August 15th 2025 is the 80th anniversary of VJ Day and the effective end of World War Two. It was a war like no other in human history and cost millions of lives across the globe. Britain was at the centre of the war, being the only fighting country in Western Europe not to have succumbed to the Nazi invasion (along with their Italian allies). We honour below just a few of the stories of the "greatest generation" who made sacrifices and endured hardships that enable us to enjoy better lives than they did. Britevents Northwest thanks the family of the listed honourees for providing their photos and information.
Joseph W. Roundhill was a dual citizen of the UK and USA. During World War Two, JW (as he was fondly known) served in both the British Royal Air Force in pilot training and then the 379th Bomb Group of the US Eighth Air Force where he flew on 35 missions over enemy occupied Europe, as a right-waist & nose gunner on a Boeing B-17G aircraft. After his missions he then returned home to American soil on December 31, 1944 after successfully eluding the U-boat packs at a speed of 17 knots across the Atlantic Ocean in the famous hospital ship Marine Wolf. His decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, four Air Medals and he has received the French Legion of Honor. JW was an active member of the Seattle Brit Meetup group until his death, aged 97, in 2021. He remains the only person to be appointed a lifetime Honorary Member of Britevents Northwest.
Ruth volunteered after her friend was killed on HMS Hood. She became a leading Wren and served for 4 years. The majority of her time was spent at HMS Quebec, a land base in Scotland which was part of the Combined Operations unit where approximately 250,000 troops got amphibious training. Ruth recently celebrated her 101st birthday in England. You can find more about her wartime experiences by clicking HERE.
Nominated by Elaine Barnwell (daughter)
Ron was drafted into the Navy when he was 19. He became an electrical wireman and worked on the D-Day landing craft during training. He was actually sent to the Far East before D-Day and remained over there until 1946. He was in the Battle of Rangoon. He met Ruth (see above) when they were both at HMS Quebec and they married in 1947.
You can find more about his wartime experiences by clicking HERE
Nominated by Elaine Barnwell (daughter)
John Spratt was a navigator in the RAF 179 Squadron from 1940 to 1946. He flew Wellington Bombers on U-boat patrols out of Gibraltar, protecting the Western entrance to the Mediterranean, and merchant fleets crossing the Atlantic. He flew in the D-Day Brest Blockade, pinning 50 U-boats in the port of Brest and protecting the allied fleet and landing forces from submarine attack. After two tours, he was posted to RAF Silloth as a navigation instructor, where he met his wife of 67 years WAAF Officer June Williams (see below). After VE Day he was deployed to the Far East to fight the Japanese. Click HERE to find out more about John's wartime service. Nominated by Sue Alemann (daughter).
Section Officer June Williams enlisted in 1941 as an Aircraft Woman 2nd Class. She was posted to RAF Limavady in Northern Ireland as a Torpedo Attack Training Supervisor. The training dome where she served was restored in 2025, and features exhibits about her service. SO Williams quickly rose through the ranks and was commissioned in 1942. She served as a Section Officer and Adjutant to the Commanding Officer at RAF Silloth, where she was responsible for both WAAF and RAF personnel. She resigned her commission in 1946, retaining her rank. Nominated by Sue Alemann (daughter).
Prior to D Day, Louis was in the Somerset Light Infantry, then , Churchills secret underground army, the Auxilliaries. Based in Northumberland , the unit were designed to resist German occupation after expected invasion of England. Commanding Officer was the actor Anthony Quayle. Louis then joined the SAS. Louis' section (Troop) parachuted into Normandy at night 4th June 1944 to disrupt enemy communications, supply etc. In July his 7 man team were inserted into southern Normandy (behind the lines) to observe Panzer Grenadier movement. Radio dispatches subsequently resulted in RAF hitting Grenadiers hard. He also operated in Germany and Norway (Bergen) in 1945, interrogating German POW's, and searching for war criminals. He was discharged October 1945, with "exemplary character ". Nominated by Steve Furneaux (Grandson).
Paratrooper James Tofield, pictured giving the salute, was a serving member of the British Army and a member of the Pegasus Brigade during World War Two. He was active in the D-day landings. He also went on to serve in the Korean War, a war he refused to ever talk about. Paratrooper Tofield is buried in the Paratroopers cemetery in Putney Vale Cemetery, London. Nominated by Paula Shrimpton (Granddaughter).
Quarter Master Sergeant Charles “Alfred” Gallagher served in the 133rd Mixed Heavy Anti-aircraft Artillery (Ack-Ack) Regiment. Some of the locations he served at were Tregantle Fort guarding the Navy docks at Plymouth, Easton in Gordano, Norton Malreward near Chew Magna, Grimsby, and Bristol (Radar site with American Mk 5 radar and UK Mk3 Radar). Nominated by Dave Gallagher (son).
Private Arthur Baxter was a member of the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders landed on D-Day with 27 officers and 565 men. He was a prominent battalion footballer. He died, age 33, in service to his country on September 5th 1944 in Italy and his grave is at Gradara War Cemetery, Italy. Nominated by Avril Ferguson (niece).
John was born in August, 1925 in London, England and served in the Royal Air Force overseas in India as a lorry driver during World War Two. He was sent home in 1945 after Japan surrendered. Nominated by Lee Capell (nephew).
