Dear
Members and Friends,
Christmas has long gone, but I
must say "Thank you" to so many of you who so kindly sent cards and
messages. It really is very much appreciated.
I
usually make some comment about the weather, at this point, but what can one
say? I do hope none of you were victims of the dreadful floods which devastated
so much of the country and which now seem to have turned to snow, which together
with the re-emergence of Foot and Mouth look set to bring a period of “DOOM
& GLOOM.” to so many innocent people. I do hope that if you are,
unfortunately, affected by any of these crises, that the thought of those 10,000
lovely "oncers", which should by now be in the bank, will help to
cushion life's little knocks and help to bring a smile back to your face.
***************************************************************************************
* FORTHCOMING DATES FOR 2001 * THUR. 1st MARCH, 118 F.R.MEETING, THE VILLAGE INN, ADDINGTON *
* SAT. 3rd MARCH, SAUSAGE SUPPER, U.J.C. 7 for 7.30 p.m. *
*
TUES. 2Oth MARCH,
HAROLD PAYNE C.B.E. MEMORIAL SERVICE,
ST. MARTIN IN THE FIELDS, -
3 p.m.
*
*
THURS.12th APRIL,
A.G.M. AND TENKO - U.J.C. - 6.30 p.m.
*
*
20th/21/22/23rd APRIL,
ST. DUNSTANS EX P.O.W.REUNION.
*
*
20th/21/22/23rd APRIL,
FEPOW CONFERENCE, SAND BAY, WESTON-SUPER-MARE.
*
*
SUNDAY, 27th MAY,
ANNUAL MEMORIAL SERVICE, ST.MARTIN IN THE
FIELDS
1.15pm.
*
*
SUNDAY, 3rd JUNE,
BEDFORD MEMORIAL SERVICE,ELSTOW ABBEY CHURCH,BEDFORD
- 3 p.m.
*
*
THURS. 7th JUNE,
118th F.R. MEETlNG, THE VILLAGE INN,
ADDINGTON - NOON.
*
*
FRI. 8th/9th /10th JUNE,
J.L.C.S.A. AGM GUNTON HALL, LOWESTOFT.
*
*
FRI.8th/FRI. 15th JUNE,
FEPOW WEEK, GUNTON HALL, LOWESTOFT.
*
*
SATURDAY, 23rd JUNE,
STEAK & KIDNEY PIE SUPPER, UJC - 7 for 7.30 p.m.
*
*
SUNDAY, 12th AUGUST,
MANCHESTER SERVICE 2 p.m. - MANCHESTER CATHEDRAL
then MANCHESTER POLICE CLUB, BOOTLE STREET.
*
*
THURSDAY, 6th SEPT,
118 F.R. MEETING, THE VILLAGE INN, ADDINGTON - NOON. *
*
FRI.7th-FRI.14th SEPT,
FEPOW WEEK, SAND BAY, WESTON-SUPER-MARE.
*
*
FRI.21st SEPTEMBER,
HARVEST SUPPER, U.J.C. 7 for 7.30 p.m.
*
*
THURSDAY, 8th NOV,
POPPY PLANTING, ST. MARGARETS, WESTMINSTER.
*
*
FRIDAY, 9th NOVEMBER,
LLOYDS REMEMBRANCE SERVICE.
*
*
SUNDAY, 11th NOVEMBER,
REMEMBRANCE PARADE, CENOTAPH, WHITEHALL.
*
*
FRI.30th NOV.-3rd DEC,
MINI CHRISTMAS, CLIFTONVILLE.
*
**************************************************************************
Unfortunately,
at the moment, I am suffering from one of my infrequent asthma attacks and am
dealing with the Newsletter from my hospital bed. I am getting on quite nicely
and hope to be home shortly
However, an interesting aspect of this is that I am, at the moment, in Greenwich District Hospital which is shortly moving to the site of the old QUEEN ELIZABETH MILITARY HOSPITAL. The old hospital has been knocked down and a new one built. It is actually going to open on the 6th March whilst the Greenwich Hospital is closing on the 2nd March. It is all quite exciting and I had half expected to be one of the patients moved but I expect to be home by then. We did intend, anyway, to make our way along there to have a look at what they'd done as it's been difficult to visualise from the photographs which have been supplied. I'll let you know in due course.
