That the Parliament recognises the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day), which falls on 15 August 2025, marking the end of the Second World War in the Far East; pays tribute to the courage and sacrifice of all who served in the campaign, including the Lanarkshire Yeomanry, who left Britain in March 1941 for India before being deployed to Malaya to take part in the ill-fated Malayan Campaign; notes that two Batteries of the Regiment were captured and endured unimaginable hardship as prisoners of war following the fall of Singapore in February 1942; commends the extraordinary bravery of the seven men from the regiment who escaped captivity in Singapore and successfully made their way to India, including the leader of that escape party, Lt Col Philip Gold, and Jimmy Hamilton from Motherwell; recognises that these men were later reunited with the remaining battery of their regiment in Ceylon, where they trained in jungle warfare until September 1943, when they returned to India to take part in Orde Wingate’s Second Chindit Operation in Burma as part of Column 51; thanks all those who gave their lives to ensure everyone's future, and expresses sincere gratitude to the Lanarkshire Yeomanry group for its dedication to preserving the memory of these brave individuals and ensuring that their extraordinary story continues to be honoured and remembered.
Supported by:
Karen Adam, Colin Beattie, Miles Briggs, Alexander Burnett, Stephanie Callaghan, Jackie Dunbar, Annabelle Ewing, Kenneth Gibson, Emma Harper, Bill Kidd, Fulton MacGregor, Stuart McMillan, Edward Mountain, Kevin Stewart, Paul Sweeney, Tess White, Brian Whittle