Exhibit on horrors suffered by POWs during WWII opens in Liverpool

A gruelling exhibition relaying the horrors of the notorious Shenyang POW (prisoner-of-war) camp -- known as the Forgotten Camp -- officially opened here Friday as the start of a global tour.

The exhibition, in the stark, dungeon-like catacombs of Liverpool's historic St. George's Hall, relives the brutality and harsh conditions suffered by thousands of Allied soldiers at the Japanese camp in China, originally known as the Mukden POW camp.

The event runs until Nov. 15 and will later tour France, Holland and the United States.

One guest of honor at the opening ceremony was Shen Beili, minister at the Chinese Embassy in London, who represented the Chinese Ambassador to Britain.

She said that 70 years ago the Chinese people defeated the Japanese after 14 years of bloodshed and battles, achieving the final victory at a cost of 35 million casualties.

She said China's war of resistance against the Japanese won enormous support from the international community, including Great Britain.

"British soldiers fought side by side with the Chinese in the Far East, and British military forces also sustained tremendous losses in fighting against Japan, including 90,000 casualties of whom 36,000 died."

Shen said she hoped the exhibition would bring awareness to the "calamity of war imposed on peace-loving people."

"We hope visitors to the exhibition will witness the profound friendship between the people of China and other countries formed during fighting against a fascist enemy," she continued.

"Seventy years ago, the Chinese and the British were allies in the war against fascism. Today, we have every reason to join hands to contribute to the peace, stability, prosperity of the world."

The stark backdrop of the catacombs provides a perfect setting for moving photographs and artefacts of the Shenyang World War II Allied Prisoners Camp, regarded as the best preserved of more than 200 prisoner-of-war camps established by Japan in the Asia-Pacific region.

Visitors will have the chance to relive the POWs' dark days in the Shenyang camp, showing their tenacious and relentless struggle against the Japanese soldiers, as well as the brutality of their captors.

A World Heritage Site, St. George's Hall was chosen because Liverpool, as a port city, played a vital role in Britain's survival and eventual victory in WWII.

Among the 2,000 prisoners incarcerated in the camp were soldiers from the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, and France.

The free exhibition marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the war.

Organized by Shenyang WWII Allied Prisoners Camp Site Museum, the event in Liverpool is being supported by the cities of Shenyang and Liverpool, the Shenyang cultural administration, and the cultural office of the Chinese Embassy to Britain.

Lihong Fan, curator of the museum, said she hoped Friday's opening would send a peaceful message from the people of China to the rest of the world.

In her speech, she said that following the end of the war the historical evidence about the Shenyang camp remained untold for more than half a century.

"This unforgettable piece of history has to be told to the rest of the world," she said. "I hope that this exhibition allows more Britons to understand what is a relatively unknown history."

Families of several servicemen held as prisoners at Shenyang handed over memorable items that will now form part of the collection.

Alan Joy told how his father, Ronald, of the Royal Artillery -- prisoner number 1,178 -- suffered nightmares after his ordeal.

Although his father hardly spoke about his experiences as a Japanese prisoner in China, he did speak of the kindness of Chinese people who smuggled food to help the prisoners. Endit