2009 REMEMBRANCE WEEK

This year twenty-two overseas guests came to Taiwan for our Remembrance Week event. Included were six former POWs – the most we have had for several years. Three - Jack Fowler, George Reynolds and Stan Vickerstaff had been here before, and three – Ken Pett, William Roy and Stan Wood were here for the first time. Also present were Peter Bowkett and Andrew Popple and their wives, representing their fathers who were POWs here but have since passed on.

Jack & Ken remember

On Thursday we visited the former Kinkaseki Camp and the Gold Ecological Park and Museum. The visitors went inside the No. 5 mine tunnel and while the memories flooded back for the POWs, their family members were able to see a little of the conditions they endured as well.

A meaningful time was spent in the POW Park and on the hill overlooking the former mine entrance. On the way back to Taipei we made a stop at the Keelung Harbour dock where the POWs arrived and departed over 60 years ago.

Former Taihoku Camp 6 POWs

Friday was taken up with local sightseeing around Taipei, which our guests thoroughly enjoyed. It gave them a chance to see some of the local Chinese culture, not to mention the noon buffet they enjoyed at the Grand Hotel! Included was a stop at the former Taihoku No. 6 Camp.

Saturday morning the group went to the Kukutsu “jungle” Camp in the hills south of Hsintien for a special memorial service with our Taiwanese friends there. Mrs. Lai, the district chairman’s wife had arranged for several of the older folk who live in the area and who actually saw and remembered the POWs being there, to take part in the ceremony and a wonderful time of fellowship followed. We had a great time and many of the guests said that this was one of the most memorable parts of their visit.

“Old” friends at Kukutsu Camp

Saturday evening featured our annual POW Banquet at the Imperial Hotel, and once again local supporters and friends were able to meet the former POWs and hear stories about their time in Taiwan.

The weather for the Remembrance Day service on Sunday was much improved over the past couple of years and around 100

people turned out for the service in the POW Park in Jinguashi.

Piper Mal Turner began the ceremony, Rev. Diane Wong opened the service in prayer and Michael Hurst, Director of the Taiwan POW Camps Memorial Society gave the opening remarks, introduced the POW guests and spoke about remembering those who sacrificed so much for our freedom. Then David Campbell, Director-General of the British Trade and Cultural Office in Taipei brought a message of tribute on behalf of the Commonwealth and Allied representatives.

Poems were read and tributes were brought by the former POWs and their family members, and then POW Society board member Mark Wilkie, read “A Time to Remember” which was followed by a message and prayer of remembrance from Rev. Wong. Wreaths were laid on the memorial as the piper played Amazing Grace and this was followed by the Last Post, two minute’s silence and Reveille rendered by trumpeter Andrew Tsao from TAS.

Everyone then joined together in reciting the “Ode of Remembrance” and our piper played his closing number to end the service. A time of fellowship followed around the memorial and at the picnic lunch provided by the Trade Offices in the nearby community center.

On Monday we took Bill Roy back to the Taipei Railway Repair Shops were he worked as a POW while in Taihoku Camp # 6 in 1944 – 45. Mr. Wendell Lou, former vice-director of the facility was our guide for the tour. It brought back a lot of memories for Bill and we thank the TRA for the opportunity to visit the site once more.

	Bill visits the Railway Shops

Once again it was a great weekend and a wonderful week for our POW guests, and we hope to have more POWs and their family members coming to join us in 2010 – the 65th anniversary of the end of World War II.