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The Far East was captured in a dramatic attempt by Japan to seize its wealth of natural resources, the captured men, woman and children had to endure nearly four years of Japanese oppression.
The prisoners lived their captivity as an endless nightmare and with no hope many died of despair.
The fortunate to awaken from their ordeal were never the same again. The nightmares returned to haunt their sleep and the faces of those left behind have never left them.
Researching their ordeal to find answers has led many of us to experience their torment, we will never feel the pain they endured and fortunately we can awaken from the despair that became their living hell as Japanese Pow’s.
Downing Street Petition
Please sign the Downing Street Petition to the British Prime Minister:-
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Let August 15th be a day of remembrance for all those who died or suffered in Japanese Prisoner of War Camps during WWII.
August 15th is the day when the Far East PoWs gained their freedom and could look back, remembering their mates who died and suffered in captivity. This day to be part of V-J Day.
You can sign the petition if you are one of the following:-
- A British citizen
- Living in Britain with a British post code
- In the British Forces
- An Expatriate.
Click here to add your signature
The FEPOW Day Petition will run alongside the Downing Street Petition as it covers all nationalities.
Montevideo Maru Search
Finding the HMAS Sydney and the Kormoran is wonderful news and a remarkable achievement after 67 years. Aside from the historical significance, more importantly. at last the families and friends of the 645 Australian service men aboard this ship can have closure and know where their loved ones rest. The healing process can now start for these people.
However, there are many Australian service men and civilians from World War II who are still considered missing. Many families and friends have been unable to grieve the loss of their loved ones as their final resting place remains unknown.
The Montevideo Maru is one of Australia’s greatest losses in WW ll and one without any clear answers. The fall of Rabaul, New Britain, Kavieng, New Ireland and the surrounding islands of the Mandated Territory of New Guinea resulted in over 1000 Australian service men, civilians and missionaries being captured. Apparently these men, now considered prisoners of war (POW), were on the Montevideo Maru. The official record states that the Japanese cargo ship was transporting the Australian men when it was torpedoed by the American Submarine USS Sturgeon on the 1st of July 1942, off Luzon, the Philippines.
Interestingly only the Japanese crew survived, but there were no Australian survivors. The question keeps arising, whether the POWs were actually on the vessel. The uncertainty following the sinking of the Montevideo Maru is only fuelled by the fact that information was not disclosed by both the Japanese and Australian Governments. And to this day, it is not known whether the 1000 missing Australians were on this ship or met their deaths in Papua New Guinea.
Therefore, over a 1000 Australian families, do not really know where their fathers, husbands, uncles, brothers, sons, cousins are. The family and friends of those supposed to have been lost on the Montevideo Maru deserve to know the truth of what really happened and where our loved ones’ remains lie. Even though this is more than 60 years on since this great loss of World War II, we also need closure and to be able to grieve the loss of our loved ones.
The sinking of the Montevideo Maru is considered to be Australia’s worst maritime disaster and yet very few Australian’s have ever heard about it. The number of lives lost in this one incident is almost double the number which died in the whole of the Vietnam War. Sadly, it seems that Australia has forgotten these men.
We challenge the Australian Government to support the families and friends of the Australian servicemen and civilians who remain missing to this day. We are requesting that the Australian Government opens a full investigation into the fate of the over 1000 men. By recovering the Montevideo Maru using the technology utilised by the search for the HMAS Sydney, it could be proven, if in fact these men rest at the bottom of the ocean off the Philippines or elsewhere.
You can help now, please click here
Trip To Thailand - November 2007
Tribute at Kanchanaburi
Images supplied courtesy of Michael Nellis
Mike Nellis and Keith Andrews made the trip to Thailand in November 2007, both part of the FEPOW Family, they laid a wreath on the Families behalf.
Mike has sent in a report on their trip and well worth a read:-
Trip to Thailand - November 2007
Fepow Remembrance Day - August 15th
Fepow Family Gathering at Great Yarmouth
A vote was held to establish which day to hold in remembrance of the Fepow’s. This includes, service personnel, civilians and romusha, whatever nationality, colour or religion.
