Volume 5 No 2 Page 3 Fall 2004

2004 . . . the Year in Review

The year 2004 has been a banner year in our quest to tell more of the story of the Taiwan POWs and to make sure that these wonderful men are never forgotten. Much new material has been gathered from the POWs and their families, from archives around the world and from other sources as well. In addition, several more surviving Taiwan POWs were found.
The Honour Roll has grown from around 2900 names at the beginning of the year to over 3700 at present writing, and we are now very close to having most of the names of the former POWs who were interned on Taiwan from August 1942 until September 1945.
Our POW Memorial building program was finally completed as the Kukutsu POW Memorial was re-dedicated in May, and in November, the fourth POW memorial on the island was erected and dedicated at the site of the former Heito Camp.
Early in September the Taiwan POWs were represented at a World War II conference in Beijing. After this, a visit was made to two POW camps in north China where former Taiwan POWs were held, and also to the infamous Unit 731at Harbin. We are working with another group to try to get memorials erected on the sites of these two former camps in China.
On November 4th the new ‘Museum of Gold’ was opened in Chinguashi (Kinkaseki), with the POW display being one of the featured attractions. The exhibit provides the people of Taiwan with more information about the Taiwan POWs and this little-known part of their history; as well as creating a permanent memorial to the POWs who suffered so much there.
A most wonderful and memorable Remembrance Week was held from November 10 – 17 with nineteen overseas guests present this year. Visits to seven of the former POW camps were made and memorial services held at six of them.
As you will note, the Taiwan POW Camps Memorial Society is continuing to fulfill its goals and the aims and objectives that were sent forth when the Society was first formed. We want to press on to that end and to fulfill all the objectives we have set out to do. Thanks to all of those who have had a part in this wonderful work.

KUKUTSU POW MEMORIAL
RE-DEDICATED

The newly re-dedicated Kukutsu POW Memorial

Sunday May 16 was a beautiful sunny day for the re-dedication of the Kukutsu POW Memorial. More than fifty friends and supporters gathered with us on the 59th anniversary of the day the POWs moved into the camp from Kinkaseki, to witness the dedication ceremony.
As mentioned in our last newsletter, the Kukutsu Memorial stone - which had originally been dedicated on the site of the former camp back in 1999, had to be relocated due to a government construction project and so on February 17 this year the former Kukutsu POW Memorial stone was re-mounted into a new permanent base constructed last year.
The ceremony began with a march to the memorial led by piper Mal Turner. Master of ceremonies, TPCMS board member Jerry Keating, welcomed everyone, and following the opening remarks by Michael Hurst, Director of the POW Society, Mr. Rod Bunten, Deputy-Director of the British Trade and Cultural Office in Taipei spoke on behalf of the Commonwealth and Allied representatives. Then Deputy Director of the Taipei County Gov’t. Culture Bureau, Mr. Bob Tang, brought greetings and good wishes from the county government. Following the reading of two poems, wreaths were laid on the memorial.
Richard Chen then played taps and reveille and a minute’s silence was observed to remember the men in this camp who had suffered, and those who had died so near to the end of World War II.


Trumpeter Richard Chen plays taps and reveille - in tribute to the POWs

A special thanks to all those who took part on the day and those who came to show their support, including the people of the Tu Tan Community where the memorial is located. -the community chairman and his wife, and many of the local residents and friends.


TPCMS Staff with piper (l-r) Jerry Keating,
Mal Turner (piper), Michael Hurst, Stuart Saunders

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