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Townsville to again lead national commemoration of 1945 Victory in the Pacific

Living Heroes – VP 60 Townsville from 12–15 August 2005

The commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the end of the Second World War will take place over four days in August in Australia’s northern Garrison City Townsville. VP60 commemorates the 15 August 1945, the day on which Japan surrendered, bringing to an end the World War. While ending in Europe on VE Day on 8 May, the War continued for a further four months in the Pacific Theatre.

Over the past 20 years, Townsville has enjoyed a fantastic record of conducting grand community events fostered on a tremendous public spirit and participation. Significant events over that time include Commemoration of the Battle of the Coral Sea in 1992, VP 50 Celebrations in 1995, the spectacular opening of the award winning Strand, Millennium Celebrations, Federation North and Centenary City.

In 1995, thousands of Australian and international WWII Veterans gathered in Townsville over two weeks celebrating 50 years of Peace in the Pacific.

The VP50 Event saw unheralded scenes as veterans reunited and relived their Townsville experiences of 1945. That event won national and international accolade, culminating in the Prime Ministers Award for Community of the Year. Now ten years on, Townsville will again honour the men and women who lived and journeyed through that city during the Pacific Campaign – our Living Heroes.

Friday 12 August will see the commencement of a four day program that will indeed give our Veterans a feeling of pride and heroism. The Veterans will be welcomed and embraced by the community through the celebratory and commemorative events include civic welcomes, street parade, memorial dedications and a spectacular Skyshow tribute on the night of Saturday 13 August.

Already over 350 Veterans from around Australia and as far away as the US have registered, ensuring that once again, emotions will run high with friendships being rekindled, memories retraced and spirits and yarns relived..

The program will commence with the arrival of the Sun Lander Train on 12 August carrying many Veterans from Brisbane and along the Queensland coast. The Townsville event will conclude with a grand community celebration in the city centre on VP Day, 15 August featuring a Dawn Service, re-enactment of the Declaration of Peace and partying in the city’s Flinders Street Mall.

For further information telephone (07) 4721 4000 or check the web site at www.townsvillepresents.com.au

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