Reginald Simcox was one of the lucky ones evacuated from Dunkirk Beach earlier in the war. He also served for a time in North Africa. He was on active service in Sicily on 6th June 1944 with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. Records show he was there from 29/8/43 to 2/7/44. He was injured in Italy after D-Day. A piece of shrapnel entered his back, and it was 3 days before they could get him out for full medical treatment. If the shrapnel had been 1/2” nearer his spine he would have been crippled for life. Nominated by Stephen Caldwell (Grandson)
That Was the Month That Was - Dec 2025
NEWS FROM THE UK YOU MAY HAVE MISSED: Several times a week we publish news stories that either impact British ex-pats, their families, or just off the beat news stories that are truly British. Here are our selection from December 2025!
ALL LINKS ARE TO THE BBC NEWS WEBSITE AND ARE THEIR COPYRIGHT MATERIAL:
Idris Elba knighted as Sarina Wiegman and Lionesses lead New Year Honours
Artist Oliver Jeffers 'loves being home' as he returns with new exhibition
Groans and laughs: How Christmas cracker jokes are tested
£100 contactless card limit to be lifted
Government considers advertising or subscription model for BBC
Medicinal cannabis company to create 100 jobs in Scottish expansion
Liverpool once again named 'most generous' UK city
Artist Nnena Kalu earns 'historic' Turner Prize win
King and Queen reveal this year's Christmas card
FAMOUS BRITS WHO PASSED AWAY OR DEATH REPORTED IN DECEMBER 2025 (Courtesy Wikipedia)
1 December
Denis Durnian, 75, English golfer(death announced on this date)
Luci Shaw, 96, British-American poet and essayist
2 December
Marvin Hinton, 85, English footballer (Charlton Athletic, Chelsea)
Sir Alec Reed, 91, British recruitment executive and philanthropist, founder of Reed and The Big Give
3 December
Brian Havelock, 83, British motorcycle speedway rider
6 December
Martin Parr, 73, British photographer and photojournalist
Bill Sutton, 81, British-born New Zealand politician, MP (1984–1990)
8 December – Kate Allsop, 71, British politician, mayor of Mansfield (2015–2019)(death announced on this date)
9 December
David Best, 82, English footballer (Bournemouth, Ipswich, Oldham) (death announced on this date)
Dixie Deans, 79, Scottish footballer (Motherwell, Celtic, national team)
10 December – Sophie Kinsella (aka Madeleine Wickham), 55, English novelist (Shopaholic, Can You Keep a Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess)
11 December
Stanley Baxter, 99, Scottish actor (Crooks Anonymous, Very Important Person) and comedian (The Stanley Baxter Show), BAFTA winner (1961)
Stan Brookes, 72, English footballer (Doncaster Rovers).
John Carey, 91, British literary critic
Ceal Floyer, 57, Pakistani-born British visual artist
Joanna Trollope, 82, English novelist (A Village Affair).
13 December – Gary Rowell, 68, English footballer (Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Burnley) and newspaper columnist
14 December – Shân Legge-Bourke, 82, Welsh landowner
17 December
Ruth Bourne, 99, British codebreaker and World War II veteran
Sir Humphrey Burton, 94, British television (Aquarius) and radio presenter
Max Eider, British guitarist (The Jazz Butcher) and songwriter(death announced on this date)
David Heathcote, 94, British artist, collector and academic (death announced on this date)
Sir Patrick McNair-Wilson, 96, English politician, MP (1964–1966, 1968–1997)(death announced on this date)
Antony Price, 80, English fashion designer (death announced on this date)
William Rush, 31, actor (Waterloo Road, Grange Hill, Coronation Street), contestant (The X Factor), musician
19 December
Mick Abrahams, 82, English guitarist and singer (Jethro Tull, Blodwyn Pig)
Lorraine Cheshire, 65, English actress (Trollied, Ackley Bridge, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus)
20 December – Henry Moore, 102, English Anglican clergyman, bishop of Cyprus and the Gulf (1981–1986) (death announced on this date)
21 December – Anne Madden, 93, English-born Irish painter
22 December
John P. Connolly, 75, English businessman
Richard Cramb, 62, Scottish rugby union player (Harlequins, London Scottish, national team)
Jonathan Hawkins, 42, English chess grandmaster
Chris Rea, 74, singer and guitarist
Robin Turner, 70, English footballer (Ipswich Town, Swansea City)(death announced on this date)
23 December
Allan Gilliver, 81, English footballer (Bradford City, Brighton & Hove Albion, Lincoln City)
Jimmy Miller, 72, Scottish footballer (Morton, Motherwell, Queen of the South) (death announced on this date)
24 December
Perry Bamonte, 65, English Hall of Fame rock musician (The Cure, Love Amongst Ruin)
Manjula Sood, 80, Indian-born British politician, lord mayor of Leicester (2008–2009)
Ken White, 82, English muralist and illustrator
25 December – John Robertson, 72, Scottish footballer (Nottingham Forest, national team)
26 December – Stewart Francis, 74, British radio executive and broadcaster (LBC, Independent Local Radio)
28 December
Tony Bond, 72, English rugby union player (Broughton Park, Sale, national team)(death announced on this date)
Hugh Morris, 62, Welsh cricketer (Glamorgan, England national team)(death announced on this date)
29 December – Gordon Jones, 82, English footballer (Middlesbrough, Darlington)
30 December – Joe Byrne, 72, Northern Ireland politician, MLA (1998–2003, 2011–2015)
31 December – Mary Bradley, 83, Northern Irish politician, MLA (2003–2011)(death announced on this date)