2025 marks the 80th anniversary of VJ Day on 15 August, a great opportunity for the nation to come together to honour and pay tribute to the Second World War generation from across the UK and Commonwealth, through a series of national and local events and activities.
Cheshire Military Museum is proud to host one particular artifact of tremendous significance. A simple pen with an amazing Second World War story – one of national and international importance.
The pen was used by US General Douglas MacArthur to sign a formal surrender ceremony on board the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on 2nd September 2nd 1945 that, following Japan’s surrender, effectively brought an end to the war.
Read more here, but better still visit the museum and see the pen as part of your commemoration and tribute to the brave generation that fought, won and lost their lives in the Second World War.
National information about VJ Day is here.
Wilmslow Historical Society has a great account of local recollections here.
Nantwich Museum has a special display in the Community Gallery from 22 July – 11 October on VE and VJ Day in Nantwich curated by Nantwich Museum Research Group. More information here.
A link to the video seeing the pen in action in 1945 is here.