VJ DAY 80
REDEDICATION OF THE WAR MEMORIAL
On Friday 15th August 2025 we were all ready to rededicate the Bishopstoke War Memorial and commemorate VJ Day. However, early on the morning of 15th August it was discovered that the War Memorial had been vandalised. The whole community was shocked and saddened but rallied around with so many people coming out to help clean the War Memorial ready for the rededication service later in the day. We would like to thank everyone who came along to help.
Thanks to the hard work of everyone who helped the rededication service was able to go ahead at 2.00pm. The service was led by Revd Richard Wise with representatives from the Royal British Legion in attendance. It was lovely to see so many of you there.
After the service some of you came up to St Mary's Church for a cup of tea or coffee and a slice of some delicious cake. On a display board were some of the stories of the men remembered on the War Memorial from the First World War. If you would like to read their stories, please visit the Bishopstoke History Society website www.bishopstokehistory.uk.
Memories of the Penn Barwell family
Janie Penn Barwell, a resident of Bishopstoke, has very kindly shared some stories with us about her father’s time in the Far East during the Second World War.
Her father, Dr Terence (Terry) Barwell served in the Royal Navy as a Medical Officer on HMS Nadder, a River-class frigate, in the Indian Ocean. His good friend and fellow oarsman, Dr Sandy Mills, was based in India and Terry managed to meet up with him a couple of times while they were both over there.
Dr Sandy Mills wrote a very powerful poem in the Spring of 1945 which we have been kindly allowed to share with you.
Dr Terry Barwell’s comments on his friend’s poem:
“This is one he wrote in his room overlooking the sea. The monsoon must have been bowing from the S.W. at the time, bringing in big rollers and rain; and I think he was as depressed as he could be.
That expresses very well my own mood at times.”
An excerpt from a letter written by Dr Terence Barwell to his wife on 11th August 1945:
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“My darling,
Isn’t the news absolutely marvellous? It’s a bit early yet to make plans except in the form of Spanish Castles but it really seems as though it won’t be long before we get home.
Yesterday was an amazing day. I can’t tell you about it yet but we had an exciting time and hearing the news of the Japanese offer to surrender almost immediately after our fun and games, we enjoyed the news more than most people I think. The feeling on the bridge was quite hilarious and later on we went down to the wardroom and had a few glasses of beer (although at sea) and waited for our 7.30pm news. When the march was played before the news we all sang it with gusto!”
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Reports from some veteran HMS Nadder crew members indicated that the ship may have been one of the last ships to be bombed after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This could be the “fun and games” that Dr Barwell referred to.
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“Spanish Castles” is another way of saying castles in the air.
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We would like to thank the Penn Barwell family for sharing these stories with us.