*******************************************************************
TWO
NEW FACES IN N.F.F.C.A.
Owing to the
unexpected death of Harold Payne CBE, who had been President of the National
Federation for 27 years, and the resignation of Reg Dunne MBE as the Vice
President, it became necessary to elect two people to fill these important
positions as the official representatives of FEPOWs in the National Federation.
However, at their last National meeting in London, the National Federation of
Far East Clubs and Associations Executive
accepted and voted upon the two nominations made. As a result, we now have a new
President of NFFCA, i.e. the Rev'd Ray Rossiter MBE and Vice President
our own Fred Ryall.
Congratulations to both of them. I am sure they will always have FEPOW interests at the forefront of their deliberations.
**************************************************************
A
WARNING
I am now
going to relate an incident which has happened to me whilst in hospital which
has absolutely nothing to do with FEPOWs but about which I think you should be
warned.
Of course,
being in hospital means lots of tests all day and all night and I never had any
qualms about what was being done, so I just submitted, as one does, when a nurse
came to carry out another test on my blood sugar. I said what do they want that
for I've never had one done before. The nurse looked at me, rather pityingly,
and said "You have - several times."
I must admit I thought it a little strange when she asked for a finger
for this particular test but I dutifully proffered the digit and was very
surprised when she stuck it in a little machine, pressed the lever and there I
was with a cut on my finger. I repeated that that was the first time ever but
have to admit that I thought they might have dome some blood sugar tests on
previous samples extracted from my arm. The nurse again looked at me as if I was
definitely not all there and reiterated that the same test had been done lots of
times since I went into hospital. I denied this. Anyway, the long and the short
of it was she was actually doing the test for the lady in the next bed
who is a diabetic.! She had, apparently, just picked up the record folder at the
end of the bed without checking who I was!! the record holders had been put on
the wrong beds!
My concern about this, and the reason I mention it, is that I was horrified when I thought that she could have been giving me an injection of something totally unsuitable and which could have been extremely dangerous. I was actually waiting for a pain killing injection so would have accepted one without question. The possible results do not bear thinking about. So keep your wits about you at all times !
*********************************************************
WERE
YOU IN JAPAN?
Steve
Cairns MBE, ( 136 Taunton Road, North Petherton, Bridgewater, TA6 6NN Tel 01954
267356 ) National Welfare Advisor, and very active participant in obtaining your
Special Gratuity, wishes to know and record details of any of you, still living,
who were sent to work in Japan. I'm not sure exactly how much Steve wants to
know but I suggest you include information on where you "worked" and
also, if possible, the name of the firm or company and details of what your work
actually entailed. Please remember, if you write to Steve, quote your full name,
address, telephone number and relevant service details. Please do not send
him details of your comrades who died out there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You may
recall that I apologised for no Christmas Story in the last issue but I have now
found a very good substitute and apologise for it being a bit late but,
nevertheless, hope you enjoy it.
SMILE
FOR YOU
Smiling
is infectious; you catch it like the flu,
When
someone smiled at me today, I started smiling too.
I
passed around the corner and someone saw my grin
When
he smiled I realised I'd passed it on to him.
I
thought about that smile then I realised its worth,
A
single smile, just like mine could travel round the earth.
So,
if you feel a smile begin, don't leave it undetected
Let's
start an epidemic quick, and get the world infected!
Keep the smile going by sending this on to a friend. Everyone needs a smile!!!!
******************************************
E-MAILS
We are
getting a lot of queries - courtesy of today's technology,
i.e. E-Mails, for information about former Prisoners of War in the Far
East. A lot of them are from relatives who wish to know WHERE their men
were in the various camps. As we have been explaining for years, it is virtually
impossible to state where anyone was at anyone time unless, for instance, the
POW died and was recorded as having died at that particular place. Some of these
queries are, in fact, about deceased relatives and I am proposing to ask our
Archivist if he will agree to his name and contact details being published. I
don't like to do it without clearing it with him first and I would suggest that
if we do supply you with this information, that you take notice of the fact that
all his archive work is done purely voluntarily and at his own expense and the
very least that you can do is to send a stamped, addressed envelope.
