WHY WE DO IT . . . . .

The following letter was received from former POW, Mr. Eric Carter of the 1st/5th Sherwood Foresters who was interned in Kinkaseki and the Kukutsu “jungle camp”. It came in reply to a letter we sent notifying him of the building and dedication of the Kukutsu POW Memorial this past November.

Mr. E. Carter
xxxxxxxxxxx
Notts., England

December 17, 1999

Taiwan P.O.W. Camps Memorial Society
P.O. Box 665, Yung Ho
Taipei 234, Taiwan, R.O.C.

Dear Michael,

May I thank you most sincerely for your letter of December 4th 1999, which I received this morning. It gave me immense pleasure to realise that all these miles away, and after all this time, my colleagues and I are remembered and honoured, and it makes me feel so humble and proud of your Society.

It also adds to my feelings of shame and betrayal of my own Government, who have persistently refused to acknowledge our claims for compensation, and indeed have given substantial financial support and assistance to the Japanese, who perpetrated such heinous crimes against humanity, and are guilty of such unforgivable attrocities from 1942/45.

It has always been my wish to return and pay my last respects to all those at rest in Taiwan, but financial circumstances could not permit, and now also my physical condition makes it an impossibility. It is therefore with an overwhelming sense of gratitude that I salute all members of your Society for acting on my behalf, for doing all that I would like to do personally, and for giving the recognition and honour to those who are still with us.

Could I ask you to keep me in touch with any developments and news, and accept my thanks once again. You must know also that the thoughts of my wife and I were very much with you during the recent earthquake disaster and hope that all concerned escaped without damage or loss. A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to All!

God bless you all,

Eric and Joan Carter

(It’s this kind of letter when received from our POW friends that makes all the hard work and sacrifice “worth it all”. To see their happiness when they know that they and their comrades have not and will not, be forgotten is more than words can express. Won’t you join with us in this great project?)