The Revd Andrew Birks, Vicar of the Benefice of Melbourn and Meldreth, has been appointed an Honorary Member of the Java Far East Prisoners of War (FEPOW) Club 1942 in recognition of his dedicated service to the memory and welfare of Far East Prisoners of War.
The JAVA FEPOW Club is the United Kingdom’s largest and only remaining national FEPOW organisation. Established by veterans who endured captivity in the Far East during World War II on Java, the Club’s mission is to preserve their histories, support their families, and ensure that their legacy endures.
Revd Birks has received this honour for his extensive pastoral care, commitment to remembrance initiatives, and ongoing support of the Club’s outreach activities.
As part of his continuing dedication, Revd Birks will conduct a Service of Commemoration on Thursday 15 August at 6pm to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Japan (VJ Day). The service, to be held in Melbourn, will feature an address by Sir David Wright, GCMG LVO, former British Ambassador to Japan (1996–1999).
Commenting on this recognition, Revd Birks stated, “It is a profound honour to be welcomed into the JAVA FEPOW Club. Marking VJ80 with a service that unites remembrance, gratitude, and a commitment to peace is particularly meaningful. I am privileged to help uphold the stories of courage, suffering, and resilience demonstrated by FEPOWs and their families. These accounts must continue to educate us about the importance of avoiding war and conflict. The pain experienced during captivity was immense, and, sadly, its trauma endured for many. Through my ministry, ‘We Will Always Remember Them’.”
One of the functions of the JAVA FEPOW Club today is welfare, and the club asks that anyone aware of any FEPOWs, civilian internees, wives or widows contact them, as they may be entitled to grants to support them (they do not need to have been taken prisoner on Java). For further information about the JAVA FEPOW Club, please visit the official website: www.thejavafepowclub42.org