15th August 1945

[P-C Association Member/NIVA Merit Award Winner 2017/18 Find all posts View Profile Close P-C]

Today is the 65th anniversary of Victory over Japan day.

They were the "Forgotten Army"

The survivors of the Horror camps are few now only one left in my town.

Today I leave a Poppy in their memory at our town memorial,




Rest in Peace

[Guest Close Guest]

Nice thought PC. The 14th were in fact really forgotten, both during and after the war. My uncle was in the Burma Star Association until he passed away, spending three years in the jungles of India and Burma.

[Jock2413 Association Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jock2413]

My uncle spent three and a half years as a prisoner of the Japanese at Changi. He never forgave the Japanese for their inhumane treatment. When the first Chinese restaurant opened in Perth around 1958, apparently my uncle walked past a bit drunk one night, saw the oriental faces and writing and had a major flashback. He half wrecked the place. He was arrested and some understanding judge sentenced him to three months.
My uncle never really recovered from his wartime ordeal and died at the age of 40. My auntie later told me he died cursing the name of General Percival, the officer who surrendered the Singapore garrison in 1942.
Ironically, when the family got the news of his death, we were stationed in Singapore.

Pte D.R. Davidson Ex Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

R.I.P.

[Guest Close Guest]

R.I.P

Percival was an absolute to**er. He had a full Army, millions of rounds of ammunition, two batteries of 15 inch guns, (and yes, they could traverse inland), so he surrendered without a fight!! In doing so he condemned thousands of men to a living hell.

[Jock2413 Association Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jock2413]

Percival survived the war living in relative luxury. When the official Japanese surrender took place aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo bay, he was present. When MacArthur put his signature to the Japanese surrender document, he openly gave the pen he used to Percival.