It is a time to remember. A forgotten war. My father was a Prisoner of War in Hong Kong for a period of five years. He was marched to four different POW Camps whilst in captivity. They were part of a rear guard group who were to detonate and blow up anything that could be useful to the Japanese. That was his one and only story he related to me before he died at the age of 86.
They were sent to Hong Kong to do what was necessary. Blow up air fields, ammunition dumps and this particular town which was the communication centre that messages were sent to the invading force that were coming. Amongst their buildings they were to blow up was a Vintners Warehouse, from which they liberated all the stock and loaded it into about a dozen lorries and then blew it up. There were six hundred of those men on that Island who had one of the biggest binges in the history of wartime. He told me after several days of hangovers they just waited for the Japanese to arrive. Not a shot was fired. The prisoners were made to build the POW Camps, they were tortured and starved and some of them never survived.
Why he told me, I shall never know. My only solution is that my Father’s sense of humour was trying to override some of the horrors that had occurred during his time as a prisoner. We never saw dad for 7 years as his first port of call was in an Australian hospital. We were told that we wouldn’t have recognised him.
I wrote a poem in commemoration of all prisoners of war and those that perished on many battlefields throughout the world and to our brave men who survived to tell their stories.
Will They Call Them Heroes, If They Die?
Will the tears flow after their lives have ebbed away?
Will they send them flowers when they’re up above?
Will the World stop the wars and be at peace?
Will they know how others seek their love?
As they stopped a bullet that went astray?
Will they call them heroes, if they die?
Will they be placed upon an Altar where others may see?
Will their medals show how they were brave?
Will the World stop the wars and be at peace?
Will a cross be placed above their graves?
And will their spirit in prayer now be free?
Will they call them heroes, if they die?
Will the poppies fall from the sky?
Will a guard of honour aim their rifles in the air?
Will the World stop the wars and be at peace?
Will the heart-break always be there?
And will the Government tell us why?
Will they call them heroes, if they die?
Gregory Gower © 21st July 2008