10-08-2025
Ceremony to remember Isle of Man Burma Star veterans
People are being encouraged to join a special service to remember those who fought in East Asia during World War Two, as part of commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of VJ (Victory over Japan) ceremony, at 15:00 BST in the Arboretum in St John's, will see 103-year-old James Fenton - the last surviving Burma Star veteran living on the Isle of Man - lay a wreath at the Burma Campaign was a series of battles fought between December 1941 and September 1945, concluding after the surrender of Japan to the Allied Sheila Healey said it was important to remember the "very brave men" who fought in what was often referred to as a "forgotten army".
A former secretary of the Isle of Man Burma Star Association, which folded several years ago, Mrs Healey has continued to organise an annual memorial service, along with social events for the remaining the commemoration had "always been a quiet affair, with just the members and the families of the members of the Burma Star", it was felt there should be greater public awareness around the 80th anniversary, she said.
For Mrs Healey the commemorations hold a personal connection because her uncle, Pt James Owen, from Bolton in Lancashire, was killed during the campaign, at the age of 22."He was one of those missing, believed killed, and never came back - so I was brought up with that [and] really, to respect the forgotten army, as they're called."My mum used to get all these letters out and read them to me, and show me his medals."Everyone, they always celebrate VE day - and then we tend to forget VJ, which is actually the end of the Second World War, because these men were still fighting out in the Far East against the Japanese."
A ceremony featuring the standards of all the branches of the Royal British Legion on the island, will take place at the Burma Campaign memorial, which is positioned at the top end of the National Arboretum in St John's.A verse at the bottom of the memorial reads: 'When you go home/tell them of us and say/for your tomorrow/we gave our of the wreath-laying, the Lieutenant Governor will give an address, with the service concluding with refreshments in the Methodist Hall.
Mrs Healey said, despite eight decades passing by since VJ Day, it remained vital to commemorate those who took part in the campaigns surrounding it."To me going back to how I was brought up, my mum instilling into me that we should never, ever forget these brave me that fought for us."I just think the bravery, the stories that they've told me, particularly the prisoners of war were horrendous stories, and I just don't think we should ever forget that."I still instil in the children that this war happened and we wouldn't be living like we are now but for these very, very brave men."And I just think we shouldn't forget them."Further commemorations will also be held across the island to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day on Friday.
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