Imperial War museum chief backs Far East soldiers memorial - Dr Jane Furlong welcomes plaque idea

Published: 10 February 2011
by PETER GRUNER

A LEADING figure at the Imperial War Museum has praised the campaign for a memorial in Camden to those who died or were imprisoned in the Far East during the Second World War.

Dr Jane Furlong, who is head of exhibits at the Kennington museum, welcomed the idea for a plaque at Mornington Crescent, which will be debated next month by Camden Council. 

Architect Chris Roche has submitted a planning application to the Town Hall for the plaque to be located on the traffic island at Mornington Crescent, opposite the statue to Victorian social reformer Richard Cobden.

An artist’s impression of the proposed memorial is available on the council’s website. The black granite plaque, which would measure six by four feet high, would be raised on “train lines” and sleepers, symbolising the suffering of those forced to work on wartime Japanese railways.

Dr Furlong said: “We have records of 113 small memorials scattered around the country including one at St ­Martin in the Fields Church, Westminster. 

“We always encourage people to provide local memorials where possible. They are a very good idea because families want something that is local to ­visit and pay their respects.” 

Gillian Murdoch, whose soldier father Alan was killed in Singapore by the Japanese, has also joined the campaign.

The retired tourism consultant, who lives in St John’s Wood, said her father, a cavalryman, was 40 when he was shot five times in the chest in 1939 as he tried to escape on a motorbike from the invading Japanese army.

Years later Ms Murdoch’s relatives met the man who discovered and identified her father’s body by a name tag, through the Imper­ial War Museum.

“When you remember what our people went through in the Far East during the war – all the pain, suffering, cruelty and death, there were so many atrocious incidents,” said Ms Murdoch. 

“We need something in Camden to recognise this great sacrifice. I do hope the council approve the scheme for the memorial.”

The Town Hall’s Development Control committee will discuss  the proposal at a meeting on Thursday March 17 at 7pm.  

To comment, visit www.camden.gov.uk and search planning applications reference: 2010/6812/P.