“The silence was awesome” – a memory of VJ Day, 1945

Association member Frank Colenso spoke to Air Mail in late 2020 for an article on his time in Burma during WWII. To mark the 80th anniversary, we are pleased to re-share Frank’s incredible memories and recollections from that time.

“To us serving in Burma, the announcement of a ceasefire to be effective on 15 Aug 1945 meant a miraculous finish to a struggle lasting over three years. Two atomic bombs, on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, had brought about Japan’s surrender.

“On Toungoo airfield, 140 miles from Rangoon, 150 miles from Meiktila, I was serving as an airframe fitter on detachment from 3 Repair and Salvage Unit (Mobile) RAF in support of 155 Squadron RAF. That morning the squadron Spitfires continued strafing and bombing the Japanese army vainly attempting to escape annihilation, often returning from only 20-minute flights to rearm and refuel.

“Beside the airfield a battery of long-range guns of the Royal Artillery kept up a deafening bombardment into the hills, only pausing to allow our Spitfires to land – then resuming firing salvo after salvo right up to the 11am ceasefire.

“Suddenly the incessant noise of the morning’s action stopped. The last aircraft landed, taxied away, parked and cut their engines. The silence was awesome, not a sound to be heard, leaving me with the dawning realisation that, at last, the war was over.

“Close by the airfield, our small tented camp was approached by a track made from hundreds of steel boxes which had contained rockets, but which now made an all-weather surface in the monsoon rains. Our cook clattered over them in a three-ton lorry bringing our rations, and we soon unloaded everything.

Frank enjoying some down time in Burma. © Helen Davies.

“It was an excessive amount for the 16 of us, with the rum ration allowing one bottle between four people. That was a memorable evening meal, and my diary said: ‘A big do with bags of hooch and everyone merry and singing.’ The next day’s entry read: ‘Day off. Everyone has hangover troubles, one or two merry all day from last night.’

“That evening we went to the nearby village to enjoy a chicken meal with an old Gurka ex-soldier, prepared by his Burmese wife in exchange for a spare bottle of rum. My diary reads: ‘Had two-thirds of a bottle of ‘zu’ each – happy as sandboys!’ It was a hilarious walk back to camp in the dark, trying to stay on the narrow slippery banks of the flooded paddy fields.

“Shortly afterwards I was sent to a rest camp. It felt good to relax on my bed-roll, joining in the well-known choruses between each bawdy verse until we were suddenly silenced by an erratic series of gunshots close by. The firing continued spasmodically while I huddled under my old blanket, wishing I was on the other side of a nearby tree. After the last discharge a voice called: “Shall I throw any more bullets in the fire?” He was left in no doubt of our reaction!”

Frank Colenso passed away before he could see his longer article in print in Air Mail magazine. The above memories have been published by kind permission of his daughter Helen Davies to commemorate VJ Day.