Wreaths laid for VJ Day

RELATIVES of former Far East prisoners of war Chadwick Middleton and Frank Bailey laid wreaths at Oldham war memorial during a service to mark the anniversary of Victory in Japan (VJ) Day.

Ex-servicemen and women paraded to the memorial on Wednesday where 11 standards were dipped as the last post was played by Stanley Whiteman.

The Far East Prisoner of War Exaltation was followed by a two-minute silence — broken by the playing of “Reveille”.

Wreaths were laid before the Kohima statement was read and the event was followed by a reception at the Royal Oak pub.

Chadwick Middleton MBE was a Japanese prisoner during the Second Worl War and was the long-serving chairman of the Oldham branch of the Far East Prisoner of War Association, which disbanded after his death in 2003 at the aged of 92.

Mr Bailey was captured in 1942 when he was a machine gunner in Singapore and died in 2005 aged 85.

Japan’s surrender on August 15, 1945 — VJ Day — signalled the end of the war.

Oldham’s service was held at 6pm on Wednesday to avoid the busy Friday night in Oldham town centre.