He has made it his life's work to correctly record information on all
your deceased comrades and is able, in most cases, to provide information about
the camp where they died, sometimes what they died of and when and where
they are now buried (including Plot, Row and Grave numbers).
Incidentally, whilst on the subject, it continually amazes me to realise just how much illicit recording of deaths and diseases was actually done in the camps and was somehow smuggled home in spite of all those well-meaning officials who tried to prevent you bringing anything home.
*************************************************************
GHURKAS
- OFFICERS AND OTHER RANKS
Information
has been requested concerning the eligibility of Ghurka officers and men to
receive the Special Gratuity. Not being sure of the answer, we took advice on
this and discovered that this question is still going on with the Policy section
as it appears that eligibility, or otherwise, may be decided on the basis
of those who were in the Indian Army and those who were seconded to the British
Army. Whether or not an announcement is made about this we do not know but we
will keep you as informed as possible but make sure that in the meantime you, or
anyone you know who falls into this category, registers a claim at the Special
Gratuity's Claims Department, War Pensions Agency, Norcross, Blackpool FY5 3WF.
Free WPA Helpline Number is: 0800
169 22 77.
No doubt, if
you are a member of an appropriate organisation, they will also keep you
informed.
NON
- JLCSA MEMBERS
For those of
you, like me, who received a copy of the FULCRUM, the JLCSA publication; an
Application Form (in my case a
Widow's Application Form!!!) and/or have received a bill for £500 for legal
fees from the JLCSA and yet were never members of the JAPANESE LABOUR CAMP
SURVIVORS ASSOCIATION, it would be helpful if you would send these papers,
including the envelope, to Steve Cairns giving your full name,
address and telephone number. However, if you have already disposed of
these papers, please just write
with the full details, to Mr. Cairns in a letter.
SOLICITORS
FEES
I feel I must
repeat, once again, the fact that YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY £500 of your £10,000
to a solicitor in regard to the obtaining of the Special Gratuity from
the BRITISH GOVERNMENT. It may be that, somewhere along the line, JLCSA
members may have agreed, in principle, to pay this amount in a claim for COMPENSATION
from the JAPANESE GOVERNMENT. In fact
the Rules of the JLCSA of Great Britain state that "The Committee shall
have no power to pledge the personal liability of any member of the Association
or to pledge the assets of the Association" and I understand
that this situation has never been changed.
In actual
fact, the people who did most of the hard work in getting this SPECIAL GRATUITY
from the BRITISH GOVERNMENT is
MAJOR PHILIP MALINS MBE MC, the ROYAL BRITISH LEGION, STEVE CAIRNS MBE,
NICK TOLLEY and TONY BLAIR the PRIME MINISTER. Arthur Titherington of the JLCSA
was also involved in some of the discussions.
Everybody
will agree that it is quite important that a "Thank-You" should be
seen to be offered in respect of the hard work and the actual money expended on
this exercise. I was informed a while ago that the ROYAL BRITISH LEGION HAD
ALONE SPENT £40,OOO on postage and stationery. I can't tell you how much to
send but I do hope a modest figure coming from every fortunate recipient will go
someway to help offset this expenditure.
It must also
be remembered that STEVE CAIRNS and NICK TOLLEY were also, on behalf of the
National Federation, required to spend a considerable sum in obtaining the
original data to be sent to the Government so they knew approximately how many
claims would be made. I leave it up to you to decide if and what you donate and
to whom, i.e.ROYAL BRITISH LEGION,
NATIONAL FEDERATION and the CENTRAL WELFARE FUND for the benefit of FEPOWs'
welfare or even the JLCSA. Remember, the money is for YOU, not for
anybody else. As I've said before, ENJOY IT, you've waited long enough.
In this respect I enclose a copy a
letter concerning this , from David Wilson, HON Secretary of the Federation.
NATIONAL
FEDERATION OF FAR EAST POW CLUBS
AND
ASSOCIATIONS
(N.F.F.C.A.)
Telephone 01206 210227
Please reply to:
Hon.
