Peaceful morning .....

15th August 2025   .... 80th Anniversary of VJ Day.

There's still a bit of cloud around this morning, with a 'low chance of precipitation';  but 'sunny

intervals' are forecast to arrive soon.  The thunder has left us with a fresher feel to the air, so it might not be oppressively 'hot' in the afternoon.    I don't have any 'plan' for today;  in fact I think a relaxing 'rest day' wouldn't go amiss.   I might have a daunder up to the seat at the 17th, later in the morning, and get some 'golf'action' shots.

20.30    I've had the relaxing day that I wanted;  the only 'work' I did was wash the downie cover and a couple of towels.   That didn't involve much effort but it means I can make up the wee bed for Iain who's coming down in the next couple of weeks.   

I watched the Service, from the Arboretum in Shropshire, to mark the 80th Anniversary of 'VJ' day.   The most poignant moment for me was the wreath being laid at an actual piece of the railway, built by the prisoners of war captured when Singapore fell in February 1942.    I thought of my Uncle Lewis (Gordon Highlanders), and Jock Millar (Royal Artillery) attached to the Gordon Highlanders;  both captured at Singapore.   I met Jock (Millar) when I worked on various Glenrothes building sites.

The first time I saw and met Uncle Lewis was when he came home from the Far East.   Both Uncle Lewis and Jock arrived at Southampton, on the troopship SS Corfu on October 7th 1945.   My Mum (Uncle Lewis sister) took me to Dunecht Schoolhouse where Uncle Lewis was going to stay with his other sister, my Auntie Jean.   His Mother and other brothers were all their to welcome him home.   I was 8 years old, but can remember how yellow Uncle Lewis was.   I don't know why that stuck in my memory but it did.   There was a lot of crying, and Auntie Jean and my Granny took Lewis into the Schoolhouse so that everyone could come to terms with the fact that Uncle Lewis was 'home'.    A few days later Uncle Lewis and the menfolks went to the local Dunecht pub to welcome him home 'man style'.  And that was Uncle Lewis home from the war.    He settled down to his old job as a stone mason;  and worked on the renovation of Provost Skene's House in Aberdeen.... and married 'Auntie Margaret' in 1947.

Ferry Corner.

Jock Millar I met, probably about 28 years later.    Sometimes, when we were sitting at our 'tea break' Jock would tell us about the 'railway' and how hard it was.  There was one part where they had to build it along the side of a cliff by the river.   Jock said "our Engineers didn't think it was possible.  But, you had to give the clever little b------s credit;  they said it could and would be done, and it was".   On another occasion they were moving up to another camp, so Jock and a mate got a native rickshaw puller to take them up to the new camp.   The Japanese soldiers found this amusing.  Jock told us that "the ordinary Jap soldiers were treated almost as bad as the POW's by the Japaneses Officer Elite.   I remember someone asking Jock "how did you pay the rickshaw bloke?"    "Pay him?"    "We slapped him aboot and told him to"... .... er    .... "go home".

Did Jock and Uncle Lewis know each other?   We'll never know that now because they both passed away in their early 70's.   But;  my Dad (he was in a 'reserved' occupation and served in the Home Guard) bought the "War Illustrated" Magazine during the war, and had them made into yearly books.    In the last book there is a photograph of the SS Corfu at the Southampton dockside.    I remember Uncle Lewis and Auntie Margaret visiting my parents at Colinsburgh.  Maggie and I were there too.   Anyway, I remember 'Pop' getting the book out and letting Lewis see the picture of the SS Corfu, and 'Pop' asking Uncle Lewis where he was in the crowd.   He picked out the figure that he thought could be him:  then said... "that tall bloke looks like Jock" (Millar?). And our Jock Millar was tall.   As I said I'll never know.   But today's Service was poignant and brought back all those memories.    We won't forget them.... ever.   And ...yes, I did stand for the two minutes silence.   However it was a short two minutes..... more like a minute in fact, 

Working alongside Jock for those few years gave us, an idea as to how hard it was on 'the railway';  Jock didn't seem to

Elie High Street.

mind talking about his 'railway' experiences.    The film  'Bridge over the River Kwai?    "Nothing like it really was". 

Unfortunately I never worked alongside Uncle Lewis so never really got to know his stories ... if he talked about his time on 'the railway'.

After the thunder yesterday I didn't think it would be as hot today, but it was (25.9C), so I watched the Air Show from Eastbourne in the afternoon.   I never got up to the seat at the 17th green  to get a few golf action shots.

Top Photo;  even wasps need to stay hydrated in this weather.