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Showing 551–575 of 2,577

Alan Jolly

Suffolk UK

Hello
Could you give me any information about my dad James Ernest Jolly who passed away in 1981, his Army number 1611746. I have his pay book and his certificate of service that says he was a gunner in the Royal Artillery and captured by the Japanese in

Mike

25.08.2020

Hi Rick. Re Gunner Mark Thompson, 122 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. Imprisoned Changi on 15.02.1942 and then sent to Chosen (Korea) in the Japan B Party on 16.08.1942. His hellship was the Fukkai Maru, and called at Cap St Jacques (Vietnam) on 22.08.1942, then Takao (Formosa) on 29.08.1942, and eventually arrived Fusan (Chosen) on 22.09.1942. The Japanese marched the POWs around the area in front of the local population demonstrating their superiority over the imperial forces. From Fusan the Party was moved to Seoul and split into two camps (Keijo and Jinsen). Then in November 1942, 50 POWs were taken from each of these camps. A 3 day train journey followed to Mukden in Manchuria.
During the first winter 200 of the POWs died, mostly Americans from Philippines, but the ground was frozen and impossible to dig so the deceased were stored in barracks until Spring. The prisoners were finally liberated by Americans around 16 August 1945 followed by the Russians 4 or 5 days later.
Marks journey home began in party TFR2-52 by train to the port of Dairen on September 11th 1945. He boarded the Hospital Ship USS Relief and sailed to Okinawa. From here he would have flown or sailed to Manila. (no documented evidence though).

Christine McDerment

Edinburgh

Looking for any info on my great-uncle William Robertson, a banker in Honk Hong at the fall, a warrant officer in the HKRNVDF, and a POW. His wife Marion escaped to Australia for the duration.
Any info at all would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Christine

Jerry Collins

Welwyn Herts

Good afternoon

Mike

UK 24.08.2020

Hi Sam. Re Sapper Leonard S Glaves, service number 1872272. Royal Engineers 3rd Corps, 36 Fortress Company. I cannot see anything relating him to Penang, and in his own handwriting he states he was taken prisoner on Singapore on 15.02.1942, which was the date of capitulation. Imprisoned Changi, then sent to Chosen (Korea) in the Japan B Party on 16.08.1942. His hellship was the Fukkai Maru, and called at Cap St Jacques (Vietnam) on 22.08.1942, then Takao (Formosa) on 29.08.1942, and eventually arrived Fusan (Chosen) on 22.09.1942. The reason this shipload was sent was a propaganda exercise. The Korean government wanted them displayed to create humiliation in the eyes of the public, to show the mighty British and Americans were no longer to be admired. The men were made to parade around Fusan for over 3 hours to jeering crowds. Many were in a poor state of health and dropped by the wayside. I Believe his prisoner Index Card then states he was shipped from Korea on 25.09.1944 and entered prison camp Fukuoka 8D, Omine, on 10.10.1944.
On 15.08.1945 this same camp was renamed as Omine 5B. He would have only been 100 miles from Nagasaki when the bomb was dropped. Several documents available by email if required.

Rick Thompson

Sydney Australia

Sorry - I misled you. I've just found out that my father was in the Royal Artillery No. 968189.

Rick Thompson

Sydney Australia

Hi, I'm looking to find information of my father m Mark Thompson (d.o.b. 24/9/17) He was in the Royal Engineers, captured in Singapore, spent some time in Changi and was sent to Mukden. I believe he was on the Fukai Maru, as it was mentioned in a book by one of his friends who was also there, L/Bdr. A.V. Toze. He gave my father a copy of his book "In defence of Singapore", inscribed Mark, To remind you of an adventure we once had"

Sam Livesey

Derbyshire

Hi. My grandfather Leonard S Glaves was a REME and was a POW in Omine. I think he was in camp 5-B. But was originally in Penang when captured. I can

Wendy Conway

Cumbria

RAF Cpl John Maguire squadron 258
En route to Singapore when it fell so diverted to Sumatra in defence of palembang airstrip. Captured Batavia (Jakarta, Java) March 1942. Sent to Changi then onto mainland Japan where he was forced to work for Mitsubishi mining Corporation in Ikuno. Liberated via Manilla, his journey included HMS Implacable and then probably the Ile de France into Southampton.

Mike

UK 19.08.2020

Eric, your father, Joseph Shufflebottom, was in the 18th Division Reconnaissance Regiment. (18 Recce). This had previously been the 5th Loyal Regiment from Bolton/Preston area. They only arrived in Singapore on 5th February 1942 so only had 10 days before the capitulation. His service number was 3859297 and his rank was corporal. He was imprisoned in Changi, Singapore until 27.10.1942 when he was forced to the hellship Dainichi Maru in Kepple Harbour and sailed for Formosa (Taiwan). He arrived at Takao harbour on 14.11.1942 and they would have encountered atrocious conditions locked down in the holds during this journey. He was taken to Heito Camp in the south of Formosa. The main work was clearing a dried up riverbed of heavy rocks so it could be planted with sugar beet. At a later time (unknown) he was sent to Taihoku #6 Camp (Taipei). At the time of liberation he was in Taihoku Hospital suffering from beri-beri. He left Keelung Harbour on 09.09.1945 in the NZ Hospital Ship Maunganui and sailed to Manila, Philippines and then on to Wellington in New Zealand. I do not know his eventual journey home, but it is possibly the RMS Aquitania arriving January 1946.

rebecca jones

leicester

hello. my grampa and 3 great uncles where POWs in Changi and on the railway.
i would love to hear from anyone at all who may have heard of them through family stories/lettters etc.

