UNVEILING OF THE FAR EAST PRISONER OF WAR MEMORIAL

A crowd gathered today in the Memorial Garden at Swinton Civic Centre for the unveiling of the Far East Prisoner of War Memorial Board which has the names of 110 people all with Salford connections who perished in the POW camps.

The event was organised by ex vet, Glenn Croston, a man who does so much for ex vets with Breakfast Clubs and also the brains behind the Veterans Gardens and Memorial benches.

In attendance today was, The Ceremonial Mayor of Salford, Gina Reynolds, High Sherriff of Manchester, Mrs Mary Liz Walker and City Mayor Paul Dennett, along with various Councillors, Standard bearers, invited guests and the general public.

Glenn read out two poems, The Pathway to Chungkai and Special parade to a hushed and respectable audience followed by the Kohima Epitaph read by Paul Dennett.

The Last Post was played by Chris Harrison as the standard bearers lowered their flags and a one minute silence was beautifully observed, as the Reveille rang out and flags were raised.

Finally the Memorial was unveiled by the Ceremonial Mayor and High Sherriff of Greater Manchester with wreaths being laid including one by Gloria Egan whose father, Walter Edward Scott did in a Japanese POW camp.

The Memorial Board is a fitting reminder to the people of Salford who died in these camps in what has been called, The Forgotten War, thanks to Glenn Croston these men will never be forgotten and rightly so.