New exhibition gets royal approval as Duke of Gloucester opens display

A new display which explores the experiences and legacies of soldiers from Norfolk who became prisoners of war was opened by a member of the royal family.On Friday, His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester was welcomed to Stories of Lynn, based next to Lynn’s town hall, to open a new exhibition – Surviving the Railway: Memories of Far East Prisoners of War – which marks the 80th anniversary of VJ Day on August 15 this year.His Royal Highness was formally welcomed to the town hall by HM Lord-Lieutenant Lady Dannatt.

The welcoming party also included General The Lord Dannatt, former head of the British Army; David Flux, High Sheriff of Norfolk; Cllr Stuart Dark MBE, chairman of Norfolk County Council; Cllr Paul Bland, the mayor of West Norfolk; and Peter Black, chairman of trustees of the Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum.Prince Richard was then shown around the exhibition in the company of Kate Thaxton, curator of the Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum, and Charles Barratt, the chairman of the Far East Prisoners of War.The display explores the experiences and legacy of Royal Norfolk Regiment soldiers who became prisoners of war following the fall of Singapore in 1942 and were subsequently put to work on the notorious Thai-Burma railway, otherwise known as the ‘Railway of Death’.

Among the objects and photographs shown to His Royal Highness was a new roll of honour commemorating all who served in the Far East in the fourth, fifth, and sixth battalions of the Royal Norfolk Regiment. Also in attendance were Tom McCabe, chief executive of the county council, and Steve Miller, director of culture and heritageAfter viewing the exhibition, His Royal Highness attended a special reception in the assembly room in the town hall, where he met families of Far East prisoners of war soldiers and their supporters, museum staff and volunteers, museum supporters and members of the Norfolk Regimental Association.

At the reception, Mr Black formally thanked His Royal Highness for the visit and presented him with a Royal Norfolk Regiment tie. Following the reception, the Prince took time to sign the town hall visitors’ book before concluding his visit with lunch in the mayor’s parlour.Mr Black said: “In this 80th anniversary year of the defeat of Japan, the Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum are proud to put on a commemorative exhibition.

“We are honoured that HRH The Duke of Gloucester has graciously agreed to open it. The men who died and those lucky enough to survive deserve to be remembered.“This small, iconic display centres on a nominal roll; families are invited to fill in any missing details. “Remembrance is the least we owe those Norfolk soldiers: ‘When you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today’.”Cllr Bland said: “It was an honour to welcome His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester to Stories of Lynn to view and open the poignant Royal Norfolk Museum’s Far East Prisoners of War Exhibition.“It is an eye-opening display and a wonderful way to commemorate this significant anniversary of VJ day. I recommend residents and visitors alike to come see the exhibition for themselves.”Surviving the Railway: Memories of Far East Prisoners of War opened to the public on Saturday and is on show at Stories of Lynn until September 21.