The 15th of August this week will be the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan (VJ) Day which marks the surrender of Japan to the Allied Forces in 1945. The surrender was met with relief and celebration that after six long years the Second World War was finally over. While millions took part in parades and street parties, there was also great sadness – the human cost was enormous and many eagerly awaited the safe return of loved ones.
Over 90,000 British troops were casualties in the war against Japan – 30,000 died and 37,500 were held as prisoners of war. For hundreds of thousands of service personnel from Britain and the Commonwealth, it would take many months to be reunited with loved ones, some of whom they hadn’t seen for more than five years.
The Royal British Legion is organising commemorations around the UK in honour of the bravery of the soldiers who in so many cases made the ultimate sacrifice for their countries.
As part of these events, there will be a commemoration held outside the Lytham Windmill at 19.00 on Friday organised by the RBL in association with Fylde Borough Council. All are welcome to join the event.
Coincidentally, the Lytham 1940s Weekend follows on Saturday & Sunday, 16th & 17th of August.
Fylde Rugby Club has been asked to be involved in the commemoration on Friday. In the pamphlet by Frank Pastore (History of the Fylde Rugby Club, 1969) it has a telling sentence: “World War Two took a terrible toll of Fylde youth. The ill fated Blackpool Regiment went out to the hopeless task of defending Malaya.”
A huge recruitment drive commenced in Blackpool in April 1939 for men to enlist into the army. By June of 1939, 580 men had signed up meaning sufficient numbers to form 137 (Army) Field Regiment, RA (TA) colloquially known as the Blackpool Regiment.
Fylde RFC was formed in 1919 and by the time of WW2 had become an important part of the sporting and social life on the Fylde Coast. Over a dozen Fylde players responded to the recruitment call and signed up. The Regiment, after training, was shipped to Singapore in November 1941.
To combat the Japanese army’s progress down the Malay Peninsula, the Regiment moved north and engaged in skirmishes before falling back to the Slim River. In the face of a fierce Japanese artillery barrage, the Commanding Officer, Lt Col George Holme, immediately wanted to know the situation and insisted he look for himself. He grabbed a motorbike and set off in the direction of the barrage. Sadly, he ran into the patrolling tanks and was killed. He was described as ‘a very brave and able soldier’ and had great leadership qualities. He was also an excellent rugby player (see attached team photo. He’s back row, far left).
Other Fylde players were involved in this disaster which eventually led to the surrender of Singapore on 15th February 1942. Allied prisoners of the Japanese were subsequently shipped all over South East Asia. Other former players were also tragically killed in the conflict including 2Lt Robert Hartley and Bdr Peter Horsman who are also honoured on the Club’s memorial which hangs proudly in its Clubhouse.
A distinguished former Fylde player and skipper, David Taylor, has documented some of the background story of the conflict involving the Blackpool Regiment in his excellent book ‘Hell in Singapore: the loss of the Blackpool Regiment and the sinking of HMS Yin Ping’, 2022.
A number of former players survived the conflict and subsequent imprisonment and lived to tell their stories, often very reluctantly. These included Alan Grime, former editor of the Blackpool Gazette and son of its founder, who was involved with the Club, served in the Regiment and returned after a period in a POW camp.
Another survivor who diligently maintained records of his experiences was Burt Briggs, an esteemed player and then officer of Fylde, both before and after the war. He joined the Blackpool Regiment, was captured in Singapore in 1942 and spent the rest of the war in various Japanese POW camps. We will be delighted to welcome his daughter Jenny Jay (and husband Martin) who will be with us on Friday evening. Burt’s papers were a major resource for David Taylor in the writing of his book.
The Club is honoured to join in the tributes on Friday evening to the brave British, Commonwealth and Allied veterans who served in the Far East theatres of war, the Pacific and Indian Ocean territories.
Allan Foster, Media & Communications, Fylde RFC
Due acknowledgments to the following who helped me in writing this short account:
David Taylor, author of ‘Hell in Singapore’
Mike Coyle – read his blog at Fyldecoaster.wordpress.com
Jenny Jay: daughter of Burt Briggs
Mick Downer, compiler of the Fylde Coast Rugby Union Archive on Facebook
Lee Townsend of the Royal British Legion