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During the service we were favoured by musical selections played on traditional Chinese instruments by a local orchestra, and with poems read and remarks from several of those present, as well as the laying of wreaths handcrafted from local flowers by the district chairman’s wife, it was a service that we soon won’t forget.  Memorial Service at the former Kukutsu Camp
The “Empty Table” – remembering
those no longer with us. As many of that “hero generation” are leaving us and those who still remain are getting too old and infirm to travel, the message that this ceremony conveys becomes more real every year. Former POW George Reynolds spoke and expressed his gratitude for what is being done here in Taiwan to honour and remember the men who suffered in all of the camps here. Then Molly Graham spoke on behalf of the family of Harry Brant, bringing a tribute to her father. Sally Dorrian then related how the death of her grandfather in the Kinkaseki Camp in 1945 affected her and her whole family. In closing she proposed a toast to him and all the FEPOWs. The Remembrance Service on Sunday morning was well attended again with more than 80 persons present. The main service was preceded by the dedication ceremony for the new Taiwan POW Memorial Tree (see article on page 4). The tree will stand as a living memorial to all the Taiwan POWs, and along with the Taiwan POW Memorial Tree erected and dedicated at the National Memorial Arboretum in the UK in 2003, it will honour the men in perpetuity. |
The Remembrance Service featured an address by Mr. Ron MacIntosh, Executive Director of the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei – our co-host for this year’s event, and tributes to the POWs and the veterans were rendered by former POW George Reynolds and Sally Dorrian. 
The young people remember and honour
the former POWs.. Leeann Brant-ley, the granddaughter of Harry Brant read “A Time to Remember”, and to conclude 10 year-old Adam Gallant, the great-grandson of Harry Brant and another granddaughter Nikki Graham, read the poem “We Will Remember Them”. It was a very moving moment as the young generation pledged to always remember the POWs. Following the addresses and reading of poems, wreaths were laid to remember those who made the supreme sacrifice for their country and also those who returned home, scarred and marked for life because of their ordeals here in Taiwan’s prisoner of war camps. Once again Canadian piper Mal Turner played the marches and accompanied the laying of the wreaths on the bagpipes, and Andrew Tsao a student from Taipei American School played Taps and Reveille. Rev. Diane Wong of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Taipei gave the message and led the Prayer of Remembrance at this year’s service. 
Former POW George Reynolds pays tribute to his mates The Week of Remembrance continued for our visitors from Monday to Wednesday with some sightseeing and visits to special venues around Taipei City and County. We were sad to see them go and we look forward to next year when hopefully more POWs and family members will return to be with us for this memorable event.
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