Letters: Japanese veterans' bad dreams

From Ms Karin Scarsbrook

Sir: It is just as well that the new Japanese owners of the former County Hall (London) agreed to the staging of the 50th anniversary commemorations of VJ Day for the people involved in the Far Eastern campaigns. But I wonder if anyone knew of a final irony.

Ralph Knott, architect of the winning design for the building in 1908, had a stepson, Clifford Longden. An officer in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, following service in the 17th/21st Lancers, Clifford surrendered in Singapore and was a Japanese PoW for three and a half years. As our "Gramps", he told little of the horrors, preferring anecdote for his young audience. He would have appreciated this coincidence, and the incident's judicious outcome, I am sure.

Yours sincerely,

Karin Scarsbrook

Redhill, Surrey