Guestbook

I am trying to find information & pictures about my grandfather who has passed away. He was a pow in changi prison during ww11. If anyone can help me with any information it would be a great help.

I found this video when trying to research the history of the Bridge over the river Kwai.....


http://youtu.be/jXheYSQ1r-c

My Wonderful Grandad Ernest Smith from Bootle, Liverpool was a prisioner of war. But sadly thats all i know as he never spoke about it. If anyone knew him i would love to hear from you..

A new website dedicated to Des Bettany who served during WWII and was imprisoned at Changi. This artwork of his service life before and after the Capitulation of Singapore is a range of fascinating illustrations, done sometimes with humour.
This new website has been put together by Des

My father John Brown was in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and was captured in Singapore. Prior to that her had served in India. After capture he was put to work on the Burma railway and then sent to Japan on the ?? Maru and put to work there. He was liberated by the USA and taken to San Francisco before returning home. He did not talk much about his dredful experiences and I know nothing at all regarding names of camps or where exactly he ended us in Japan. I would like to start researching him but dont know where to begin. With such a common name John Brown and no army number to go on could you please advise me where to start. Any advice would be greatfully received.

I stumbled upon this site while following the steps of my uncle Jack, who at age 16 joined up (using a fake birth certificate), and was taken prisoner of war at Java. Some of the stories seem very familiar to those told to me by my grandparents. Uncle Jack was in the 2/3 Machine Gun Battalion. He left for indonesia aboard a ship from Fremantle Port, and alas they forgot to put the weapons on board, the poor guys didn't stand a chance.

I have just sat and watched the video interviews from many of the ex POWs and they are fascinating. Many thanks for your hard work and dilligence in this research.
I am particularly intrested in finding out more about the Adam Park camp mentioned in a number of your interviews. We have been working hard on the archaeology on site for the last three years and we have identified the camp hospital and the accomodation for the 2/10 medics which ran the place. The doctors known to have served here were led by Hugh Rayson. His team included Bon Rogers, Alan Hazelton, Phil Millard, Dick Parker, Roy Mills, Jock Frew, and Captains Butterfiled and Churchill from the British Battalion.
They lived in the surgery at 19 Adam Park that still stands today. I am hoping some of the lads who were at Adam Park may recall the location of the chapel run by Capt Andrews. Don Dowie's interview was particularly interesting. Don I believe led an escape attempt from Adam Park which entailed stealing a plane from Tengah airfield.
I hope you have more info on the Adam Park camp from your research and I look forward to hearing from you.

I speak to groups of people about Sir Edward 'Weary' Dunlop. During my research I located Blue Butterworth, who spoke very kindly of Ewan Corlett who he must have come across in one of the camps. Dear Blue Passed away on 16 December, 2011. A very dear friend to me whose memory of those years was still clear in his mind. He was 91. I have also been in touch with Jack Chalker in England who has published several books of his sketches and stories whilst imprisoned by the Japanese. He is now 93 and recently suffered a stroke. Bill griffiths. also in England and who was blind and handless from a bomb blast, is also alive. Thanks to Weary defending him when the Japanese Captain wanted to put a bayonet through him because he was so badly injured. After Weary defended him and saved him from death, he then operated on him and surely saved his life again. On return to England he married to grand had a family. I have been speaking about Wearyoups for four years now and never tire of telling people of his bravery and in doing so keep his name alive.

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. (Photograph copied from AWM232, items 4 and 5. Personal information from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database.)

I looking for any survivors that knew my Uncle Harry Lewis of the royal engineers joined TA prior to outbreak of War was in Changi , & Burma Thailand railway .

I would just like to mention mr walter howett known as eddie now 93yrs old who now resides in heatherdale rest home northumberlan. He served in the norfolk regiment and was captured in singapore 1942 and forced to work on the burma railway and the river kwai bridge...thank you for this website commerating the forgotton soldiers.