The date which had the majority of votes was August 15th, to be held as a day of Fepow Remembrance and be aknowledged as Fepow Day.
The next step is getting Fepow Day established and you can have your say by joining the Fepow Day Group:- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fepow-day
The Fepow Remembrance Day movement has a new web site at:- http://www.fepow-day.org
Support the move to establish August 15th as a day of remembrance for all those who suffered under the Japanese during World War II., whatever nationality, colour or religion, whether service personnel, civilians or romusha.
Have signed the petition to establish a FEPOW Remembrance Day
The petition can be signed at:- http://www.fepow-day.org/html/petition.php
Please give a few minutes of your time, the FEPOWs gave much more.
Reports on the two gatherings held are now on the www.fepow-day.org web site under gatherings.
Fepow Family Pin:-
Many have asked if a pin is available, the design below is the completed graphic.
The FEPOW Family is world wide keeping the candle of remembrance alight.
The pin will be 1.25 inch wide in Fine Enamel with a butterfly clutch.
The estimated price will be £1.95 + postage.
Please order via the printable form:- Order Form
If you require help please email Ron at Ron.Taylor@fepow-community.org.uk
I would like to thank Michael Hurst MBE for all the help he has given with this project.
Fepow Day Pin:-
To promote August 15th as Fepow Remembrance Day a pin is also being produced.
The pin will be 1 inch high in Fine Enamel with a butterfly clutch.
The estimated cost will be £1.00 + postage.
Please order via the printable form:- Order Form
If you require help please email Ron at Ron.Taylor@fepow-community.org.uk
I would like to thank Michael Hurst MBE for all the help he has given with this project.
Museum of the Manchester Regiment
Evening Lecture Programme 2008 includes ‘The Story of the Regiments Far East Prisoners of War 1942-1945’ on Thursday 24th April 2008.
Date: Thursday 24 April 2008
Title: Prisoners: The Story of the Regiments Far East Prisoners of War 1942-1945
Description: Between 1942 and 1945 many men, women and children suffered great hardship at the hands of their Japanese captors. Learn more about the experiences of the men of the Regiment that endured those years of hard work and deprivation. Learn how their humour, regimental pride and stoicism gave them the strength to go on.
Speaker: Capt Robert Bonner (Regimental officer and author)
Full programme
FEPOW Researching History Conference 2008
2nd International Conference
National Memorial Arboretum (NMA), Alrewas, Staffordshire
on Saturday & Sunday, 31 May – 1 June, 2008
The focus will be FEPOW and civilian internment in
SINGAPORE, MALAYA & HONG KONG, 1941-1945
INTERNATIONAL KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:
Mr Jeyathurai A. (Jeya) – Director of the Changi Museum, Singapore
The Fall of Malaya and Singapore
and
How Singapore commemorates WWII
Tony Banham – Founder of the Hong Kong War Diary website
The battle for Hong Kong, FEPOW & Civilian Internees and the Hellships
Sears Eldredge – FEPOW camp entertainments
GUEST LECTURERS:
Peter Francis – Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Dr Nigel Stanley – Medical aspects relating to FEPOW and civilian internees
David Tett – FEPOW mail and postal history
Peter Thompson – author of The Battle for Singapore, speaking on Aspects of the Pacific War
SPECIAL GUESTS:
Roderick Suddaby – Imperial War Museum
Roger Mansell – Director of the Center for FEPOW Research, USA
Fred Seiker – FEPOW
Once again, we hope to be joined by at least 12 FEPOW guests including representatives of two famous Highland regiments.
£100 per delegate for the two days (Deposit £40 now, balance to pay Feb.08)
To book your place:contact Meg Parkes by e-mail via mm.parkes@talktalk.net,
or alternatively write to: Kranji, 34 Queens Road, Hoylake, Wirral CH47 2AJ
Book early to avoid disappointment!
