National Memorial Church of
Far East Prisoners Of War (FEPOW)
FEPOW Memorial Service 2024
Next years FEPOW memorial service will be held on Sunday 12th May 2024 at 12:30, the 78th anniversary of the Relief of Rangoon.
Whilst seating is NOT reserved, advance notice of mobility issues would be helpful.
If you wish to attend or have enquiries relating to the Memorial Service, please get in touch using fepow@wymondhamrcchurch.org.uk
FEPOW Memorial Service 2023
This years FEPOW memorial service was held on Sunday 14th May 2023 at 12:30, the 77th anniversary of the Relief of Rangoon.
Mrs Louise Reynolds daughter of a FEPOW Chaplain was the speaker at the FEPOW service 2023. She talked about the Changi Cross made in captivity by FEPOW for Padre Cordingly -also FEPOW – her Father.
You can watch this years service on our YouTube at here.
ALL are welcome to attend…
but PLEASE NOTE:
INVITATIONS ARE NO LONGER SENT OUT
You are also cordially invited to join us afterwards for Light Refreshments in our adjacent Parish Centre. PLEASE contact Peter Wiseman directly at the email address below to give an idea of numbers to cater for.
fepow@wymondhamrcchurch.org.uk or Tel: 01953 604144
Queries about the Books of Remembrance, visits to the church, or other FEPOW information are also welcomed at this email address.
It is not a requirement to have a FEPOW/Internee family connection to attend; just an opportunity to REMEMBER those lost to the ravages of the war in the Far East of WWII.
The National Archives lists 56½ thousand British & Commonwealth names of POWs in the Far East. Perhaps you know of someone or have a relative listed? We have some 35,000 names in our Books of Remembrance, so we are missing a few. Can you help us to add any more, or can we help you? Come and see! Help keep their memory alive. Make a connection.
We will be delighted to see you.
Previous FEPOW services
The 2021 FEPOW memorial service is available to view at http://www.wymondhamrcchurch.org.uk/fepow-2021 and the 2022 service is available to view at http://www.wymondhamrcchurch.org.uk/fepow-2022
FEPOW Prayer
And we that are left grow old with the years
Remembering the heartache, the pain and the tears,
Hoping and praying that never again
will Man sink to such sorrow and shame.
The price that was paid we will always remember:
Every day, Every month; Not just November.
We will remember them.
Click here to listen to this Prayer along with “The last Post” and “Reveille”
The Kohima Epitaph
When you go home, tell them of us and say,
For your tomorrow, we gave our today.
We Will Remember Them
ABOUT THE CHURCH
The FEPOW Memorial Church was built by Fr. Malcolm Cowin in 1952 to the design of Donovan Purcell, as a permanent memorial to those who suffered as prisoners of war and internees of the Japanese during World War II, and is the only church of its kind in the world.
The church acts as a ‘Living Memorial’, and a Roman Catholic Parish church. It is unique in being the only church dedicated to the memory of FEPOW and Civilian Internees of all Faiths and Nationalities who died in the Japanese POW and Internment Camps of WWII.
MEMORIAL SERVICE
An annual memorial service for surviving FEPOW internees and their families is held in May of each year. All are welcome to join us. A small committee oversees the management of the service. Specific information about the service may be obtained from the Archivist.
Visits at other times can be arranged via the Parish Office or the Archivist, Peter Wiseman BA Hons (Honorary Archivist) February 2016
Visit the FEPOW JAVA website, for more resources.