Praise to VJ war hero Ron, 96
Even though Parliament is in recess my team and I continue to be extremely busy.
Since March, my constituency office has dealt with over 2000 individual cases. Some of our ongoing casework includes constituents stranded abroad, concerns about Brexit, Visa problems, continuing issues with Covid-19 including redundancies, complex welfare and benefit issues and many others.
Last weekend, I took part in VJ (Victory over Japan) celebrations.
The day commemorates the end of the war with Japan and is celebrated on August 15 each year.
This was a very small event due to Covid-19 and social distancing but I would like to recognise and highlight the contribution of one of our local residents who is one of the very few survivors of the conflict in the Far East.
He is Ron Wilson, now 96 years of age who lives in the Seafield area.
Ron joined the Home Guard in 1940 when he was 16 and then at 18 became a Royal Marine, joined 44 Commando and fought behind Japanese lines in Burma as part of what is known as“The Forgotten Army.”and was not repatriated until August 1946.
My thanks to Dr Gareth and Gillian Powell for organising this event.
The contribution of the“Forgotten Army”in winning the war against Japan in the steamy, disease ridden jungle of Burma and the death and indescribable suffering of the armed forced who served there, does not receive as much attention from the historians as it should , and I hope that by highlighting the bravery of these men in this short article goes a little way to recognising their participation in the war.
This then is my small tribute to Ron and all the brave servicemen (including my late father, Peter Dorans DCM, who was a Chindit), who fought in the Far East and other worldwide conflicts.