The Isle of Man branch of the Burma Star Association recently held a memorial to commemorate 74 years since the end of the Second World War and Victory over Japan.

The service was held at St John’s on Sunday with former Lieutenant Governor Major General Sir Laurence Anthony Wallis New and his wife Lady New in attendance.

Sir Laurence gave an address to the memorial before organiser James Fenton laid a wreath on behalf of the association.

Bugler Andy Holland played the Last Post before Mr Fenton also recited the Kohima Epitaph.

Speaking to the Manx Independent, Mr Fenton said that there are only five surviving members of the association in the island and while it no longer has meetings, they do meet up for meals and the annual memorial.

He added: ’As long as there a few of us left, we will continue [holding the memorial].

’It is our duty to remember those who died and to lay a wreath.’

The Burma Star Association in London is due to close next year after the 75th anniversary.

Members can still receive support from other veterans charities and organisations.

Mr Fenton, who said that all the survivors ’are getting on a bit’, thanked the cadets who attend each year and thinks it is important for them to know about people who went before them.

He said: ’One of our people used to carry the star banner but now we’re not strong enough so one of the cadets carries it now and they help swell the numbers a bit too.’

Mr Fenton wrote a book on his time in the army during the Second World War, consisting of all of the 440 letters he wrote home and some drawings he made while fighting in Asia.

That book, The Forgotten Army, is available on Amazon.

Mr Fenton told the Manx Independent he is looking forward to this weekend’s Island at War celebrations (p9).

He, along with other Manx veterans will be going on the Veterans’ Train from Douglas on Saturday and spending some time at the train station in Port Erin over the weekend too.