My father George Gaunt was a civilian POW in Singapore WWII; would like any info please - am lacking details...he returned to Australia and died in 1976

I like so many others will never forget the pain and suffering these POWS went through. My father Keith McKenzie, Gunner, 4th Anti Tank, 8th Division AIF somehow survived the torture. He fort in Malaya and Singapore and was taken prisoner sent to Changi then shipped to Tovoy Burma where he worked on roads. He was in A Force arriving days after the fall of Burma on 20th May 1942. He was at Thanbyuayzat camp at the start of the railway 23rd Sept and spent time in Kandaw,Thetkaw, Meiloe, Aungganaung and Nikki camps before being taken to Tamacan camp by stretcher when the line was completed 21st Nov 1943. Tamakan camp was about 300mts from the bridge over the river kwai.
On 27th June 1944 he was taken by train to Singapore to work on Jeep Island Dock then on the 6th Sep Loaded on the Byoki Maru sent to Japan Where he dug coal, camp 24 Nakumo Coal Mine - Kyushi -Fukuoka until the war ended.
He kept a small diary and entered dates and camps in it thus we have pieced his movement together. When Nagasaki was bombed he was close enough to see it . He passed away in 1982
living his after war years working the family dairy farm. He like so many could not talk much of the horrors of his time but he had a great dry sense of humor. We are certain it helped.

My father, Clifford George Smart was a Japanese POW who was rehabilitated to Australia before his return to the UK. He was sent to Fairy Meadow Farm at Woollongong NSW. The family name was Cooke and the daughters were named Clare and Martina. I would love to thank the family. Does anyone know this family ?

I would like any information on my grandfather Claude Anthony Gilligan killed Sandakan as a POW

My father, Michael Franklin Bederaux-Cayne born in Ireland and flew for Britain. His plane was shot down and sent to a prisoner of war camp, maybe Sham Shui Po. He mentioned that name. He was sent to Darwin for rehabilitation and reconstructive surgery to his right cheek and mouth. After the war he was a mess and involved in a car accident in England in which a woman was killed. We have been led to understand he changed his name when he emmigrated to the USA. He was stopped in Canada waiting for his money to catch up with him. He ended up staying in Canada. He took trips by himself over the years from an account he had in England that money was paid into. After my mother died he said he'd been married in England before the war and had two sons. She agreed to a divorce with the agreement he would never see his sons there again. We are trying to piece together the truth now that he is in a nursing home and no longer functioning much. We have been told many things over the years that haven't stood up to research, part of the problem is we don't know his real name. Any ideas on how me and my siblings can proceed?

Hi, I'm trying to look up my Great-great Uncle, Sidney Graham Wilson. He was a POW at Changi, and I'd like to find any records there are of him? Thankyou.

I am trying to locate my father's war records as proof he was a POW on the island of Celebus in Mekasser in 1942. He was in the Royal Dutch Navy and was on the ship 'Java' whereby he was captured by the Japanese and held prisoner for three and a half years. His name is Erich Van Weynen. His Navy Serial No. is 15213. If anyone could give me any information or point me in the right direction, it would be most appreciated. Thankyou.

Hi, just looked through your site and want to left some greetings. Nice page & good luck.

Great site, very interesting.

Does Anyone remember my Father Joseph Spiteri a Maltese That Was a Prisoner of War In Kobe.On His Chest He had a tatoo of Jesus 's Cruscifiction

I have few paintings from Japanese POWs,second world war.These paintings were presented to my grandfather.These are signed by them.I cant figure out names because its in Japanese.I will scan and post it here.Another thing is about 400 Japanese were captured by his units and were brought here.I can try and at least find out there names though old military records

hi i'm looking for any information on ronald scott davision POW?

Trying to find any information about my Grandfather William (Bill) Bettison 85 rgmnt RA .Recorded as being lost at sea following sinking of Rakuyo Maru. But there are conflicting reports within the family that he survived and was taken to a hospital possibly in thailand? any help would appreciated

New web site of images dad painted as a POW in Changi:

www.changipowart.com

We are seeking comments as we are not sure of many of the images and would like some insight from those who may know.