Hundreds gather to honour relatives held as prisoners of war in the Far East

Hundreds of people whose relatives were Prisoners of War in the Far East gathered to honour them today at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

The war against Japan continued for three months after the end of the war in Europe.

While people at home celebrated, many soldiers were still fighting or were Prisoners of War.

Ronald Wright, 94, who was held captive for three-and-a-half years was here today with his grand-daughter.

I don't talk about it much, those times. To me - I've been through it and it's best forgotten. You've got your thoughts, you've got your memories. Talking about it? No.

A charity, Children of Far East Prisoners of War, built a memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum.

Today it was re-dedicated, along with a new garden, bearing the names of rail-lines which POWs were forced to build - and where many died.

Keith Banton from Burton Burton-on-Trent was here to remember his father, who was a POW on the Sumatran railway.

He'd be very proud that everybody's going to remember his sort and all the survivors and sadly all the people that didn't make it back