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Sue, to add to what Robert has posted, your grandfather was sent to the railroad on 06.11.1942 as a trainload of 634 men which was known as "L Party". To get details of his camps send an email request to the TBRC . . Show email address

Sue Teggert re Lt Neville Archibald Webb. Lt Webb was definitely in Thailand between 1943 and his liberation. His card shows you that he was in work group 2 on the Thai Burma Railway (the Roman numerals). McEachern was the senior allied officer in Thailand on capitulation so Lt Webb and many others in the same area of Thailand were liberated to his command. Lt Webb was definitely on the Railway and was probably liberated from the officers’ camp at Nakom Nyok.

Looking for information about ernest edward ealden
Red cross /POW burma
Second world war

My grandfather was Lt Neville Archibald Webb, OS 282 Indian Army Ordnance Corps (11 Division) according to his PoW Index card.
He was captured at Singapore in 1942 and released to Lt Col Eachern in 1945.  He died in 1967. We were always told he worked on the infamous railway.  How can I verify this?

I"m also researching Bill Schwab of Harrogate, who was in the 8th Div Salvage Unit
He became a POW on the Burma-Thailand railway, in A Force
He died of beri beri on 7/7/43.
Virtual War Memorial | Bill SCHWAB (vwma.org.au)

Hi all, I am researching the life of a local man, James A Downing, from Rockleigh and Mount Barker. He was a private in the 8th Div Ammunition Sub Park and became a POW in F"Force. He died of dysentery on 10/6/1943 (aged 41)
He"s remembered here, but with very little information:
Virtual War Memorial | James DOWNING (vwma.org.au)
If anyone knows any more please contact me.

The passing of Lt. Col. Peter Winstanley, makes us realise the benefits we are still enduring from his research and stories, Let us hope this website will continue to help ongoing visitors to Never Forget the generation that gave so much for freedom. Stand Easy, your duty is done.

Terry, to confirm what John has told you, and to clear up a couple of points for you. The Moreton Bay called at Rangoon BEFORE Singapore not after, Its route was Vizagapanam on 21.9.45, Rangoon arrived 24.9.45 and departed 28.9.45, Saigon 6.10.45, Singapore arrived 13.10.45 and departed 15.10.45, Fremantle 24.10.45, Sydney 1.11.45. The Movement Card towards Sydney is missing but Trove reports her docking at No.11 wharf on 1.11.45. She departed Sydney on 13.11.45 carrying 1600 Dutch troops for Java. She would therefore have been available for a sailing from Singapore on 3.12.45.

I’m still a bit confused. When I tried to find out when Dad arrived back in Australia, I searched for any record of a voyage of the SS Moreton Bay from Rangoon to Sydney, departing around 15th October 1945. The Google response:

“In 1945, the HMT Moreton Bay, a passenger-cargo liner, made several voyages, including a trip from Singapore to Fremantle between October 15 and 24, and another from Singapore to Sydney between December 3 and 19. This ship was part of a fleet designed for Australian emigrant service, operating between London, Fremantle, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.
Here"s a more detailed look:
• Singapore to Fremantle (Oct 15-24):
This voyage was part of the established route between ports in Australia and other destinations.
• Singapore to Sydney (Dec 3-19):
This journey also reflects the ship"s role in transporting people and cargo between key Australian ports”.

John, follow up question from my original Q - "Many Australian POWs from the Burma railway, including my father Reg Forsyth NX66866, went home to Australia from Singapore via Rangoon in October 1945, can you tell me what ship were they on? You did answer that question, but???

Logically, if my Dad arrived in Sydney on 1 Nov 1945 he could not have been on the Singapore to Sydney voyage which did not depart Singapore until 3 Dec 1945, therefore he must have gone from Singapore on the SS Moreton Bay on 15 Oct 1945 which took him to Fremantle (via Rangoon ?????) arriving on 24 Oct 1945, and then somehow got from Freemantle to Sydney by 1 Nov 1945 – did the SS Moreton Bay go on to Sydney to drop off more POWs and then continue back to Singapore for its Dec 3 departure?

Terry Forsyth. Your Dad’s service tecords show that he boarded the ship Moreton Bay in Singapore on 15.10.45 and arrived back in NSW on 1.11.45. 

Many Australian POWs from the Burma railway, including my father Reg Forsyth NX66866, went home to Australia from Singapore via Rangoon in October 1945, can you tell me what ship were they on?

We are grieved to announce that Peter Winstanley, the author of this website, passed away in February 2025. Peter’s dedication to preserving the Burma/Thailand Railway history touched countless lives. His research, interviews, tours, and work with the Burma Thailand Railway Memorial Association ensured the stories of POWs, especially medical personnel, endure.

We are deeply grateful to the guestbook community for sharing information, helping families reconnect with their loved ones’ histories.

Please feel free share your memories here of Peter or his contributions to keep his legacy alive.

Ingrid. You father was transported from Java to Pulau Damar on 13.9.44 on board the Kinta Maru. This party was known as Java Party 24 and the roll for this party is available on some subscription sites such as Fold3. Java Party 24 comprised of 1080 POWs, 1026 of which were Dutch.

