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By Shawn Merrithew

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In a time when the world was at war, they fought for freedom for the island nation of Hong Kong.

This weekend the sacrifices made by those brave Canadian troops will be remembered and honoured in Florenceville-Bristol as the Maritime-Gaspian branch of the Hong Kong Veterans Association hosts its annual reunion and general meeting.

Branch president Neil Darrah said this is the 16th year the reunion has been held in the northern Carleton County community. He added he looks forward to a great event and admires the men who served during the Second World War. He said many of the region's own veterans and their families come out to show their support.

"It is amazing to see the love of life these guys have despite what they went through," Darrah said. "They like to get together and enjoy themselves."

The Hong Kong veterans' story begins in 1941.

With the world gripped in the throes of the Second World War, the British Empire requested Canada to send troops to defend its occupied island of Hong Kong from Japanese invasion.

The Canadian government agreed, Darrah explained, and sent two regiments – the Royal Rifles from Quebec and the Winnipeg Grenadiers from Manitoba.

"There were 1,975 Canadian troops that sailed out of Vancouver to help defend Hong Kong," he explained. "They landed sometime in October 1941."

On Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese troops launched an attack to take the island, he said. The fighting lasted for 17 days, and, by Christmas Day, Canadian troops were forced to surrender. For the next three and a half years, he said, the Canadian soldiers were held captive.

"After their surrender, they were held as prisoners of war and performed slave labour in Honk Kong and Japan," Darrah explained. "More men actually died in the prison camps than they did in the battle for Hong Kong."

Upon arrival back in Canada, following the war, Darrah said, the remaining soldiers formed the Hong Kong Veterans Association, which spanned the entire country with each province having its own group. Each group holds its own reunion each year, he explained, with a national reunion every four years.

The event is near and dear to Darrah, whose father James C. Darrah served in Hong Kong. With their numbers dwindling each year, he said, it is important to remember the Hong Kong Veterans.

"Out of the 1,975 that went, there are less than 100 actual soldiers left in all of Canada, out of both regiments. So the numbers are getting tremendously low."

Despite the numbers, Darrah expects about four Hong Kong veterans for the weekend-long event, and it does provide them, along with local veterans, the opportunity to reminisce and share their stories.

The reunion gets underway on Friday with registration from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Florenceville Royal Canadian Legion followed by a wine-and-cheese social hosted by the town.

Darrah pointed out local band Wildwood will perform later in the evening for the crowd.

On Saturday morning, a special memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. at the Legion followed by the annual general meeting at 2 p.m. The banquet and a get together begins at 5 p.m.

Darrah pointed out the support from the local communities has been great over the years for the event, and he looks forward to more of the same this weekend.