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Hello, I am looking for information on my grandfather Richard Bell. He was in the Merchant Navy and was captured by the Japanese forces on the 12th of July 1942 whilst serving in USSco Hauraki as an Assistant Cook. I understand he was eventually transferred to Japan and remained there until the end of the war.

Hi Stephanie, re grandfather Bombardier Patrick O’Shea. The 5th Field Regiment was a Regular Army regiment, which in 1939 was based in India. Oct 8th 1941, the regiment was mobilised and sent to Bombay to board the troopship Orion. Upon landing at Singapore they were sent to Ipoh where they remained there for appx. 2 months, before being sent to Kota Bharu.
The formation tasked with the protection of the airfields in and near Kota Bharu was the 8th Indian Infantry Brigade Group. When the Japanese landed on the beach the regiment had to direct their shells over the aerodrome and onto the beaches and shorelines.
They then had to fight a rear guard action all the way back to Singapore, and the capitulation on 15/02/1942. Patrick was then incarcerated in Changi until 25/10/42 when he was locked down in the hold of the hellship England Maru and sailed to Keelung in northern Formosa (Taiwan). After this 3 week journey of hell, the 1100 men were disembarked onto the quayside and split into 2 groups mainly by regiments. 523 men of the 80th Anti Tank and 155th Lanarkshire Yeomanry (amongst others) were sent to the Kinkaseki Copper Mine, whilst the 5th Field Rgt. were sent to Taihoku Camp #6. Patrick remained in #T6 from Nov.1942 until June 1945, when he was sent to help construct OKA Camp high in the mountains. This camp was to be where all the POWs were to be eliminated if the allies landed on Taiwan. Your Grandfather died at this camp, five days after the end of the war and just one day before the camp was abandoned and the men went back to #T6. The brutal treatment of OKA resulted in 19 deaths in 2 months. Patrick was buried in Yuboku cemetery until 1948, and then relocated in Sai Wan, Hong Kong.

Hi, I’m looking for information & a photo of my grandad Patrick William O’Shea. He was in 5th field regiment & was in a Japanese pow camp on Formosa & died there. Service no 842703
I’d welcome any information & have never seen a photo of him

Hi, looking for information on my great great uncle Ronald Howe, Oldham, Manchester 1st battalion, killed in action in Singapore on  15th feb 1942. Aged 21. I understand that his battalion were made POW by Japanese after that day and likely have no pictures. It is a stab in the dark but it would be nice to get an account of experiences either with him or of the battalion in Singapore. If there are any writings or second hand experiences ( since most have likely passed now) that would be great to hear. Thanks in advance  

Hi Michael, Assuming your Granddad was born in West Pelton, Co. Durham, then he was Private James Richardson of 2nd Cambridgeshire Rgt., service number 6029020.
Taken prisoner at Singapore on 15/2/1942 and then sent to work on the Burma/Siam Railroad on 21/3/1943 on Train 7. Amongst his camps were Kinsaiyok, Tamarkan (River Kwai), Chunkai and finally Pratchai. He was liberated through Bangkok on 30/8/1945. Although he lists his home as County Durham, he actually enlisted into the Essex Rgt in September 1940. He must then have transferred into the Cambridge Rgt. Maybe this was due to his work which he lists as being a map maker/surveyor. His service records will probably tell a lot more of his story prior to Feb 1942.

I’m looking for any info on my grandad please .. James richardson

Hi, I"d like to find out more about my great-great uncle, Jack Colman, who was a POW of the Japanese during the War. All I know about him is that he was born most likely in Elgin around 1905, that he graduated from Edinburgh University and subsequently Cambridge, and that, after the War, he spent the rest of his days in Borneo, where he started a family and probably later died of alcoholism.  My grandmother believes he may have worked for the Foreign Office. Contact me through Show email address if you find anything. Thanks! 

Hi, I am looking for info on my Grandfather, Arthur Hunt.


He was in Fukuoka POW camp, I believe he was transported on the Singapore Maru in 1943. He was a Royal Artillery Gunner.

