Guestbook

Karen Jones

France

I have been complet ing my family geneolgy on my paternal line and recently discoved that my great uncle Jack was a prisoner of war in Japan for three years.

Brian Reynard

England

I have recently discoverd some personnal documents that my late Uncle, Norman Dean had. He was captured on the surrender of Singapore in Feb 1942, his records show that he was at camp hospitals where two very famous Australian Doctors (namely Lt Col Dunlop and Lt Col Coates) were camp leaders.
I have the dates when he was at these camps and I am trying to identify there exact location.
O have also come across some interesting items in relation to this period in his life, currency notes for Singapore overstamped with Japan and the Rising Sun, a list of the medicals conditions he suffered etc.
Uncle Norman never spoke about the ward, I know he was an absolute skeleton when he was repatriated, and some of the documentation and other items (loin cloth and sandals) leave me in total awe of what these brave people endured.

Gordon Weare

dunedin NZ

I only knew Sgt Casey Hoyle, manchester rgt. caught twice escaped twice in malaya. caught on the causeway, changi, then the nasty railway, banpont to 3-pagodas pass. Out of some 470 in his bridge group, he was one of 4 to survive. He ended up being shipped to japan via vietnam, was in a pow camp near nagasaki. He killed on Jap guard by drowning him, others he said had their throats cut. getting rid of the rifle was the hardest bit. He remained with the army ending up in the Ordnance corps. a good man, eventually told me all I asked. a precious and unique individual for sure.

Anthony Petch

Australia

Would anyone know anything about my Grandfather. NX52439 Private Claude Anthony Gilligan, 2/20th Battalion, Australian Infantry. He was one of over 2000 Allied prisoners of war (POW) held in the Sandakan POW camp in north Borneo, having been transferred there from Singapore as a part of E Force. The 500 Australian and 500 British POW's who made up E Force, left Changi on 28 March 1943, on board the S.S. DeKlerk arriving at Berhala Island (adjacent to Sandakan Harbour) on 15 April 1943. The POW's were held there until 5 June, when they were taken by barge to Sandakan. The next day they were transferred to the 8 Mile Camp, which was about half a mile from the B Force compound. Private Gilligan, aged 34, died as a prisoner of the Japanese on 22nd May 1945. He was the son of James Gilligan and Maud Eliza Gilligan, of Coonamble, NSW. He is commemorated on the Labuan Memorial Panel 14. (Personal information from the Commonwealth War Graves.)

Cathy

Port Macquarie NSW

I have been researching the short life of my uncle Pte Bernard Murphy.

Barbara Pittendrigh

Nambucca Heads

My father was in the RAAF and often stayed with the Borthwicks on leave.

Barbara Pittendrigh

Nambucca Heads

I have a letter written by my father to his mother on 16/9/45 mentioning a good friend of his Colin Borthwick who was a prisoner working on the Burma Railway, it is a historical letter giving details of their treatment, food, and other things and naming a mongrel Lt. Col but name is hard to understand who was the most hated man in the war, the Japs were kinder. It looks like Ksewey but I cannot find it online. Any help as I would like to find out more. Thanks

H palmer

Does anyone know my late grandfather

Sandra Davies

North Wales, UK

My late father Driver John Owen Jones of The Royal Army Service Corps Number T/121114 was serving in Malaya from November 1941 to Janaury 1943 he was then captured by the Japanese in February 1943 details surrounding this are sparse, but he appears to have gone missing in Netherlands, East Indies, his date of release is not known, but he arrived back in the UK 11th October 1945 to the port of Liverpool, my ninety year old mother thinks the ship was named "Tegleburg" (not sure if spelling is correct). She seems to think he was held in more than one prison and I would be interested to know whether anyone would be able to assist me with any information however small. My father died in 1952 when I was five as a result of his treatment by the Japanese, and I remember very little about him, except my mother told me he had a wonderful singing voice and would sometimes sing "Myfanwy." I must have inherited a little of him because I too love to sing.

Rebecca Nelson-Enes

United Kingdom

I am looking for anyone that may have known my grandfather, William McNeill who was captured during the fall of Singapore.

