On 15 August 2025, the country will mark VJ Day 80, the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day. It was the day that brought an end to the Second World War, after years of suffering endured by thousands of Allied prisoners of war and civilians in the Asia-Pacific region.
Among those forced to endure unimaginable hardship was the father of our colleague Jude Garratt, a Healthcare Assistant working in Swadlincote. Jude’s dad, Private George William ‘Bill’ Garratt, was one of the British servicemen captured at the Fall of Singapore in February 1942 and held for more than three years as a prisoner of war (POW) under Japanese captivity.
“My dad was held for three and a half years working on the infamous Burma railway,” Jude told us. “He was tortured, starved, and saw things no one should have to see. Those men are still known as the ‘forgotten army’ because they returned home to silence, not celebration.”
Bill was one of the lucky ones who came home, though like many others, he bore the scars of captivity for the rest of his life—physically and emotionally. He received long-term treatment at the Tropical Diseases Hospital in Roehampton and campaigned tirelessly throughout his life to raise awareness of what the Far East Prisoners of War (FEPOWs) endured.
Jude said: “He told me that when a few of them marched through Derby on their return in 1945, just a handful of people turned out to welcome them. The next year, when Derby County won the FA Cup, there were crowds in their hundreds. That contrast always stayed with him.”
Bill, who worked as a miner in Swadlincote after the war, became known locally as “Bill on the Bike”—a well-known character who always wore a fluorescent jacket and a Pepsi Cola cap, cycling around delivering coal and vegetables to neighbours, and stopping to chat with shop staff and old friends.
But behind the smile was a determination to never let the world forget. Bill was a member of the FEPOW Association and, when it disbanded, Jude joined COFEPOW—the Children of Far East Prisoners of War charity, which continues the work of remembrance and education. Thanks to their efforts, a replica Thai POW hut now stands at the National Memorial Arboretum, built after three and a half years of fundraising to match the length of time the men were held captive. It includes original sleepers from the Burma railway and gates from Changi jail.
As we mark 80 years since VJ Day, Jude’s story is a powerful reminder that history lives with us—in the lives of our friends, neighbours, and colleagues.
“He was a kind, generous man with an incredible sense of humour,” Jude said. “But he could never forgive or forget what had happened. His voice and the voices of others like him made sure those stories were heard.”
In honour of VJ80, we will be sharing a moving poem written about Bill, which is held in the archives at the National Memorial Arboretum. It captures the warmth, resilience and fighting spirit of a man who turned personal tragedy into a lifelong mission of remembrance.
As we pause to reflect, we say thank you to Private George William Garratt, and to Jude for sharing his story. Lest we forget.
You can read more about George William Garratt, including a lovely poem written about him entitled 'Bill on his bike in his Pepsi Cola cap' here.