Secretary: Hartree,
54 London Road, Copford, Colchester CO6 1 BJ
17th February 2001
Ladies and Gentlemen,
At the Areas Council Meeting on 7th
February 2001, the question of possible donations to the Royal British Legion
and the Federation for the successful campaign of the Special Gratuity was
discussed. A lot of money was spent by the Legion in advertising and NFFCA spent
a great deal in postal charges for the compilation of the census. It was
therefore recommended by the Council that a donation of £50 to the Legion be
made by individuals and, perhaps, a small donation to the Federation. However,
we do not want this to be compulsory , it will be entirely up to each person.
I have just received a letter from
Jeremy Lillies, Head of Public Affairs at the Legion, Pall Mall who tells me
that donations would be most welcome and will be placed in the Legion's
Benevolent Fund. Cheques should be made out to "The Royal British
Legion" with a covering note that the donation is due to the "FEPOW
Gratuity".
Above all, we do not want to pressurise
anyone to make a donation against their wishes. I am somewhat reluctant to
mention it again, but we are all still getting telephone calls from people not
knowing what to do with requests for £500 to Martyn Day and Co. I would remind
you of my letter of 25th November 2000, if you are a member of JLCSA, then 1
cannot advise you; if you are a a member of NFFCA, you can ignore the request,
you most definitely do not have to pay this.
I was disturbed to receive a telephone
call the other day from a firm of financial advisers asking me if members of the
Federation would like help in managing their £10,000. No doubt they would also
charge a hefty sum for their advice. If anyone should need advice on
handling the Gratuity , The Royal British Legion will provide it free of
charge, just give them a ring on -
0845
7 725725 Mon. to Fri. 9am and 4pm
Help the Aged have a
leaflet"Managing a Lump Sum" and you may obtain a copy by sending a
stamped addressed envelope to -
Information
Department,
MALS,
Help
the Aged,
207-211,
Pentonville Road, London, N1 9UZ
Yours sincerely,
R.D. Wilson
Hon. Secretary
THE
ACTUAL MONEY
By now, the majority, if not all of the claims for the SPECIAL GRATUITY have been paid out but we have been getting a number of telephone calls. Although you were asked for your banking details, a lot of people have been expecting the cheque to arrive by post and in some cases haven't checked their bank account to find out if the money has been paid in. However, at the same time, there do seem to be one or two odd missing payments and if this has happened to you, then I suggest you re-contact the Special Gratuity Claims Department, War Pensions Agency, Norcross, Blackpool FY5 3WF. Free WPA helpline is: 0800 169 22 77. In fact, at the time of going to press, I understand that, naturally, there are some which are taking longer than the rest to process, for various reasons. Any queries about non-payment should be dealt with as above - remember it is a Free Phone number.
1st
March 2001
Ladies and Gentlemen,
NFFCA have received many complaints from members of Clubs and
Associations about demands from Arthur Titherington, Chairman of the JLCSA for
£50 to join .JLCSA and for the request made in the January 2001 issue of
'Fulcrum ' for £500 in respect of an alleged legal fee to Leigh, Day &
Company, solicitors acting for JLCSA, in respect of the ex gratia payments
(previously called a special gratuity) of £10,000 each paid by the War Pensions
Agency.
NFFCA wishes to investigate these complaints with a view to obtaining a
written apology to each individual from Arthur Titherington, where appropriate,
and reimbursement of any sums which members or widows consider were paid under
duress or as a result of misrepresentation to either JLCSA or Leigh, Day and
company.
For this purpose I shall be grateful if you will make careful enquiries
and supply me with as complete a list as possible with names and addresses of
any of your members or widows who :-
Paid £50 to join JLCSA in response to Arthur Titherington's letter to
join JLCSA believing that they would not receive
the ex gratia payment of £10,000 unless they first paid the £50, and who
subsequently received a demand for £500 legal fees. It would also be. useful to
have the dates of payment of the £50.
Paid the £500 in response to Arthur .Titherington's letter before
receiving the £10,000 payment. It would also be useful to have the dates of
payment
Are not members of JLCSA and have received a demand for payment of £500
to Leigh, Day & Company from Arthur Titherington.
