Far East Prisoner of War Repatriation Memorial Ceremony - Southampton

When Japan entered the second World War in December 1941, large numbers of British troops were sent to defend the Far East. Singapore fell on 15th February 1942. Tens of thousands of British & allied prisoners were taken and held in Changi, Singapore. Many were subsequently sent to build the Thai-Burma Railway, and to work in mines and other facilities across Asia. The death rate amongst British prisoners was ~25%

Between September-December 1945, around 19,000 British Far East PoWs and over 3,000 Civilian Internees returned to the UK via Southampton; similar numbers returned via Liverpool. The memorial lists the repatriation ships that arrived at Southampton that autumn. Photographs of the returning ships and of the Repatriation Camp on Southampton Common appeared in the Southern Daily Echo and can be seen in the microfilm archives at Southampton Central Library

Memorials were established in Liverpool in 2011 and in Southampton in 2013. We gather each year to remember Fathers, Grandfathers, other relations and friends, those who returned and those that did not. You are welcome to join us beforehand from 10am for tea/coffee or join us for a prompt 11am start at the memorial

Host or Publisher Walter Tuttlebee & friends