Britain on Saturday held nationwide commemorations to mark the 70th anniversary of Victory over Japan (VJ) Day.

British Queen Elizabeth II, members of the Royal Family and Prime Minister David Cameron attended a service of Remembrance with veterans, former Prisoners of War (POWs) at St Martin-in-the-Fields Church in central London.

"We are remembering this anniversary today because of the thousands of people who died, suffered appalling injuries and were tortured during this conflict. It is right that we remember, it is right that we thank them and it is right that we recognize that they suffered for our freedoms," Cameron said at the anniversary.

During the service, a wreath was laid at the church's memorial to Far East Prisoners of War, which displayed an original section of the notorious Thai-Burma Railway, known as the "Railway of Death" which cost the lives of nearly 18,000 POWs from Britain, the Netherlands, Australia and the United States.

Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Prime Minister joined hundreds of veterans and their families, members of the armed forces for a commemorative event on Horse Guards Parade near Downing Street.

Veterans and their family members joined about 2,000 people in the event and watched a spectacular flypast of historic and present aircraft.

"It is only right that we recognize the sacrifices made by all those whose actions led to the final victory of Allied Forces in the Second World War and ensured the security at home that we now all enjoy," said Frederick Curzon, minister of state for Britain's Ministry of Defense.

British actor Charles Dance read the poem "Mandalay," written by poet Rudyard Kipling. The poem was once turned into a song and used to be a favorite marching tune for British forces in the 14th Army in Burma (now Myanmar).

Prince Charles and David Cameron laid wreaths at the service on behalf of the nation and the government respectively.

"This 70th anniversary of the real end of World War Two is a good time to show our renewed, sometimes belated, gratitude for what was achieved in South East Asia as well as in Europe," said Patricia Knatchbull, daughter of Louis Mountbatten who used to be the Supreme Allied Commander South East Asia in the 1940s.

After the service on Horse Guards Parade, veterans and their families joined a parade from Whitehall to Westminster Abbey, with thousands of people lining along the roads cheering for them.

Britain suffered huge losses in the war against Japan during WWII, including tens of thousands of British and Commonwealth casualties on the battlefield and more than 12,000 POWs who died in Japanese camps.