15th August 2025 is the 80th Anniversary of Victory over Japan (VJ Day) which ended the 2nd World World.
In the Far East .. war was still raging against the Imperial Japanese Army - even though in Europe people were celebrating Victory in Europe a few months before. Those who fought alongside Allied Army were also the 14th Army... who are also known as Forgotten Army.
I have lived in Lacey Green Wilmslow since 1976 when I got married and still live in the same Cottage ... but I come from the part where the Battles took place. I was born in Imphal and Kohima is the next State to where the Japanese were defeated by the allied Army on a tennis court.
The Japanese came through the Imphal and Kohima from Burma now called Mayanmar but were stopped in Kohima. If the Allied Army, which includes the 14th British Army, had been defeated India would be under the Japanese rule.
I have always tried to observe the VJ Day so that those who fought and died in Imphal and Kohima are never forgotten.
For its 50th AnniversaryVJ Day - as a member of the Lions Club of Wilmslow - we held a day filled with nostalgia, and remembering those who gave their lives, in Wilmslow High School with exhibitions, a church service in St. Barts conducted by the Bishop of Stockport - the Right Rev Nigel Stock, whose father died in Kohima in the 2nd WW. The event was supported and funded by The Home Front Recall (National Lottery) with the understanding that the video produced sent and are kept in the archive of the British Library in London. Which I sent to them.
On 12th of October 2019 I organised the 75th Anniversary of VJ Day in St. Barts, conduct by Rev (Curate) Kirsty Allan where one of the readings was by John Dwyer (son of a soldier from the 14th Army) and the second reading was by Alan Cooper (on behalf Norman Burgess who died in Kohima).
Alan Cooper found out as a military historian that Norman Burgess, a 24 year old Lacey Green farm boy, volunteered to join the army and died somewhere in Kohima. Since I came to know this, every time I go home to Imphal I visit the cemeteries in Imphal and Kohima looking up graves beautifully maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. There were a lot of un-known soldiers graves and I had no luck. But I never gave up.
I went to visit Doctor Bish Elanbam who lives in Sutton Coldfied, who comes from Imphal, a few weeks ago, who by phone introduced me to Rameshwar Yumnam who lives in Imphal - a historian and part of the Chindit Society.
Two weeks ago he emailed me to say he had traced Norman Burgess. He joined the 1st Battalion The Essex Regiment as a private soldier. He was born in 1915 in Lacey Green Wilmslow and died on 8th April 1944 at the age of 28. He was married to Alice Burgess and his parents were William and Elizabeth Burgess. Unfortunately his body was never found but he is now remembered and mentioned by name in Rangoon Memorial Garden in one of the columns: face No 15. I have been sent a copy of the WWII Medal Card 1939 -1945 - the original can be obtained, I suspect, which can be hung inside the pavilion in Lacey Green once obtained.
This is why I feel very strongly and care that as a long term resident of Lacey Green we should do something to remember Norman Burgess somewhere in Lacey Green .. may be in the pavilion as a brave son of Lacey Green.
I also would like to know if there is somebody who remembers that family or is vaguely related around here.. and if any of your readers know I would like to meet them. They can contact me by email.
Guest post by Khumi Burton.
