So proud of my brave dad
Avril leads tributes to heroes
An East Kilbride stalwart has told the News the sacrifices made by her dad’s generation in the Far East during WW2 should never be forgotten.
Avril Anderson, from St Leonards, is a member of the Far East Prisoners of War Association (FEPOW) and marked Victory over Japan (VJ) Day at a ceremony in the town.
While doing so she remembered her father, William Moffat, who was in the Royal Corps of Signals after joining the TA in 1939.
He served in the No 1 company of the 15th Scot Division Signals.
William was captured at the Fall of Singapore on February 15, 1942.
Sadly, he died in 1959 after returning home aged just 39, leaving a wife and four young children, of which Avril is the oldest.
But it was only after Avril decided to carry out research years later that she got an insight into the suffering of her dad and fellow prisoners of war.
She said: “Dad was sent to Malaysia and transferred to the Indian 3rd Signals.
“After being captured in 1942 he was imprisoned in Changi Camp 2 prison until late November 1943 then Blackang Mati until the end of the war.
“He returned on the Dutch ship SS Nieuw Holland via Suez on October 16, 1945, being built up and cared for after suffering berri berri and other tropical diseases.
“My grandfather went to meet him and bring him home.
“Dad never spoke of his time under the Japanese. Occasionally he would bring out his memorabilia box and as I sat round the kitchen fire I would go through it looking at his medals, badges and bits of shrapnel.
“They were told not to talk of their trials.
“Tens of thousands of allied prisoners of war and civilian internees were captured by the Japanese in WW2.
“They suffered from hunger, disease, torture and despair – and many thousands died for the freedom we enjoy today.”
Avril went on: “I have had to do research myself and in 1975 I was introduced to Ron Taylor who was running a community group online for FEPOW’s families.
“I got so much help and advise from Ron and many others who like myself were researching
“We have become a big family and through it have met others in the same search.
“In East Kilbride we have Joan Deveney and John Hunter and his siblings.
“We represent our group each August and November by laying a wreath in memory of the many who fell in the camps
and in later years. I appreciate all the help I have been given and am pleased that eventually the government is acknowledging our fathers who were still prisoners or fighting for our country until August 1945 and not free in May when the country celebrated end of WW2. They were and are the Forgotten Army.
“FEPOW Day is a worldwide day of remembrance for the Far East POWs
“Please join us this year and every year to mark this special day –please remember the price my dad and so many like him paid.”
… many thousands died for the freedoms we enjoy today Avril Anderson