The archives

THE MEMORIALS FOR THE TAIWAN POWS

In the past thirteen years from 1999 - 2012 the Taiwan POW Camps Memorial Society has erected a number of memorials in honour and tribute to the men of the Allied nations who were taken prisoner by the Japanese in December 1941 and the spring of 1942, and who suffered so terribly in the fourteen prisoner of war camps on the island until they were liberated in September 1945.

British, Australian and Commonwealth POWs captured at the fall of Hong Kong, Malaya, Singapore, North Borneo; Dutch taken prisoner with the surrender of the East Indies in...

16 YEARS OF RESEARCHING, REMEMBERING and HONOURING THE TAIWAN POWS

2012 was the 16th anniversary of the recognition of the former Japanese prisoner of war camps on Taiwan during World War II and the beginning of the effort to uncover the story and to make sure that the men who were interned in those camps had their story told and were not forgotten.

The following is a list of events and achievements to that end over the past sixteen years:

(Note - Memorials erected by the Society are highlighted in bold italicized text.)

1996

Nov. - The Kinkaseki Prisoner of War Camp is...

ALL ASIAN WAR GRAVES PHOTOS AVAILABLE - FREE!

In 2011 it was announced on the Taiwan POW Society website that photos of the graves of   the former Taiwan POWs who are buried at Sai Wan War Cemetery in Hong Kong were available from the Society to POWs, family members, historians etc. - FREE of CHARGE.     At the same time it was mentioned that photos of other war graves in the cemeteries in Hong Kong were available from Tony Banham, and that the Thai-Burma Railway Centre (TBRC) in Thailand would also pass on photos from the cemeteries at Kanchanaburi, Chungkai and Thanbyuzayat, Burma -...

"REMEMBRANCE WEEKEND 2011"

November 9-16 were the dates for this year’s “Remembrance Week” event which takes place annually to honour the former Taiwan prisoners of war and the veterans who suffered so much for our freedom. It is organized by the Taiwan POW Camps Memorial Society, and was co-hosted this year by the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei.

There were major three events held this year in conjunction with the regular week-long program that the POW Society provides for its overseas guests. The first was the dedication of the Taihoku Camp # 6 POW Memorial on Friday afternoon,...

THE TAIHOKU CAMP 6 PRISONER OF WAR MEMORIAL DEDICATION CEREMONY

On Friday November 11th 2011 - exactly 69 years after the first POWs arrived at Taihoku Camp # 6 from Singapore on the hellship England Maru, a memorial was dedicated  to the men of No. 6 Camp by the Taiwan POW Camps Memorial Society and the ROC Ministry of National Defense. Taihoku Camp 6 was the main POW camp in the capital area, and one of the principal camps in Taiwan, and the Society is very thankful to the Ministry and Minister Kao, Hua-Chu for their help in getting this long overdue memorial erected.

Despite...

A MAN SENT FROM GOD

This is the story of a true hero of World War II - the Canadian doctor - Major Ben Wheeler, who gave himself to help his fellow prisoners of war in the infamous "Kinkaseki " Japanese POW camp on the island of Taiwan (formerly known as Formosa). It was the re-discovery of the former camp, and this story of Dr. Wheeler and his courage, that started the movement in early 1997 to remember the men of Kinkaseki and the other POW camps on Taiwan. From that humble beginning, the Kinkaseki / Taiwan POW Memorial was built...

HOW IT ALL BEGAN. . .

THE STORY OF THE KINKASEKI MEMORIAL

The war was over; the Japanese, who had ruled Taiwan for 50 years, left the island, and the Taiwan Metal Mining Co. took over the operation of what had been the largest copper mine in the Japanese Empire. The prisoners of war who had been forced to slave in the dark depths of the mine were also gone, repatriated home to rebuild their lives.

In time - the ore having run out, the mine eventually closed. Tall grass overgrew the mine sites, and the mine equipment began to rust and...

THE KINKASEKI MEMORIAL DEDICATION

On Sunday November 23, 1997 - the final chapter in the story of Kinkaseki was written, as over 150 friends and supporters gathered in the park that now stands on the site of the former POW camp, to dedicate the memorial to the more than 1000 Kinkaseki Prisoners of War. The weather was appropriate - slightly cloudy, but bright; a lovely fall day in Taiwan.

Master of Ceremonies John Chandler got the service underway as Piper Gary MacPhie completed his march down to the camp. Chairman Michael Boyden thanked all those who had worked on the...