First Minister gives letter of thanks to 99-year-old veteran as Wales marks VJ Day

The First Minister of Wales has presented a letter of thanks to a veteran who served in Asia Pacific, as Wales commemorates the 80th anniversary of VJ day and the end of the Second World War.

Duncan Hilling from Saundersfoot, who joined the RAF in April 1944 before transferring to the Royal Welch Fusiliers, received the tribute from Baroness Eluned Morgan in recognition of his extraordinary service during the war.

The 99-year-old’s military journey took him through India, Japan, and Malaya during some of the conflict’s most challenging periods.

Bombs

Mr Hilling was among the first UK forces to enter both Hiroshima and Nagasaki just weeks after the atomic bombs were dropped in August 1945, witnessing firsthand the devastating aftermath.

He was one of eleven siblings, seven of them also served during the war. Remarkably, all of them survived the conflict.

VJ Day, marked on 15 August, commemorates Victory over Japan and the end of the Second World War, remembering those who served in the war against Japan in the Pacific region.

‘Fascinating’

Mr Hilling said: “I went out to Japan and spent a year there, it was a fascinating country. We arrived before any other troops, we went to Hiroshima and the horrors of the atomic bomb were still there, it was hideous.

“We asked people what they remembered about the bomb, and they couldn’t remember anything, just a flash.

“To me it was horrible, my comrades, six of us, felt the same. I don’t think people can ever understand what it was like.

“Let’s hope to goodness it never happens again.”

He added: “I was absolutely amazed by the First Minister coming to see me and giving me a letter of thanks.

“I think of all the boys who were in Japan with me, nearly all of them gone now as I am nearly 100.”

First Minister Eluned Morgan said: “It is a privilege to personally thank Mr Hilling for his incredible service and sacrifice.

“His experiences in Hiroshima and Nagasaki remind us of the true cost of war and the courage of those who served in Asia Pacific.

“On this 80th anniversary of VJ Day, we honor all veterans like Mr Hilling who helped secure the peace and freedom we enjoy today.”