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ALICE’S
STORY con’t
When
we returned from our great weekend at Heito, I phoned Alice again
with the news of our discoveries. She was so pleased that now she
could finally make the trip to Taiwan. As I expected, she is making
plans to come out this year for a visit. I told her about our annual
remembrance service and we hope she will be able to join us for
this event.
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REMEMBRANCE
DAY 1999
The
Commonwealth Remembrance Committee is the new organization
responsible for the Remembrance Day ceremonies to be held
in Taipei each year in November. This year, Canada will be
responsible for organising the events, working in conjunction
with Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the respective
local community organizations.
The date
for this year’s events is November 20 - 21, and like last
year, the weekend will have various activities relating to
Remembrance Day, and in particular to the former Taiwan POWs.
This year
we are honoured to have four former Kinkaseki POWs with us
- Jack Edwards from Hong Kong, and Ben Gough, Jim Scott and
John Marshall who will be coming from the UK..
The Banker’s Club
will once again be the venue for the annual POW Banquet to
be held on Saturday evening, November 20. Following this,
on Sunday November 21st, the annual Remembrance Service will
take place at the Kinkaseki POW Memorial in the village of
Chinguashi at 2:00 pm.
Because of difficulties
in past years with getting everyone out to Chinguashi on time
for the service, this year a bus will be chartered to take
everyone to the site. In order to make the bus viable, everyone’s
co-operation is needed in reserving their place as soon as
possible so a tally can be taken of all those going and the
required space provided. The bus will depart from the Canadian
Trade Office - 365 Fushing N. Rd., Taipei at 11:30 am.
The
cost for these events will be NT$1000 for the dinner on Saturday
evening, and NT$300 for the bus on Sunday.
Reservations
for both these events are required. Seating for the POW Banquet
is limited to 40 persons, so be sure to get your reservation
in early. Reservations for both the dinner and the bus can
be made by calling Josh Hodgson at the Canadian Trade Office
in Taipei at 2547-9555. The deadline for reservations is 5:00pm
November 12, 1999.
We
hope that all those who are interested - including the former
“Friends of Kinkaseki” will come out and participate in this
important ceremony to remember those who sacrificed so much
for us.
PLEASE NOTE: The Remembrance
Day church service will be held at the Church of the Good
Shepherd in Shilin, on Sunday November 14 this year.
POPPIES - will be on
sale from November 1st at the British Trade and Cultural Office,
the Canadian Trade Office, BCCT, the Canadian Society, the
British School, and the Church of the Good Shepherd in Shilin.
Please buy and wear a poppy in remembrance of our veterans.
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NEW
MEMORIALS !!!
--- “TAIWAN
POW CAMPS MEMORIAL SOCIETY” IS HOPING TO PLACE MEMORIALS AT
TWO MORE POW CAMPS.
The
TPCMS has recently been negotiating with government officials and
local residents in both Taichung County and Taipei County in the
hopes of placing a POW Memorial stone at both the former POW camps
of Taichu near Wufeng, and Kukutsu, near Taipei.
The Kukutsu Camp
was located in the spring of 1997, when former Canadian Trade Office
Director, Hugh Stephens, Michael Hurst and Jack and Polly Edwards
made a trip to the countryside south of Taipei city in search of
the camp.
The Taichu POW Camp
was located in October 1998 by Michael and Tina Hurst after months
of research and with the aid of notes and sketches provided by the
POWs, most notably Sid Dodds.
These two
camps are quite significant to the Kinkaseki story as well, for
many of the men who slaved at the mine came from the camp at Taichu.
Among them were former POWs Sid Dodds, Maurice Rooney and Ben Slack
- who were with us last November for the 1998 Remembrance Service.
Many also
know the story of the Kinkaseki survivors who went to the Kukutsu
Camp after the mine closed down in the spring of 1945. Jack Edwards,
Maurice Rooney and Stan Vickerstaff - who were with us previously,
and three of the POWs coming to this year’s Remembrance Weekend
were at the Kukutsu Camp.
Negotiations are going well and it is hoped that the memorial stones
can be in place by this November.
The Society has selected two pieces of green Hualien marble, and
the cost - including engraving, runs around NT$10,500.00 each. The
Memorial stones measure approximately three feet wide by two feet
high and will be placed in a small garden at each location.
We are
sending out an appeal to all former “Friends of Kinkaseki”
and others who are interested in helping to remember and honour
the former POWs with these two memorial stones. If just 21 people
donate NT$1000 each, then the job can be completed. The TPCMS is
looking after the transportation and installation of the stones,
but we would like to give the Commonwealth community a chance to
share in their cost. Donations may be sent to the Society c/o our
mailing address - please send by registered mail.
For further information
please contact us by phone, fax or email. Thank you for your care
and consideration.
UPDATE
-
On
Saturday October 23, we received permission to erect the POW Memorial
stone on the site of the former Kukutsu Camp in Taipei County! Work
is now underway and it is expected the stone will be in place in
time for a dedication ceremony in November.
We are anticipating getting the go ahead for the one at Taichu,
in about two weeks time.
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