TWO women whose fathers were prisoners of war have welcomed the announcement that a special ceremony to mark Victory over Japan Day will be held.

Oxford City Council has said the Armed Forces Day flag will be raised above Town Hall for an entire week, while the ceremony will be held on at County Hall to mark the 70th anniversary of VJ Day in August.

The Oxfordshire Branch of Children of the Far East POWs has been campaigning with the Oxford Mail for recognition of what their fathers went through during the Second World War.

Trish Fergusson’s father Les Long was a PoW first in Singapore and then in Japan from February 1941 until liberation day, before returning to Oxford as a pub landlord.

The former teacher can’t bear to find out what happened to her father but has been fighting for his memory to be honoured in the run-up to VJ Day.

Oxford Mail:

Les Long

She said: “We have never had anything to remember them before really.

“It’s wonderful that what they did is going to be recognised after all this time. It’s taken a lot of pushing from us and the Oxford Mail and at last something now is being done.”

In previous years the retired teacher has gone to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. On his return from the war Mr Long worked as an Oxford City policeman before becoming landlord of The White Hart in Marston. He died in 1984 aged 65 after a fall at the pub.

Mrs Fergusson, 65, from Marston, said she was delighted to now have a service closer to home at County Hall on Monday, August 10.

She said: “I know some will go to the national memorial but I have always wanted something in Oxford to be closer to my dad. He was Oxford born and bred.”

Oxford Mail:

Linda Peach

Linda Peach, whose father spent three-and-a-half years as POW on the island of Celebes, said: “It’s brilliant. I knew they were putting the flag but not for that amount of time.

"There’s always something to celebrate VE Day but never much for VJ Day. I don’t want to glorify war but I just think it should be recognised.”

Mrs Peach’s father Ivo Poulter was a postman in Florence Park in the 1930s and he covered Iffley village and parts of Rose Hill until his retirement in 1972.

In 1939 Mr Poulter abandoned his postal career to join the Navy and help the war effort.

His ship the HMS Encounter was picked up by a Japanese destroyer in 1942.

Oxford Mail:

Ivo Poulter

The war veteran later told our sister publication The Oxford Times that told how he was physically abused and had been made to dig his own grave.

Mother-of-two Mrs Peach said: “I just think it should be recognised and we remember that these dreadful things occurred – it’s important people know what happened."

“I don’t drive so I was always have to get someone to take me the national arboretum or the memorial at Litchfield, so it’s great there will be something locally.

“Hopefully other people who have not joined our group will be able to meet there and find out a bit more about us.”

August 15 is the official VJ Day in the UK and the ceremony will take place on Monday, August 10 with the flag raised above Town Hall for a week.