Places will be allocated on a strictly first-come, first-served basis.
Don't miss this unique opportunity to hear leading international experts
in the field of FEPOW history research.
New Book:-
Prisoners in Java
Accounts by Allied Prisoners of War in the Far East (1942-1945) captured in Java
 Thousands of British Servicemen were sent to the Far East in 1941 and 1942 as part of the Allied Forces defence of these territories against the Japanese.
With minimal military back-up there was to be no ‘Dunkirk’ for the unfortunate men left defending Java, the ‘last bastion’ after Singapore had fallen.
Following the Dutch capitulation of Java on the 8th March 1942 they all became prisoners of the Japanese, many of whom had only just arrived on the island.
As POWs they were ultimately deployed as Japanese slave labour on Java itself, in other more remote parts of the Dutch East Indies, on the Thai/Burma and Sumatra Railways and also the Japanese homelands.
The abhorrent conditions in the camps in which the prisoners were held, along with the starvation, deprivation and brutality by their captors, are indescribable to anyone who did not experience this hell. The inhumane method of transportation of drafts between these camps gave little respite, these becoming aptly known as the ‘Hellships’.
Thousands of men did not return, but many of those that did continued the strong comradeship borne out of adversity by forming clubs.
One such club is The Java Club 1942, whose members over the years have filled their Java Journal with their recollections and personal accounts. This book is a compilation of these articles which illustrate the horror and despair, as well as some of the more humorous moments of their three and a half years in captivity.
  Over 336 pages and 140 maps & illustrations!
“To keep going the spirit that kept us going”
Orders for “Prisoners in Java”
To: Lesley Clark, 5 Barrons Close, Ongar, Essex, CM5 9BJ - Tel: 01277 362313
lesleyclarkuk@yahoo.co.uk
Price @ £18.99 each, plus postage & packaging of £4.95 per copy
NB: For overseas postage or bulk orders please contact Lesley for confirmation of postage & packing costs.
Quoting:- Name, Address and Post Code
ORDERS CAN BE COLLECTED AT THE LAUNCH, OR WILL BE DESPATCHED MID TO LATE AUGUST
CHEQUES WILL NOT BE CASHED UNTIL THE ORDER HAS BEEN COLLECTED OR SENT
Revue:-
This substantial book, containing the recollections of numerous FEPOWs captured in Java in March 1942, is a remarkable piece of team work by Margaret Martin and other members of the Java Club. The personal recollections are drawn from articles that appeared over 20 years in the FEPOW newsletter the Java Journal.
Much has been written about the POWs sent from Singapore to Thailand; the story of the Java FEPOWs and the names of the camps they endured are to many of us less well known.
The story of the Java FEPOWs, mostly RAF & Royal Artillery, is not merely about captivity in Java but followed through, covering such areas as the voyages to the Far East; experience in Malaya and Singapore; evacuation to Java; capture and escape attempts; Hellships to to Japan; Liberation; repatriation and Remembrance. Even with Liberation the anguish did not end - one man came home to a wife dying of TB.
Leslie Audus provides an introduction to the book and tells of his experiences, not only at war and in captivity but while based in Singapore pursuing his interest in botany on expeditions with John Corner, the Director of the Botanic Gardens. The following year he was sent with two thousand other RAF men to the island of Haruku as slave labour - only half survived. There are also substantial contributions from Robert Chapman, co-founder of the Java Club.
Anecdotal history is often criticised by those who perhaps have a limited view of what history is and then selectively use it themselves. In the case of FEPOW histories we are well past the stage where accounts by officers were thought 'sound' and those by other-ranks 'unreliable.' We all recognise that anecdotal accounts may fall short of 100% accuracy but it is the thoughts, memories and opinions of those who were there, not dry as dust facts that make history interesting.
The book is profusely illustrated with photographs, maps and drawings including interesting, often entertaining cartoons by Sid Scales. It is also very well indexed.
