News & Updates

Aug 27, 2020

Veterans and volunteer cabbies enjoy VJ Day 75th anniversary event at Danny House

On Sunday 16 August, the Taxi Charity arranged for volunteer cabbies to drive 25 veterans from across London and the south east to join over 100 veterans and their families for an afternoon of entertainment at a special concert to commemorate the 75th anniversary of VJ Day at Danny House in West Sussex. Organised by The Not Forgotten, a British armed forces charity for serving and ex-service men and women, the event was part of a nationwide outdoor concert tour to entertain,

Aug 15, 2020

Taxi Charity is delivering commemorative tins to veterans for VJ Day

To mark the 75th anniversary of VJ Day on Saturday 15 August, the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans is delivering specially commissioned VJ Day commemorative tins, filled with sweets and a miniature or two, to WWII veterans. The charity delivered tins earlier this year to commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE Day and received so many phone calls from veterans thanking them for thinking of them during lockdown that they wanted to replicate the idea for VJ Day, for all their

Aug 14, 2020

94-year-old navy veteran reflects on 75th anniversary of VJ Day, SW Londoner

August 15 marks the 75th anniversary of Victory Over Japan Day, the day the Japanese surrendered bringing about an end to the Second World War. VJ Day remembrance services across the UK have been scaled back significantly this year due to Covid-19 restrictions. Alfie ‘Fred’ Lee, 94, from Hampshire, who took part in the Normandy landings in early June 1944, before being re-deployed, held a two-minute silence on Saturday, alongside two friends, to remember those who never made

Aug 14, 2020

WWII veteran Fred Lee interviewed by BFBS

WWII veteran Fred Lee, 94, talks to BFBS about enlisting in the Navy as a boy, and discusses where he was when the war ended. #BFBS #VJDay

Aug 13, 2020

Roy to celebrate end of war with Prince Charles, South London Press

A veteran of the Second World War conflict against Japan will be one the survivors of the Pacific conflict to join with Prince Charles for a national memorial on VJ Day tomorrow. Roy “Doug” Miller, 96, from Croydon, joined the Navy in 1940 as a 15-year-old having lied about his age. “It was my duty,” he said. “We had no idea what to expect and nothing could prepare us for what we would witness over the next five years.” At the beginning of the war, Doug was involved in the Ru

Aug 13, 2020

Chairman's Blog: VJ Day 75 - Leslie Brewster - Remember one, remember all

The Taxi Charity recently received a donation from Caroline Upcraft, in memory of her father, Leslie Brewster, who served in the Pacific Campaign during World War II. I wrote back to thank her, and so began an exchange of emails. Caroline described how she often asked her dad about his wartime experiences, "but he was always reluctant to share those memories, except for the happier recollections." That was typical of his generation – our country's 'greatest generation' – as t

Aug 12, 2020

The veterans who dodged kamikaze and sniper attacks to reach first VJ Day, Kent Online

Two Navy veterans have shared their memories of surviving kamikaze attacks and sniper fire to make it through to the end of the Second World War and celebrate the first Victory in Japan (VJ) Day. Richard Edser, 94, served as a Seaman on board the HMS Formidable aircraft carrier in East Asia. He had signed up aged just 17, with his training and military career taking him to Belfast, Norway, Gibraltar and the Pacific. Mr Edser spoke to the PA news agency in July about his memor

Aug 10, 2020

WWII veteran Fred Lee interviewed by Andrew Pierce on LBC ahead of VJ Day

Ahead of VJ Day, WWII veteran, Alfie “Fred” Lee (94), spoke with Andrew Pierce from LBC about his experiences in the Far East. #LBC #VJDay

Aug 8, 2020

Roy Miller: I fought kamikaze crew, Sunday People

Navy gunner Roy 'Doug' Miller fought off Japanese suicide planes from aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable. Roy said: "We had several brushes with the kamikazes, it was terrifying. Everyone was subjected to fear, but you had a discipline about you. The kamikazes were very committed, and while it might be an off concept to us to commit suicide for your country, they believed they were being loyal to their emperor." Roy, 96, from Croydon, London, joined up in 1940 at 15 and served

Aug 8, 2020

Fred Lee: Tears for long-lost bruv, Sunday People

Two sailor brothers survived invasions on both Allied fronts during the war. Stoker Alfie 'Fred' Lee, 94, and late sibling Frank were at D-Day in 1944 and the liberation of Rangoon from the Japanese - Operation Dracula - in 1945. But the moment he remembers most is being reunited with Frank in 1945 after a five-year separation. Fred's frigate HMC Nith stopped at Bombay to pick up landing craft - one of which turned out to be his brother's. Fred, of Hook, Hants, said: "I felt

Aug 8, 2020

Veterans of the Far East campaign will be present at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffs

