Banner presented to Rochdale & District Fusiliers to commemorate WW2 campaign in Burma

Rochdale BID presented a banner to Rochdale & District Fusiliers’ Association on Thursday (6 August), commemorating 75 years since the end of the Burma Campaign which ran from ‎14 December 1941 – 13 September 1945 during World War Two.

Vice president and vice chairman of Rochdale & District Fusiliers, John Rodgers (Jnr), whose father was a Burma Star holder and the last secretary of the Oldham and Rochdale Burma Star Association, was presented the banner in Rochdale Memorial Gardens along with president of the branch, Peter Clegg.

The banner, which reads 'Burma Star never forgotten in Rochdale', will become a regular feature in local Remembrance Sunday parades. A second banner has also been installed on the wrought iron fence of Broadfield Park, in front of a special floral tribute which was the first commemoration to be installed in June.

 

 

The display, which can be seen from Manchester Road/The Esplanade/Dane Street junction, was designed and installed by the council’s environmental management team and took more than 1,400 plants to create. It replicates the medal awarded to British and Commonwealth forces who served in the Burma Campaign.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/135183/burma-star-association-floral-tribute

 

 

Mr Rodgers said: “I think it’s wonderful that Rochdale BID has presented us with this banner. It will help us to keep alive the extraordinary achievements of all allied service men and women who fought in the Burma Campaign in WW2.

“I wish my father John Rodgers (senior) was stood here with me today, he would have been very proud.”

A British veterans' association for ex-servicemen and women who served in the Burma Campaign of World War Two, The Burma Star Association was officially founded in 1951. The Association aimed to relieve the hardship and distress that veterans experienced and promote the comradeship experienced during the battle.

Mr Rodgers added: “Many Burma Star Holders from this area were also members of the Rochdale and District Fusiliers’ Association. Over the years, approximately 56,000 Burma Star holders – or holders of the Pacific Star with ‘Burma clasp’ - joined the Burma Star Association.

“The medal was awarded to British and Commonwealth forces who served in the Burma Campaign, as well as British Army units, many of its units were from the Indian Army and there were also significant contributions from West and East African divisions. They called themselves the forgotten army - they will never be forgotten here.”

Paul Ambrose, Business Improvement District Manager for Rochdale Town Centre, said: “The chance to help commemorate 75 years of the Burma Star Association was an honour and I thank the Rochdale Fusiliers for asking BID to be part of their special tribute which acknowledges the brave contribution that soldiers made during the Burma Campaign.”

Roy Down, chairman of Rochdale In Bloom said: "Being asked to help with the Burma Star project was a real privilege for our group. The real creative work was done by Environmental Management at Rochdale Borough Council, they created a lovely floral feature on Broadfield slopes. Thanks to Tracy Hibbert who designed the feature and Paul Ambrose from Rochdale BID who sponsored the banners."