Kenneth Anthony (Tony) Blacker
Maurice Hal Blacker
Alex Cullen
William Robert (Robin) Band

Alex sadly died but all three others survived.

Darren

England

My Grandfather was a POW for a number of years and amazingly survived. Sadly, my mum doesn't know his regiment or where he was capturwd/held. His name was George Thomas Broadhead and he was from Dronfield/Chesterfield. He was born in 1914. Any information would mean a great deal to my family.

Alan Grieves

Washington, UK

Thank you Mike for this valuable information which means a lot to our family. If you are able to send over the documents that would be much appreciated.

You are giving a fantastic service, thank you again.

Many thanks,
Alan

Mike

UK 17.08.2020

Hi Alan, re BSM Andrew Grieves. This was a difficult one to check based on what you posted. I have found 4 documents that list your uncle, but they all seem to confirm that he never left Singapore. He was engaged in Work Parties around the city with the final one being X-4-A, which was 363 men probably on tunnel digging initially as air raid shelters but eventually as gas chambers if necessary. If you would like to see the files, let me know and I will email them.

Mike

UK 17.08.2020

Jane, re Private Felix Oswald Sidney MASON (5775495). I cannot help regarding your request for survivors information, but can add to his story that he actually died at Timonta (Teimonta) . This camp was at 271Km marker and between the better known camps of Konquita and Nike.

Anne

Uk

Looking for any information on my dad Henry Charles Riches who was in the

Lindsey Hawkes

Northamptonshire

Hi I am trying to find out about my grandfather Frederick George Hicks 4865706.

He was a POW in Japan and returned home but he never talked about being a POW so we know nothing about how long he was how he got captured, how long he was a pow and how he got home.

We believe he was a POW in Thailand camp 4b working of the railway but this is only by searching what little we can find.

Many thanks

Lindsey

Eric shufflebottom

Bolton Lancashire.

My dad Joe was a Japanese POW. But he never spoke about it like so many others. I would like to know how l can research more of what he was assigned to and which camp he was held at. Etc.

Gary Lewis

Dartmouth

My uncle Henry george lewis was wrapped in barbed wire and pumped with full of water until mid abdomen was near bursting point his crime

Alan Grieves

Washington, UK

Hi Please help, looking for my uncle Andrew Grieves, Royal Artillery - 786606.
We know he was intuned in Japan after the battle of Singapore. May have been at Changi before being sent to Japan as POW for 3 years 244 days.

Appreciate any help or info you can offer regarding internment of my uncle and his compatriots.

Jane Harrington

Ely, Cambridgeshire

My uncle, Private Felix Oswald Sidney MASON (5775495) of the 2nd Battalion Cambridgeshire Regiment has a plaque commemorating his death on the 15th May 1945 in Kanchanaburi War Cemetery in Thailand. I have obtained a photograph of this plaque during research via ancestry searches. I know there were over 700 casualties from the Cambridgeshire Regiment, but I recall my grandmother remarking on the return of other battalions and not hearing of her son's death until September 1945. I would like to know more about the survivors (if any) of the Cambridgeshire Regiment that worked on the Burma Railway and their return to England. Any information of F.O.S. Mason of the Cambridgeshire Regiment would be greatly appreciated. He was born in Burwell, Cambridgeshire.

Peter Field

Stockport

Remembering a collegue and friend. Bill Hanson.
Informed me as a 17-23 year old. 1967-1973
Of his experiences as a prisoner of war and how he (they) were treated.
Still suffered both mentally and physically during the years I worked with him.
I'll never forget his bravery an inspiration.

Garry kerr

Suffolk

Looking for info on my late granfather private Henry Kerr prisoner of war in Burma. I think he was with royal anglicans reg


Anna

England

Hi, I am looking into my father in law's military history. His name was Leonard Robert Kent, a signalman 2325939,
Captured in Singapore 1942, held in Changi. What happened after this I am not sure and would like to know more. I know how had to have a toe amputated and this was done by an Australian doctor in the camp.
Is there any further information that can be found out?
Thank you.

Richard Reeve

Essex

My Uncle Bill - William Robert Humphreys was a POW and I'm struggling to find info as my late aunt got rid of everything apart from one photo of him in uniform.
She blamed his premature death aged 46 on the treatment he received whilst prisoner.
He was born in Takely Essex in 1911, he died 16.6.1957
He married in 1936 to Dorothy (Queen)

I would love to find any details on him and his service.

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