SYDNEY, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Australian city of Sydney held a commemoration on Wednesday to commemorate the fall of Singapore 75 years ago.
Ar least 100,000 allied troops, including Australians, were taken prisoners when Japan invaded Singapore in 1942.
One of the attendees, 96 year old ex-prisoner of war Joe Coombs, spoke about his experiences during World War II, where he spent three and a half years in Prisoners of War (POW) camps, including Singapore's Changi Prison, and Nagasaki in Japan.
Coombs went off to fight the war at the tender age of 21, just three weeks after marrying his wife. He was one of the first Australian POWs moved to Japan.
New South Wales Governor David Hurley was in attendance, he thanked the veterans for everything they endured.
"How to attempt to sum up in words what will convey the deep gratitude that we hold for our veterans, our warriors, who lived through and suffered so much in defense of our nation," Hurley said.
"There are no words we can say, except to say, thank you."
