ Day and the end of the Second World War.

“The temporary closure of the Armed Forces Memorial will allow our team to safely prepare and later dismantle the event site.

“We apologise for the inconvenience this may cause to visitors, and we have procedures in place so that people can continue to pay their respects and remember all who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of the Nation.

“Visitors can continue to explore the rest of our 150-acre estate, learn about the inspirational stories behind many of our other more than 420 memorials, participate in our fantastic Wondrous Trees summer activity programme, and our daily activities including land train, buggy tours, and our VJ Day guided walks will all be available.”

Throughout the closure, visitors will be able to lay wreaths and tributes in a temporary location near the Armed Forces Memorial.

At the end of each day the tributes will be placed on the Armed Forces Memorial by a member of the Arboretum team, when they will also observe a moment of silence.

The Arboretum team will also be available to advise visitors of other memorials with links to the Armed Forces Memorial that may be of interest, and where tributes can also be laid.  

The service on Friday 15 August at the base of the Armed Forces Memorial will be attended by Second World War veterans, VJ association members, senior politicians and military personnel, remembering the fallen and paying tribute to the British, Commonwealth and Allied veterans who served in the Far East theatres of war, the Pacific and Indian Ocean territories.

The service will feature 400 members of the Armed Forces and include music from military bands, as well as a flypast from the Red Arrows and historic Second World War era aircraft from The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Access to watch the National Commemorative service at the base of the Armed Forces Memorial on 15 August is strictly by invited ticket only.

Visitors to the Arboretum can participate in the commemorations by attending a live screening of the service at the nearby Naval Review.

A park and ride facility will be in operation on this day, and pre-booking of car/ motorcycle parking is essential to guarantee entry. 

Click here for more information about VJ Day 80 and to pre-book parking.