VJ Day 15 August - Remembering

cherryorchard

Firstly here's to the memory of Vic Wilson (died 27 July 1943) of Charlton and many others who lost their lives whilst prisoners of war in the Far East. Also remembering those who survived but who along with their familes paid a high price and whose post war lives were marked by their experiences.

I thought these family letters might be of interest which give an account of the VJ celebrations in 1945 in London.

I'd be interested to hear any other memories, family stories.

usetobunkin

Charlie Revell, use to be a Sports Master at my school. When i was about 12 i had to have my appendix removed as an emergency op. When i got back to school and changed for games a couple of kid wanted to see my scar. 
Charlie saw all this and lift up his shirt and showed us his scar, then said his appendix had been removed in the Jungle by Hurricane Lamp and bayonet. The  scar was almost  the complete width of his stomach, and jagged.
One tough old boy, one proper gent. 

My Dad was also a Burma veteran, 14th and Forgotten, Saw the horror of Changi Jail, and the survivors of the death railroad.
Later in his life had some sleepless nights

rananegra

We recently discovered that my partner's great uncle died on the Thailand Burma Railway so this anniversary is a bit more poignant than before. He was in the Royal Artillery and died the same month as Vic Wilson. 

CharltonKerry

Very poignant day for me as well, I have published a few of the stories that my father told me about his time in Burma, he wasn’t captured, but he fought for 31/2 years in the jungle. When they finally went on the counter offensive and charged back through Burma with the Japanese they didn’t take a single prisoner, it was there way of evening up the score. Unbelievable brave man, sadly forgotten by all. It would have meant a lot to them if VJ was treated the same as VE Day, but it never was, couldn’t even be bothered to make the 75th anniversary a public holiday. So sad for a remarkable band of men.

carly burn

Red arrows due to fly over different parts of UK this afternoon.

Think weather may scupper some of it unfortunately

SantaClaus

usetobunkin said:

Charlie Revell, use to be a Sports Master at my school. When i was about 12 i had to have my appendix removed as an emergency op. When i got back to school and changed for games a couple of kid wanted to see my scar. 
Charlie saw all this and lift up his shirt and showed us his scar, then said his appendix had been removed in the Jungle by Hurricane Lamp and bayonet. The  scar was almost  the complete width of his stomach, and jagged.
One tough old boy, one proper gent. 

My Dad was also a Burma veteran, 14th and Forgotten, Saw the horror of Changi Jail, and the survivors of the death railroad.
Later in his life had some sleepless nights

That reminds me of stories my grandfather told me when I was a boy. He was a doctor in the far east during the war and I remember him recounting how he had to amputate legs without anaesthetic in field hospitals. Being instructed how to cut off a limb in under 30 seconds with rudimentary equipment is something that's always stuck with me.

seth plum

My father was a Burma veteran. He was taciturn by nature, talked a bit about the troopship out, and the training in India.

blackpool72

seth plum said:

My father was a Burma veteran. He was taciturn by nature, talked a bit about the troopship out, and the training in India.

Ditto my dad.
My uncle died in one of their  prisoner camps. 
What a horrible time to have been a young man.
God bless them all