The Prince of Wales, accompanied by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall, will lead the UK in a national moment of remembrance and thanksgiving for all those who served in the Far East. His Royal Highness will lead a two minute silence at 11am at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire as part of a special televised service on the BBC. A number of veterans, including Roy 'Doug' Miller, who served in the Royal Navy aboard HMS Indomitable, will be present at the

Aug 8, 2020

On the 75th anniversary of VJ Day, veterans share their stories of serving in the Far East

Ahead of the 75th anniversary of the surrender of Japan, that ultimately led to the end of WWII, the Taxi Charity spoke to some veterans who served in the Far East. Roy "Doug" Miller (96) from Croydon, joined the Navy in 1940 as a 15-year-old having lied about his age. "It was my duty," he said. "We had no idea what to expect and nothing could prepare us for what we would witness over the next five years." At the beginning of the war, Doug was involved in the Russian convoys

Jul 14, 2020

WWII veteran Roy Miller talks to Taxi about Victory Over Japan Day

WWII veteran Roy “Doug” Miller, a regular on trips with the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, spoke to Taxi about the 75th anniversary of the surrender of Japan, known as VJ Day, that ultimately led to the end of World War II. "It Was My Duty" Now 96 years young, Doug joined the Navy in 1940 as a fifteen-year-old having lied about his age, “It was my duty” he said. “We had no idea what to expect and nothing could prepare us for what we would witness over the next five year

Sep 24, 2015

Fast Eddie's Blog: News Round-up

Hello again my taxi troopers, Fast Eddie reporting in with a round-up of what has been happening recently. Please forgive my intermittent reports of late, but I have been on the sick list following a tummy operation. I'm glad to say I am back on parade once more. VJ Day Celebrations - 15 August 2015 Let's kick off with the VJ day celebrations on 15 August 2015. As you hopefully will have seen on the website, in the newspapers and on the tv, everything went off very well. Our

Aug 28, 2015

The Royal British Legion offers thanks to the Taxi Charity for transporting veterans on VJ Day

On behalf of The Royal British Legion, I would like to thank you and all your colleagues for providing the transportation of many of our veterans and their families through your London taxi network. It truly did ensure they had an enjoyable experience from start to finish. With very best wishes, Commemoration Events The Royal British Legion 199 Borough High Street London SE1 1AA #VJDay #RoyalBritishLegion

Aug 28, 2015

More thank you notes to the Taxi Charity from veterans for the free taxis on VJ Day

Name: Kevin and Eddie Hunn Subject: VJ Day Message: Dear Cabdrivers, My father Eddie Hunn is a VJ veteran who was captured at Singapore and worked on the death railway. On VJ Day we had two excellent journeys provided by your charity and we would like to thank you for your kindness and thoughtfulness. Everything went very smoothly, and I guess it would be hard to track him down, but the taxi driver who took us from College Gardens to Liverpool St did an excellent job of just

Aug 18, 2015

Photo Gallery: VJ Day 2015

In honour of the hundreds of heroes who saw active service in the Far East, scores of London’s black cab drivers waived their fares in order to transport veterans around the capital during the VJ Day celebrations on Saturday 15 August. Photographer (and Taxi Charity Vice President), Dick Goodwin, and his wife, Susy, were in attendance with their trusty cameras. Some of their photos are shown below. We've uploaded the full set of 160 photos to our Flickr account. https://www.f

Aug 17, 2015

VJ Day - A thank you note to the Taxi Charity from the daughter of a veteran

On Sunday 16 August 2015, we received the following thank you note in an email from Anne Redston, who accompanied her father and stepmother to the VJ Day commemorations the previous day. Anne's dad, Bill (Don) Redston was First Lieutenant, Motor gunboat 191 with the Royal Naval Coastal Force, which attacked up through the Irrawaddy river in Burma. Anne's email is included below with her permission. Thank you, Anne. We are honoured to have been part of your dad's special day.

Aug 17, 2015

Moving photo of veteran Danny McCrudden on front page of The Observer

Danny McCrudden, one of our veteran collectors, featured on the front page of yesterday's Observer (as well as page 2 of the Mail on Sunday). The photo, snapped by Jonathan Brady during the commermorations at Horse Guards Parade, shows a clearly emotional Danny wiping away a tear. #VJDay #DannyMcCrudden

Aug 17, 2015

Taxi Charity in the press: ITV.com, 15 August 2015

London cabbies waive fares for VJ Day veterans Taxi drivers will be providing free transport for veterans attending the VJ Day commemorations taking place in London today. The cabbies are offering their services to the London Taxi Benevolent Association for War Disabled - known as the Taxi Charity. They will be driving the veterans to Horse Guards Parade for the ceremony to mark the 70th anniversary of Victory over Japan. "I'm very excited as I didn't know if there was to be

TAXI CHARITY FOR MILITARY VETERANS

News & Updates