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Mike

UK 11.08.2015

Tracie, details not known but this is what it states: War Office, 25th September, 1947.
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve
that the following be Mentioned in recognition of
gallant and distinguished services whilst prisoners
of war in the Far East.

The Queen's R.
6086676 W.O. I (actg.) 'G. J. JONES.

Tracie

Thanks Mike - I knew he was on one of the hell ships but could not find out which one - could I ask where I would find information on why he was mentioned in Dispatches ?

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delhi

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Mike

UK 11.08.2015

Hi Tracie, (re Sgt Gordon James Jones 6086676). I cant add much I'm afraid. The only place I can see him mentioned is in the list of 1500 men who boarded the hellship, Kyokku Maru, on 25.04.1943 for sailing to Japan. This was known as

Bernard Holmes

wirral

Hi im looking for information relating to my Grandads Brother whose name was Geoffrey Cady i believe he was in the Honk Kong Police force and was a POW

Jonathan Moffatt

Coventry UK

Graham, I have the following on Jack Shepherd. If you are able to e mail me then I will send you more:
SHEPHERD H.J. [Harold Jack] born 1905 South Stoneham, Hants.

Graham

UK

A one-time foster-father of mine, Jack Shepherd, was Prison Governor of Changi and the five State Prisons of Malaya until it was taken by the Japanese. He was reinstated at the end of the war and continued to serve there during the '50s.

He was a prisonner of war in his own gaol for five years and told me some harrowing tales about life in the prison. His wife and two daughters got the last ship to Australia. I an find no records of him.

Donald Carapella Jr

Coring N.Y.

I have a WW2 postcard that I think was for US prisoners in a Japanese Camp.

Tracie

Deal

I am looking for information on my grandfather Sgt Gordon James Jones - Indian Army Corps of Clerks - previously the Sussex Regiment
He was in Omi camp and I have found him on a web page that gives the Roster at Omi camp but nothing more - he was also mentioned in dispatches but I cannot find anything else even in his Army docs

Mike

UK 10.08.2015

Laura (re Frank Haslam). I dont have the emails we exchanged with the files, but I am sure they are in a folder somewhere. Give me a few days, and you will be able to stop cursing your email provider :) Mike

Alison Young

Ontario, Canada

I was wondering if there is any information regarding my Grandfather Lt.Cor John Dunlop Petrie. He returned to Singapore sometime late in 1941 or Early in 1942, from leave in Australia. He was a member of the 3rd B settlement Straits Volunteer Force.

Laura

UK

Hi
I originally asked about Private Frank Haslam on 24.08.13 and Mike kindly provided information.
I was wondering if Mike could forward the old emails to my account.
My email provider deleted all my emails and have no way to recover them ( I am gutted)
Mike if you still access this site and still have them- can you forward them again to me? It would be amazing- I foolishly relied on my email when I should have backed these up.
If not please don't go to too much trouble- its a lesson learnt in paper copies!
Many thanks
Laura

Kim Wilkinson

USA

Mike, thanks so much for the info. Yes I did use the US month day date.Regarding day that the SS Monowai arrived in Liverpool, I got the date from a telegraph that was sent at the time with the date stamped on it. Where did you get your information from ? I've just finished reading the book "No Better Friend" in which Frank and his dog were at the River Valley Road Camp. So this is bringing my fathers story to life. Thank you very much.

Mike

04.08.2015

Hi Kim, Your fathers date of capture is recorded as 20th March 1942, which suggests he was in Sumatra at the time. (This is the common date for the surrender at Sumatra) However, the only information I can find on him is from 15th January 1945, when he is now in Java. I do not have the information regarding his sailing from Sumatra to Java. On 15th January 1945 he was taken from the 10th Battalion Camp on Java, and along with 639 men was put on the Japanese hellship Kinta Maru 3, which sailed for Singapore, arriving 18th January 1945. He was then taken to River Valley Road Camp. The date you posted as his release date is definitely wrong, I assume you have read a date the American way as month/day/year, but it is actually probably day/month/year. So what you have read as 02/09/45 is 2nd September 1945, and not 9th February 1945. On 17th June 1945 he was moved from River Valley Camp to Changi Hospital. He is listed in the Changi Camp Roll as of 5th September 1945. The SS MONOWAI arrived in Singapore on 8th September and then sailed on 13th September. She arrived in Liverpool on 8th October 1945, not 11th November 1945 as you thought.

Kim Wilkinson

USA

I am researching my father Jack Stuart Wilkinson 912329 LAC RAF 84th Squadron WW2 Japanese POW life.
I have discovered the squadrons activities, but many of them were split up. So unsure of his story. He survived and was released on 9th Feb1945. Returning to Liverpool on the SS Monowai 11th Nov 1945. Any help on his POW life would be greatly appreciated.

Elena Roberts

Cardiff

S4C's nightly live show, HENO are looking for Welsh speaking FEPOWs to be interviewed ahead of the 70th anniversary of VJ Day. Can you help at all? Diolch, Lena

Mike

UK 03.08.2015

Hi Patricia, Many of the First Mainland Party were also involved in the building of the railroad through to Kanchanaburi. The information you have now added about SS Corfu, identifies that he sailed homeward from Rangoon in Burma, and it was this ship that was the first home when it arrived in Southampton on 7th October 1945. I believe the most valuable document you should now obtain is his Liberation Questionaire (IF he completed one, as only about 50% of the men did). On this he may have listed all his camps with dates which will add a lot to his story. I will email the details of how to get this.

Patricia

UK 03.0815

Mike, many thanks
Address should be Ramsey St Mary's Huntingdonshire (now Cambridgeshire)
All the info we have is a reference to Fortress Troops 15/16.02.42 POW.
When you referred to the first camp would they have moved on to build the next camp?
We know after liberation he returned home on the SS Corfu and was at sea 5th Oct 1945.

Ronald Bommel

San Mateo, Ca

My father was in the POW in somewhere in Burma. He was one of the prisoner who escaped from the island.

Ronald Bommel

San Mateo, Ca

My father was in the POW in somewhere in Burma. He was one of the prisoner who escaped from the island.

Mike

UK 02.08.2015

Hi Patricia, (re Walter Lambert) Very little information. He was a member of the 3rd Heavy Anti Aircraft (3 HAA), Number 30 Battery. One of the first to be sent to the Siam Railroad on 26.06.1942 which was named The First Mainland Party. Their job was to build the camp at Banpong for all the men who would be transported later. Home address shown as 1, Council Houses, St. Marys, Ramcy, Hampshire, I assume this should be Romsey ? Sorry, but no further information.

Patricia King

Cambridgeshire

I'm trying to find out more information about my father

Mike

Uk 30.07.2015

Gay, I do not know the answer to your question, but am willing to give an assumption. When regimental files were created by Capt. David Nelson in Changi in 1942, he marked against every mans name either CHA for Changi, or a date that they were sent

Carol

Manchester

I just wanted to say a very belated thankyou for the information you found for me on Frank Hugh Wright last yr (aug 2014). Your work is much appreciated. Thankyou !

Gay Woodhouse

australia

Can anyone tell me what this means on a service record.
changi

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