This year is a special one for the Taiwan POW Camps Memorial Society — Aug. 15 marked the 75th anniversary of VJ Day, the Allied victory over Japan and the end of World War II. Only then were the surviving men held in the 14 POW camps across Taiwan able to go free. More than 4,350 Allied servicemen were held in harrowing conditions in these camps, with records showing that at least 430 did not make it to see VJ Day.
According to the society’s Web site, if the war hadn’t ended when it did, “it is certain that most — if not all, of the Taiwan POWs would have died.”
Society founder Michael Hurst held the first service for the POWs in 1997, and that November, the first memorial for them was erected at the site of the former Kinkaseki Camp in New Taipei City’s Jinguashi (金瓜石). They will be hosting their annual Remembrance Day event on Nov. 15 at the memorial, followed by a picnic lunch at the community center.
Photo: Han Cheung, Taipei Times
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone who plans to attend this year must pre-register with the New Zealand Commerce & Industry Office, regardless of whether they plan on taking the shuttle bus or not. Face masks are also mandatory and will not be provided. Registration must be completed before 5pm on Wednesday.
■ Nov. 15 at 11am at Taiwan POW Memorial Park in Jinguashi, New Taipei City. Buses will depart from Grand Hyatt Hotel, 2 Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路2號) at 9:15am.
■ Contact Joyce Hu at the New Zealand Commerce & Industry Office in Taipei to pre-register at (02) 2720-5228, ext 3606, or e-mail joyce.hu@mfat.govt.nz
■ Bus and lunch is NT$500, for more information visit www.powtaiwan.org
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