830999 L/Cpl W Carr, Ovl to Thailand F Force. Admitted to Tanbaya hospital 27/08/1943, Beri Beri and dysentery, died 27/09/1943

Hi there 

Looking for some help to find more information on William fowlie simpson carr , he died  in tambaya hospital , Burma whilst a pow - 27-9-42
He was serving as a Gordon highlander 

Romayne, re Pte. Edwin Cooper. Sent to Formosa on the hellship ‘England Maru’ on 25.10.1942. This was known as ‘Z Party’. Three week journey locked down in the hold, arriving at Keelung in the far north of the island near Taipei. Only 16 Leicesters were ever sent to Formosa, and only 2 on this hellship.
The 1100 men were split into 2 camps, 523 into Kinkaseki Copper Mine, and the others into Taihoku Camp 6. Edwin went into T6 and surprisingly remained there for the duration, and was never called upon to replace the sick and injured from Kinkaseki. He was liberated on 06.09.1945 when he was taken onboard the USS Block Island and sailed for Manila. After only 9 days in Manila he was able to embark on the ‘Empress of Australia’ and sailed for Liverpool via Bombay and Suez, arriving 27.10.1945.

Louiselle, re Capt. Campbell Downie. Imprisoned Changi Singapore on 15th Feb. 1942. Sent to the Siam Railroad on 4th November 1942 as part of ‘N Party’. Initially I believe he was with Group 1 who were at all camps between Non Pladuk and Tamarkan.
He was later transferred to Group 4 POWs and the camps then stretched all the way from Wampo (114 Km marker) to Kinsayok (172 Km marker). A small contingent of men also carried on upline to Krian Krai (244 Km). He was liberated into the safeguarding of Lt. Col. Eachern on 4th September 1945.

I am looking for information on Edwin Edward Cooper, Sometimes also swaps names to Edward Edwin Cooper. Leicester regiment No. 4860114.
He was captured in Singapore and was a prisoner of war, This is all the information i know as this is a very new search if anyone has any information it will be highly appreciated.
Thanks In Advance..

Hi, I am looking for information about my husband father Captain Campbell Downie or C.F. Downie. He was POW  in Burma north of Singapore.  He was in the 2/17 Dogra Reginent. Any information or pictures would be greatly appreciated. You can forward them to me at Show email address.

fantastic information. interesting and at times depressing. but that is the nature of what the Japanese did. if it is not documented the information is lost. Grand job.

Desperate to finding any information on my aunt Evie Shand born 1923 Batavia. Evacuated from various POW camps in Java. Taken by Red Cross at time of  repatriation to AUSTRALIA when Britain officials refused entry to England due to British subject passport. Evie suffered from severe mental and health issues at the time. Other 7 family members arrived in Fremantle on the S.S. Circassia which was a Red Cross converted vessel.

Rachel, to identify which John McGowan, do you know what his home town was, and do you know his date of birth? Was he army/navy/airforce? Any other details?

Looking for any information about my grandad John McGowan. He was awarded the Burma star medal and I believe helped build the rail way. He was a POW and worked as a cook on the camp . Hope you can help 

2578158 Hugh King service number.
Thank you. 

Hi, looking for any information you have regarding my grandfather.
He was a POW in Malaya, Kuala Lumpur and Thailand.
Hugh King date of birth 03/03/1920.
Thank you 

I am looking on information on my grandad Patrick Hughes who was captured during Second World War. His home address was 50 Whin Street , Clydebank , Scotland hoping someone can help thank you

Also, do you have anything relating to is deployment to the Far East, all his records show me is that he was deployed to the Far East somewhen in December of 41 along with some writing I can"t understand. It says Dft (I think) in the Dep Form box and then 3569 in the Unit From box of his service records (I"m hoping that means more to you than it does too me). Forces of War records state Singapore as the territory but I was wondering if you are able to dig up anything further? Again, thank you so much for your time and help. Kind regards Danielle

Hi Mike, yes please, that would be incredible! Thank you so much! My email is Show email address

I believe my grandad was a Japanese pow in Burma, his name was alfred(Alf) Fowler. Any information would be fantastic 

Linda, I guess this is your William Trafford - he was in the Federated Malay States Volunteer Force:
TRAFFORD W. [William] MBE 1948 born 1913 Maltby, Yorkshire. Engineer. To Malaya 1939. Assistant Controller of Telecommunications, Post & Telegraphs, Malaya. Wife Vera May & daughter Marilyn Joan [born 1940] evacuated on Aorangi, arriving Fremantle WA 23.1.42. CSM to Lt 14045 FMSVF Signals Battalion attached to Royal Corps of Signals POW Singapore to Thailand 4.11.42. Returned to Malaya 1948: Assistant Controller of Telecommunications FOM.