Are members of NFFCA Clubs/Associations who have paid the £500 but had
signed no agreement to pay and who now feel they were intimidated by the
solicitor's letter from Leigh, Day & Company and attached to 'Fulcrum',
produced by Arthur Titherington, and would wish that sum to be refunded in full.
I am sorry to give you more work but
something has got to be done about the distress being caused to vulnerable
people who, perhaps have no-one to turn to for advice. I am continually asked
what I am doing about it, well we are doing something and now we need your help.
Yours sincerely,
R.D. Wilson Hon. Secretary
***************************************************************************
FEPOW
CONFERENCE - WESTON-SUPER-MARE
Tommy Kent
has asked me to remind you that the balance of £80 per person for the
Conference at Weston-Super-Mare from the 20th/23rd April
is now due. Please make your cheque payable to the AMENITIES FUND and send to
Tommy at 17 Cowdray Way, Elm Park, Hornchurch, Essex RM12 4AX. The event is
fairly well booked so if you do want to go and haven't yet made your reservation
please get in touch with Tommy pretty quickly. Sand Bay has recently been
re-furbished and I can thoroughly recommend the accommodation, food and other
amenities.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hope I haven't left out anything
important and that you have been kept up-to-date in the Gratuity campaign. I
will, by the time I get out of here (hospital), up-date as much as possible the
information I have given you to make sure you are as fully informed as can be.
If I don't see you before, I hope to see some of you at the Conference at
Weston-Super-Mare in April.
God Bless.
Look after yourselves and make some of your dreams come true.
CELIA.
A
BRIEF HISTORY OF NFFCA
(THE
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FEPOW CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONS)
Far East Prisoner of War Clubs and
Associations originally formed up and down the Country as self-help
organisations. The first Conference of the Clubs and Associations took place in
1951 and the National Federation of FEPOW Clubs and Associations was formed.
The National Federation was formed to
carry on our motto "to keep going the spirit that kept us going"
which I am pleased to say it still does in welfare and many other different
ways.
In the past, three wards, at Roehampton
Hospital, Roehampton, were
continually occupied by sick POWs. Many
FEPOWs were admitted to the hospital, as this was the only place at that time
for tropical disease check-ups. Many
of the patients had few visitors because their homes were many miles from
Roehampton. However, the London Association members made weekly visits, to help
those who needed it, in whatever way was possible, as Clubs and Associations
throughout the Country do, to this day.
Several years later, 6 beds were
available in the Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital at Woolwich in South London.
The Federation helped many individuals
with necessary purchases which they could not afford, such as assistance with
childrens' needs, disability aids, etc. Other important areas where the
Federation has been active is with obtaining places for Fepows in convalescent
homes, and fighting for individuals rights to receive a pension or have a
pension increased. If a need
exists and the National Federation can help, they will. I take this opportunity
of reminding you all that Clubs and Associations only pay £5 a year to the
National Federation.
If you have been lucky enough over the
years not to need such assistance, long may it continue. However, we are getting
less active and we all have health problems.
It is not just financial help that is needed but perhaps someone to visit
a lonely person and have a chat and let them know they have not been forgotten,
or perhaps advice on a problem that has been worrying them. This applies to
Widows as well.
There has been much talk suggesting
whether and which organisations and charities we should make donations to and my
advice is only do what your heart says, but if we are to make a donation,
perhaps we should remember the Royal British Legion, and The
National FEPOW Federation. The address for our Association is D.G.Few Esq.,
BEM, 3 Church Lane, Elsworth CB3 8HU, and the Central Welfare Fund address is
Mrs J Denholm, PSDip, “ The Laurels”, High Street, Child Okeford, Blandford
Forum, DT11 8EH
We now regretfully report on the
passing of some more of your comrades. To all their families and friends, we
send our very sincere condolences.
V.E.CLARK,
Ex-316 S/L BATT. 5th REGT. R.A. who died on the 2.11.00.
A.G.SOLLY,
Ex-118 FIELD REGT., R.A. who died on the 23.10.00.
S.R.HALLAM,
Ex-SHERWOOD FOR. who died on the 17.4.00.
