News Tributes paid to last surviving Japanese prisoner of war
Tributes have been pouring in for the last surviving Japanese prisoner of war in Goole.
Willie Kitwood died peacefully on Saturday, April 5, aged 88.
Willie - who is perhaps better known for running Kitswood Catering, a Goole-based bakery and catering firm which became an institution in the town - spent five years as a prisoner of war in the Far East and ended up with malnutrition so severe that he weighed just six stones.
During his time in the notorious Japanese PoW camps the war hero helped to build the bridge on the River Kwai in Burma, when thousands of prisoners lost their lives constructing the Burma-Siam railway lines.
The building of the bridge was made famous by the 1957 film of the same name starring Alec Guinness.
John Watson, a long-standing friend of Willie's, led the tributes to his friend this week.
He said: "He was a super guy; he would do anything for anybody."
He added: "When Willie came back from Burma he weighed just six stone."
Wilie, whose wife Barbara passed away in October, 2007, died of natural causes.
His friend Jack Day said: "He was a nice fellow and very loyal, but he didn't tolerate fools gladly."
He added: "Willie's bakery and catering business was an institution in Goole but it covered the whole of the north of England."
Willie's bakery business was based on Jackson Street but he had several shops in Goole, including two branches on Boothferry Road.
He ran the business for nearly 30 years after returning from the Second World War. He retired 26 years ago.
Family friend Kim Thompson, of Centenary Road in Goole, said: "It was a long time before Willie would talk about the war. He was a PoW for five years and was badly treated. He had quite awful memories from that time but he didn't really like to talk about them because they were so terrible."
Willie was a light-aircraft enthusiast and also kept long-haired dachshunds.
"He loved dogs," said Ms Thompson.
He was also a member of Goole's Masonic Lodge and for a long time had his name above the masonic hall.
Willie was adopted by Fred and Bertha Kitwood when he was 10 years old.
His natural parents, Mr and Mrs Robertson, died when he was young.
Willie, who lived on Garth Lane in Hook, met Barbara in 1948 and they were married at Airmyn Church. The couple ran the catering firm together for nearly 30 years.
"What people perhaps don't know about Willie is that he got his pilot's licence," said Ms Thompspon. "He got that from Elvington and he flew a lot from Humberside."
She said Willie also loved photography, playing golf and caravanning.
"He had his own caravan at a caravan park called Merryleas just outside Scarborough," she said.
Willie had a brother called Roland who, when his younger sibling was adopted, joined the army.
Roland went to live in Australia and ended his days there.
"Willie went to visit him several times and used to talk to him a lot over the phone," said Miss Thompson. "They even made each other tapes that they would send to each other."
Willie's funeral service will be held on April 25 at St Mary's Church in Hook.
Published on 10th April 2008 in News.
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