Latest news with #memorialservice
NHK
a day ago
- General
- NHK
Memorial held for victims of 'Death Railway'
A memorial service was held Sunday in western Thailand for people who died building the Thai-Burma Railway in World War Two. It earned the name "Death Railway" due to the huge number of lives lost during its construction. The now-defunct Imperial Japanese Army began building the railroad in 1942 as a supply route to the Burmese front. Experts say the army mobilized over 200,000 people, including British and other Allied prisoners of war, to work on the railway. Tens of thousands are estimated to have perished due to harsh working conditions and disease. The railway was made famous by the Oscar-winning film "The Bridge on the River Kwai." At a temple in Kanchanaburi, where railroad workers from Asian countries are said to be buried, about 20 people attended the remembrance ceremony. An 80-year-old woman said her father was taken away to work on the railway while her mother was pregnant with her. She said that 80 years after the war "we are struggling, struggling, struggling," with victims' families unable to know where or how their forebears died. The commemoration was first held at the temple two years ago. Appanah hopes future generations will remember -- and pray for -- those who gave the Death Railway its name.
News.com.au
a day ago
- General
- News.com.au
Memorial service to be held for Nicholas Parsons who was killed volunteering in Ukraine
A memorial service for an Australian who died volunteering with a humanitarian and mine clearance charity in Ukraine will be held this week. Nicholas Parsons, 28, was working in the country's war-torn east with Prevail Together, a US and UK-based group that sends volunteers into Ukraine. He was killed alongside the charity's co-founder Chris Garrett, as well as another team member who was severely injured in an incident near Izyum on May 6. Mr Parsons heartbroken friends have been raising money to help his family 'give him the send off he deserves' at a service in Townsville on Thursday. Lachie Romer organised the fundraiser, which has seen people donate more than $22,000, saying on the tribute page they had lost their beautiful mate far too soon. 'It still doesn't feel real, and it's hard to find the right words to say,' he said. 'Nic was one of those people you just loved being around — always up for a laugh, always there when you needed him, and someone who made life better just by being in it. 'Let's come together and do this for Nic — for the good times, the laughs, and the memories we'll never forget. Rest easy, legend. We'll miss you forever.' A funeral will be held for Mr Parsons at the Morley Funeral Home, followed by a wake at the Townsville RSL.
Japan Times
26-05-2025
- General
- Japan Times
Remains of 368 Japanese war dead laid to rest in National Cemetery
The remains of 368 Japanese people were newly laid to rest in a memorial service in Tokyo on Monday at a national cemetery for unidentified people who died abroad during World War II. The remains were collected from locations including Ioto, a Pacific island widely known as Iwo Jima, Solomon Islands and Russia. The number of people laid to rest at the Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery now totals 371,008, including those who died after the war as detainees in Siberia. Of some 2.4 million Japanese people who died abroad during the war, the remains of 1.12 million have not been recovered 80 years after the end of the war. Some 400 people including bereaved family members attended Monday's ceremony, hosted by the welfare ministry. Crown Prince Akishino, Crown Princess Kiko and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba were among them. In a speech, welfare minister Takamaro Fukuoka pledged to pass on lessons from the war to future generations so that it would not be repeated. The crown prince and the crown princess offered prayers and bereaved family members laid flowers. Of the remains brought back by then-Japanese troops or collected on government missions, those that remained unidentified or for which families were not found were laid to rest at the cemetery, built in 1959.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Law enforcement memorial service held in downtown Buffalo
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Police agencies from across Western New York came together Wednesday evening for an annual memorial service, which aims to honor fallen law enforcement officers and show respect for their families. Community members, police officers and family members gathered at St. Joseph Cathedral located on Franklin Street. The ceremony, organized by Lieutenant Rob Mercurio of the Buffalo Police Department, began with the presentation of colors, followed by prayers and speeches from several local leaders. Family members of those who lives were taken too soon were greeted by a line of current officers saluting them to pay respects. 'Those officers, those lives, those families, those surviving families, are never forgotten,' Mercurio said. 'The officers that went into work one day and didn't return home to their families, it's tragic. It's incumbent on us to continue on and remember them.' Officers from eight counties in Western New York were present at the ceremony. Father Sean Paul Flemming said the yearly event is a moment where the community can come together as one. 'I see a family of faith that forms. We may not all share the same beliefs or go to the same churches, but on this day, we're here simply as God's children,' Flemming said. 'We're here to support each other in our loss. We're here to support and praise our men and women, our officers, who go out on the job every day.' Following the event was a social gathering, where family members, local leaders, and law enforcement were able to chat with each other. Mercurio said it's what he looks forward to the most each and every year. 'It's all for those moments afterwards where we get to take a breath,' he said. 'Just share what's going on in our lives and what's going on in their lives and how we can support each other in the future.' Trina Catterson joined the News 4 team in 2024. She previously worked at WETM-TV in Elmira, a sister station of WIVB. See more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
News.com.au
16-05-2025
- News.com.au
‘Traumatic': Missing cop's final text message
The last text sent by missing police officer Jay Notaro was revealed during an emotional memorial service held by the Queensland Police Service on Friday. The Queensland cop disappeared off the coast of Broken Head Beach in Byron Bay on March 25, a day after his 45th birthday. His surfboard, with the leg rope attached, was found at the beach by a member of the public with his car parked 500 metres away in the carpark. His body has never been found. At the service held in Brisbane on Friday, long-time friend Claire Campbell spoke about her last interaction with Mr Notaro. Ms Campbell said that she had called him to sing 'happy birthday' before sending him videos of her two sons playing touch footy. Mr Notaro was heavily involved in rugby league throughout his whole life, and played for the Queensland Police Service Rugby League side. 'Jay's last ever text message in response to those clips was just one word: 'FLYING!!' she said. 'The next day, we learned that Jay too, was flying sky high, heaven-bound to rest in peace forevermore. 'And just as we said to Jay at the end of that birthday call, the last call that he ever answered today we say Jay, we love you. We miss you.' QPS Chaplin Jeff Baills, who led the service, said 'no one knew' what had happened to Mr Notaro. 'I have heard many scenarios, reasons, hypotheses, explanations, as to why this happened,' Mr Baills said. 'What we do know that happened is where his Apple watch last pinged and where his surfboard was found. Everything else is speculation. 'We may never actually know for certain how this happened.' Mr Baills said Mr Notaro's death was 'shocking' and 'traumatic'. 'We must be very careful, because if we seek to lay blame on what we think happen, we actually rob ourselves and rob Jay of the extraordinary man that he was,' Mr Baills said. Mr Notaro's younger sister Hayley also spoke, saying that losing her brother 'doesn't feel real'. Hayley said that Mr Notaro was great with children, particularly with her five-year-old daughter Eve. 'He was so good with children and it's just such a shame he didn't get to be a father, because he would have made a wonderful dad,' Hayley said. 'I think we can all agree that Jay was the best godfather and uncle ever.' Mr Notaro was a godfather to eight children. Hayley also said she gave birth to a baby boy two weeks ago, saying how Mr Notaro was 'super excited' to meet his nephew. 'I feel heartbroken that my baby boy won't get to meet his incredible uncle,' she said. 'But I will do my best to keep his name alive and we'll talk about him often, share stories, show him videos, and tell him how much his Uncle Jay would have loved him.' As Mr Notaro's body was never found, mourners were invited to place a flower on one of his surfboards at the end of the service. The search for his body was called off following a four-day multi-agency co-ordinated search. A local search was ignited afterwards, however, was unable to bring answers for Mr Notaro's loved ones.