D.L.MAUGEY,
Ex-R.A.M.C. who died on the 12.11.00.
F.E.JONES,
Ex-RECCE CORP. who died on the 9.4.00.
J.R.COOLEY,
who died in March 1997.
G.A.LOWE,
Ex-288 F.COY. R.E. 18th DIV. who died on the 7.11.00.
E.W.G.EVERALL,
Ex-270 AfT BATT. who died in April 1996.
H.W.TOCOCK,
Ex-R.A.F. who died in June 1999.
J.R.RENNIE,
Ex-3rd HAA. R.A. who died on 13.11.00.
N.R.YOUDEN,
Ex-560 F.COY. R.E. 18th DIV. who died on 18.11.00.
W.G.GREGORY,
Ex-R.E.M.E. who died on 21.11.00.
F.W.HAWTREE,
Ex-21st LAA REGT., R.A. who died at the end of September `00
J.A.ROBINSON,
Ex-R.C.O.S. who died on 22.8.00.
W.J.BUTTON,
Ex- CAMBS. who died on the 19.11.00.
W.A.BENTLEY,
Ex-R.MARINES "REPULSE" who died on the 23.11.00.
G.BROWN,
Ex-1st MIDDX. REGT., who died on 21.12.00.
C.WARD, Ex-R.A.
who died on the 1st January this year.
We are also sad
to report that the following Widows have died:
MRS.E.LABRUM;
MRS.E.R.RIDLEY and MRS.L.A.SCOTT.
NON-MEMBERS who
have died:
R.C.ASHMORE AE,
Ex-R.A.F. who died on 24.9.00. was a St. Dunstaner.
F.C.CHARLICK,
Died on the 1.11.00. was also a St. Dunstaner.
MRS. MYRRA
SKINNER, Beloved
wife of Harold Skinner who died on the 19.11.00.
DEREK CLARKE, Ex-
R.E. who died on the 5th
December, 00.
Their
nightmares now are Quietened, their suffering now is over.
REST IN PEACE.
*********************************************
URGENT
WARNING
A very important warning re TELEPHONE CALLS. If someone telephones who is
"Conducting a test on the telephone”, please beware. Usually Identifying
him/herself as being an AT and T Service Technician, you will be asked to test
the telephone line by pressing 9 and then 0, (nine and then zero) then the hash
sign # and will then ask you to hang up. By doing this you would give full
access to your 'phone line thus allowing the caller to place LONG DISTANCE,
INTERNATIONAL or CHAT LINE calls billed to your account. DONT DO IT.
Keep
in touch and God Bless.
CELIA
By
the way, I started this newsletter whilst in hospital, but am pleased to say
that I am now home and expect to
improve enormously with each day that passes.
OPINIONS AND
COMMENTS EXPRESSED HEREIN ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE VIEW OF THE LONDON
ASSOCIATION.
EDITOR:
CELlA PEASE, 75 WELLING WAY, WELLING, KENT DA16 2RN.
Tel: (020) 8 856 3736
HON.GEN.SEC.:
I.MACKENZIE-CALDER, 1 ST.PAUL'S SQUARE, BROMLEY, KENT BR2 OXH.
Tel: (020) 8 325 3877
ASS.GEN.SEC.
D.HASSALL, 10 BINDEN ROAD, SHEPHERDS BUSH, LONDON W12 9RJ.
Tel: (020) 8 743 3241
WELFARE OFFICER:
E.R.McDANIEL, 89 DOMONIC DRIVE, NEW ELTHAM, LONDON SE9 3LQ.
Tel: (020) 8 857 3905
HON. TREASURER:
ALEC A. PEASE MBE, 15 WELLING WAY, WELLING, KENT DA16 2RN.
Tel: (020) 8 856 3736
AMENITIES COMM.:
T.W.KENT, 17 COWDRAY WAY, ELM PARK, HORNCHURCH, ESSEX RM12 4AX Tel: 01708 459 144
OUR WEB SITE
ADDRESS IS:-
WWW.FEPOW.ORG.UK
OUR E-MAIL ADDRESS IS:- MAIL.FEPOW.ORG.UK