Sorry, it was between July 1942 and December 1944.

Dear Sir,

My father was on the Kinta Maru 2 in World War II and was transported to Singapore and from ther to Poelau Damar. I wonder if there is list of the names of the POW on this vessel. If so, where can I find it? My father"s name is Marinus Dümpel The transport was between July 1942 and DecemberThank you, IngridDümpel

Hi, Sheri. Tengah is the Malay/Indonesian word for Middle or Central. Jawa Tengah means "Central Java" but where in central Java it was located?

Just wanted to add to my previous note that Tengah is also the name of an airfield by Singapore. Was that camp name a mistake in the roll?

Hi, I"m researching an RAF sergeant who was a FEPOW and am having trouble finding some of his camps. The information on the Honour Roll was Japanese POW no. 336, captured in Java 08.03.1942, )
transported to Haruku (lots of info on Haruku online), new POW no. 16565, was back to Java (Djawa) 1944/11, new POW no. 449, Wonosobo (this seems to have been mainly civilian camps?), Jawa Tengah,
and 25.09.1945 – on the Batavia (Jakarta now) District roll, liberated 27.10.1945?
I can"t find Tengah camp anywhere online. He was at RAF HQ in Singapore, obviously got to Java somehow, where he was captured. Can you help with any information regarding these camps and his probable
movements while a POW? The date of release seems a bit unsure as well - most POWs in that area were released at the end of Sept. Many were flown back, though a lot probably went by ship?
His name was Thomas Aldwyn Lewis, a GD clerk at the time and career RAF. Service number: 519260. Very grateful for any information.

Peter this is an amazing website I was privileged to send Dad"s story to you
The Burma Railway One Mans Story by James Willm (Jim)Jacobs MAJOR 8th DivisionSignalsVX40983

My father was a POW and I have letters to and from my mother. In his first after release he wrote, 3 Sept. 1945:3 Sep. 1945, first letter since release: ‘… medical work nearly all the way – for the last 2½ years with Doc. Cumming of Manly, and couldn’t have wished for anyone better.’ I found your sketch of Cumming very interesting as I am putting together what I can of Dad"s time as a POW.

Hello, I was wondering if someone could help me. 
I’m searching for my long lost grandfather. His name 
was Joseph Hanna, possibly from the Cork/Munster
area of Ireland. He was a nurse during world war 2 and captured 
in a Japanese POW camp. He was a nurse and walked with a limp
due to his toe being broken in the camp. He had brown curly hair (apparently)
and a moustache. He lived in Leeds during the late 50’s where he met my Nana
and left before my Mother was born. I would most appreciative if anyone had any information!

Hi, I’ve glanced at some of the messages on here with people trying to trace information concerning relatives in the Japanese POW camps on the death railway in Thailand and Burma for WW2. 
I recently found these pages on my search and made contact with them. They sent me all my relatives records and a wealth of information. I hope these links help. 

http://www.tbrconline.com/

This page also helped me to join the dots with one man’s recollections it is linked to a roll of honour and memorial page for all those who served and died in the far east. 

https://www.far-eastern-heroes.org.uk/Freeing_the_demons/index.htm

Yes, Robert Hardie was a medical officer in the FMSVF and in his civilian life in private practice as a GP in Kuala Lumpur. His book [published diary] a very good read. He mentions Smith-Laing who was a planter in the Negri Sembilan Battalion FMSVF. On him I have SMITH-LAING B.N.[Brownlow North] "Brownie" b.27.9.1907 Glentarff, Inverness. To Malaya 1929. Assistant Planter, Labu Estate NS [1935 Directory] then Manager Guthrie"s Estate, Bahau, NS. Lt 3FMSVF Liaison Officer to 2nd Cambs. POW Singapore to Thailand. Returned to Malaya 1946: Pengkalan Bukit Estate, Panchor, Muar, Johore then Senior Visiting Agent, Guthries. Wife Florence Mary [nee Llewellyn – married 8.1937 Seremban]. Living at Buckham Hill, near Uckfield, Sussex 1962 then to the Algarve. Died 1999 Sussex. Children Diana b.1939 & Alastair b.1941.

I was looking for more information on my grandfather. All I have found is his Pow card stating he was in Camp 4.He was a Cptn Eric Rex Smith, Royal Dental Corps, originally from Wigan born 1912.
Although he survived he, like many others, did not speak much about it. I believe his two closest friends were Dr Bob Hardy(currently looking in to other spellings as Robert Hardie has a book which I have ordered) and "Brownie" real surname possibly Smith-laing. Very unfortunate some of the last survivors now seem to have passed away, as has my grandmother. Wish I had asked more questions when I was younger but thought I"d give this forum a try.

WILKINSON L.F. [Leslie Fielding] b.1903. Educated St Columba’s College, Dublin; Royal College of Science, Ireland & National University, Dublin. Chartered Electrical Engineer. To Malaya 1926 as Probationary Assistant Telegraph Engineer FMS. By 1940 Engineer, Telecommunications Dept KL. Changi and Sime Rd internee. Repatriated on Tegelberg, arriving Liverpool 12.10.45.To Bray, Wicklow.
Returned to Malaya.