"PRISONERS IN JAVA" is an important.contribution to the preservation of FEPOW club literature; a lead to others with substantial collections of newsletters. It adds to the history of the Captivity and contains a wealth of information on the Java FEPOWs.
Jonathan Moffatt - co-author 'Moon Over Malaya'.
New Book:-
Remembered: The History of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Text by Julie Summers, Photography by Brian Harris.
Published by Merrell, May 2007
192 pages.
ISBN 978-1-8589-4374-9
29.95 Hardback
Biographer and historian Julie Summers and acclaimed newspaper photographer Brian Harris have combined their talents to produce this memorable and visually stunning book thats publication date marks the 90th anniversary of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, established by Royal Charter in 1917 as the Imperial War Graves Commission with its guiding principle of equal treatment of all war dead, irrespective of rank, race or creed..
The History of this organisation which is responsible for cemeteries and memorials in 23,000 locations in 150
countries around the world began with the work and foresight of one Red Cross volunteer, Fabian Ware in the First World War. Careful record keeping by Ware and his resistance to the selective repatriation of war dead were early features of war graves work.Later Ware called upon a wealth of talents including Sir Edwin Lutyens to design the cemeteries and memorials of the First World War. Rudyard Kipling, his only son missing in the trenches, became the first literary adviser to the I.W.G.C.
The remarkable story unfolds with supporting well-selected archival photos as well as stunning contemporary ones. The role of ordinary men and women is not forgotten: Annie Souls, an Oxfordshire housewife who lost five sons in the First World War and Ben Leech who was allowed by the Germans in World War 2 to continue tending the Somme war cemeteries, also finding time to involve himself in Resistance activities.
Many aspects of the work of the CWGC are covered: grave concentration, horticulture and gravestone production. There was no standard type of gravestone: as at Gallipoli climate dictated the use of pedestal stones in a style similar to that used after the Second World War in war cemeteries in Thailand and Burma.
At Mill Road cemetery on the Somme flat headstones were dictated by old German tunnels below, and in Malta rocky ground and shortage of land necessitated multiple burial plots..
Many of Brian Harris' photos remind us of the beautiful, calm settings of many war cemetries in places like the Somme & Monte Cassino - once ravaged, desolate battlefields There are particularly outstanding photos of Chungkai in Thailand and Ramparts Cemetery, Ypres. Some of the best photos are taken early in the morning: Kranji, Singapore, the gardeners already at work, and Alexandria War Cemetery, Egypt. Some cemeteries are in more busy urban settings or have become so: Sai Wan, Hong Kong in particular.
This book is a fitting tribute to the work of the CWGC. and a reminder to us of the sacrifice of the
1,700,000 men and women of the Commonwealth Forces who died in the two World Wars.
All Royalties from 'Remembered' go to the CWGC to support its work.
Jonathan Moffatt May 2007
Researching
Need help in researching, you will find helpful hints within these pages, A start to Researching
As the years pass by many a descendant of these brave souls has researched those prisoner of war years.
There are tools to help with the Fepow Story, books, internet and the Fepow’s themselves. The Fepow Community has now added new tools for research purposes, the main research section being The Rising Sun.
Translation of the Japanese words used by the prisoners is covered by the Word Translator, this started as a pamphlet given to the prisoners by the Japanese and has been enlarged upon. The Fepow Verse has been gathered together by the late Maurice Rooney. One of the ways to survive the prisoners ordeal was to turn to Religion, all prisoners beliefs are respected.
The latest addition is the Abbreviations section, I was asked what ALSEA was, I thought life would be easier for us all with the forces abbreviations on.
This site is in memory of my pop and his mates the Fepow’s, the Special Parade was written by my pop, Frederick Noel Taylor when in Thailand whilst working on the Death Railway.
The Roll of Honour has been added for all those who served their country in “In this their finest Hour”. Please email information to include a loved one with a picture if possible.
We are now sharing information and views with others and widening our knowledge.
Please join the Fepow Community Group, as sharing knowledge will assist in the Fepow’s remembrance and also help others (join at foot of page).
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