L. Cox

Dorset

Which

Keith Bettany

Australia

Dad was with the Lancashire TA, Royal Artillary in Europe and then Malaya and then various POW camps.
He painted to keep his sanity, so they are not depressing and we have scanned over 300 images he painted on to a website www.changipowart.com

This may show a bit of an insite into POW life. Please let your family and friends know of the site as we feel the artwork is quite significant.

peter donoghue

nambucca

i would like to find out all about my wife uncle
tom lee
who was intered in changi prison,
please help

maxine green

london

hi, my uncle charles albert simpson, died on the hell ship toyfuku maru it was bombed and fired on by allied forces, ive been trying to find out where he was before the japs shipped the prisoners out i know he worked on the railway but don't no where or what camp he was in. if anyone can help it would b great, ialso no that his memoral coloum is 110 in singapore and that he was only 25yrs of age when he died

John Conley

Perth West Australia

My father Signalman John Conley service number 3129355 (nickname Bing) was captured at Padang Sumatra on March 17th 1942 and died in Changi July 7th 1944 and is buried at Kranji War Cemetery.I am quite fortunate as I am able to visit Kranji twice a year,if anybody requires a photo of a grave there I will gladly try and oblige.
I would be grateful for any information regarding my father

Tracey Dillon

Central Coast NSW Aust

I have been reading your web site (and watching it!) with the greatest of interest, respect and emotion. I am currently wriitng up an "oral history" about my father's reminiscences of WWII, like many former POWs he was very reluctant to talk about his experiences. Dad was a Signaller (8th Div) and whilst captured in Singapore he became part of 'C" Force ending up in Noetsu, Japan. Not being part of the main 2/20th Battalion (at Noetsu) his name is sometimes omitted from books so I wanted his story remembered as well. I am also, in line with your sites focus, trying to get him to video his memories of "Sandy" Barrett - the Medical Officer at the camp for whom he has the greatest respect. Thank you for your work, I think the site is terribly sad but rather wonderful and unique, even you Guest Book makes me cry.

connie armitage

spennymoor county durham

my father was william (bill) seymour and was a corporal. He was in changi jail then moved to build the burma railway . I dont know much more as he would never talk about it. He had a lot of scars on his head which he said he received from the guards whilst working on the railway. God bless every one of them, dead or alive. sadly he passed away at the age of 74 in 1990. regards connie armitage.

tina

dundee

Im looking for a newspaper headline of ex pow eckle streatchy reguarding a soldier returning home to dundee scotland after prosumably being dead during the prisoner of war on the burma railway bridge

T burdis

Thailand

i was greatly moved by the sacrifice made by the brave men who built the railway .. RIP inc all the forgotten Asian people for whom there are no grave stones

Ray Hoelscher

Sunshine Coast Qld. Aust

I would appreciate any feedback on the A.I.F. 2/26 Battalion. My Uncle Athol Hoelscher was a member of that battalion and became a POW. I have been advised by Canberra that he died of an illness and buried at Thynbylat cemetary. My parents told me certain things about Athols service and eventual demise, but I have been unable to confirm. Any information to my email would be appreciated. I intend visiting the war graves in Myanmar in the near future.

Janey

Colorado

My Great Aunt Jenny and Uncle Eric Geddes were civilian prisoners of war in Manilla. Any information you might have would be greatly apreciated. No one talked about their interment when I was a child so I know very little about what they went through. I believe my Uncle worked for Sun Life Insurance Co. and was from Great Britain. My Aunt was from Colton, Calif and was the daughter of Fred and Matilda Snider.

Sherilynn

New South Wales, Australia

I'm am looking for any information on my Uncle Billy.
Signalman Clifford William James Cheshire age 21 NX46216 AIF. Signals 8 Division 2/20 Battalion Died 28 February 1942 off the coast of Java.
Anything at all would be most welcome

jo boosey

essex uk

hi im looking for any information on my grandfather EDWARD JAMES PRESTON, he was a japanese prisoner of war and worked on the burma railway, as far as i know he escaped the day winston churchill and franklin roosevelt set sail together and he over heard a conversation between the two of them that made him jump ship and desserted with a friend i have his army number which was 5472470 but dont know what it stands for what regiment or anything else i would be so very greatful if someone could give me any information no matter how small many thanks jo

Stephen Pullar

Dundee, Scotland

I would like to know more about the imprisonment of my Great Grandfather William Pullar, who served with the Royal Signals Corps and was captured and held as a POW by the Japanese sometime in 1942.
He survived and returned to Britain after the war but never spoke of it at all. He died 20 years ago now, so we don't know anything about it all.
I wonder if anyone can help? or even point me in the direction of who to contact? thanks

Janis Gordon(Nee Schuberth)

Brisbane Australia

My journey has spanded over 20 years, so find out more about my Grandfather "
Pte William Forbes Schuberth"
NX 2567
2/30th Battalion A Force, who was shot attempting escape from a camp near Mergui Burma in July 1942, he was 35yrs old whilst working on the aerodrome in Mergui,
I have recently returned from a trip there and thought I would be happy to get that close to where he would have worked, but the thirst of interest still chews at me and I now want to get more info of what the camp name or village was where he worked closely and eventually met his fate. I went to a village (Bauchow) along side of the airforce base, but not sure if this was the village or not. One day I will return there when I have found the village name or camp he lived at, If anyone can help me, plse contact me and I would be greatful for any info or people who he might have worked with at the time.
Kind Regards
Janis Gordon (nee Schuberth)