Guestbook

My uncle Michael James Pickett was a member of the 2/10 and and Changi Prisoner. I believe he was mentioned in dispatches during his military career.

My uncle, John/Jack Cook, was in the RASC serving in Hong Kong, having signed up in 1937. He lived in Edmonton, North London. When Hong Kong fell, he was taken prisoner by the Japanese and sent to Japan - in Osaka POW camp and put to work in Kobe. Hospitalised in 1945, he was badly burned in a bombing raid on Kobe on 5/6/1945 and died on 7/6/1945.

Is thre anyone that might have known Jack in Hong Kong?

I was wondering if anyone out three would know of my father, Richard Rory Warry. Any infimation would be greatly apprecieated wit much love. David 0413459892. BORONIA VICTOIA3155

My Father Ronald Edwin Cattell 1493667,Gunner,Royal Artillery. Anti Tannk Regiment a was POW captured by the Japs and as far as I'm aware played a part in building the railway through Burma. I have a hand written map of all the prison camps a long the railway. I wi-ould very much like to find anyone who may have known my father. As a child I use to attend Parties in London for former POW children.

My husbands Grandad (John joseph F Doe) was aGunner and was captured in February 1941. he was first taken to Hanne or Honne. then on to Saigon until the August 1945. His Captain was Natty Dempster. I would very much love to hear from anyone who knows him or is related to anyone who was in the camp at the same time. He never spoke of his ordeal. But his family always wondered how he had coped and fought for survival. Thanks for setting up this site.

Im inspired by the selfless sacrifice of all those who served and the stories of courage and mateship.
Its seems there isnt one family anywhere in the world who hasnt been touched by the horrors of war in some way.
My hats off to them all - lest we forget.

My father Mervyn Dent worked in the Field Base Post Office in Singapore (and the GPO in the Fullerton Building prior to the war). His last letter to my mother and I was dated January 1942, when the Japanese invasion was imminent. Following the fall of Singapore we had no news and finally he was declared 'missing presumed dead'
Returning friends after the war mentioned that they were prisoners together in Changi but were separated quite early during their capture.
Does anyone have any recollection of my father after all these years? He was not a robust man suffering with severe asthma, and would not have survived for long under the conditions prevailing in Changi at the time.
I would appreciate any information that users of this excellent website may have.

I am looking for anyone who might have known my father.

My grandfather, Frank Fallows was a POW @ the Raffles hotel and he escaped! He was a wiry little man with curly black hair and prob looked like a Jew. He escaped and made his way back to Blighty but he remembered that one of the doctors that saw to him said to his colleague, I wonder in 30 yrs how many of these soldiers will still be with us! They suffered more than we can ever know.

My father died on June 25th 2005, his war was over. After arrived in Holland in 1952 (?) he suvvert from post dramatic stress disorder and was hospitaled. After a long treatment he started to write it all down, as a kind of after tratment, and it resulted in a small book. He had it all written down, and now I have all the information. I fond a booklet about the Burma railroad. It is a kilometre chart of the Tailand to Burma railway. If you want a copy of it free of charch. send a email to me with your adress and I will send it to you.

Good day Sir, My father was KNIL sergeant. For him the war started at Pakan Baroe Airfield. The airfield/strip was attact on Januari 17th 1942. My father was section commander of a 12.7 mm anti aircraft gun. He was able to shoot down or damaged two Japanese aircraft, witch were crash landed. According to his story the Japanese aircrew were not alive when he saw the reckage after the attack. According his story, the remaining KNIL forces under command of Gen. vd. Overakker, he was part of a army group that did not surrender as the greater part of KNIL army units did. But all in fean. The Japs did get a grip on those and Gen.vd Overakker was executed in front of his men. My father then was a pow, and worked on the Biam railroad, He was present in Thail land by the river Kwai. He ended the war in Signapore, the famous Changi Jail. He told me that after VJ day all allaid pow's were picked up by allais forces, and after the went home, the nation flag was lowered, the dutch flag was raised the longest, weeks, mayby months after august 15th. And then the trouble in the Dutch East Indies started.....

Fascinating to read all the comments. My father was known as Ben Barton, 2nd 26th. He was taken in Singapore when it fell in '42, Then 18 months on the railway, but I am not sure.
He full name was Joseph Ernest Barton, a 'pomme' who came to Queensland (Townsville, Childers, Birdsville) in '36, Dad was a flier (RAAF) but jumped ship, so to say, and joined the AIF when he heard they were going to England! Never made it. He performed in Changi with the Concert Party with a guy called Barney. They had an act: "Benny and Barney." Would appreciate any knowledge.
John

Further to my earlier comments William Earle Moore W6252 was probably with H Force, but more likely with F Force on the Burma Railway. He is mentioned in a chapter of memoirs published from diaries of his mate Dick Arthur in a book. Any clues to this would be appreciated. Halden

Reserching my cousin Stanley Armstrong, died in a new zealand sanitorium ofTB after his release from Jap POW camp. Mothers maiden name Gwen Brookshaw, father Frederick.Born London and livbed in Blackheath.School Haberdasher Askes. I believe he was a Dunkirk survivor and because of his education possibly an NCO. His fiancee went to New Zealand and married him after the war but he died of TB in the late 40's. Any information would be most gratefully received.

Hi , my Father N.F.J.Diemel was in Changi jail (Singapore) during the war, where he died in May of 1945.
The rest of us were in Ambarawa & Bajoe-Biroe on the island of Java.
We spend three and a half years in the Japanese concentration camps. (my mother, my sister and myself)
- It was good to find this website and see the many families that have been afected by that sensless war, where many of our loved ones were injured and died.
God Bless you all!

my grandad was called william wright and from Croydon. He was a gunner he died a t sea june 20th 1944. He was a pow on the burma railway. He was 37 when he died. Does anyone know anything about him? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

My Dad William Furn had his leg cut off wioth a hacksaw blade in Changi in the second world war. There was no anesthetic. Did anyone know him?

Hi , mu Dad was in Changi jail during the war. He had his leg cut off with a hacksaw blade, there was no anesthetic.

My Mothers Brother Berard Beecroft is burried in Chunkai War Cemetery. Nobodt has ever visited his grave. I hope to visit the grave one day.
Can anyone remember My uncle Berard Beecroft. He was in the Suffolk Regiment

My Great Uncle William Earle (Barney) Moore WX6252 was with A Division Group 5 taken from Singapore to Burma on 14th May 1942. He was with 2/6 Field Park Company and was an electrician/linesman when taken POW in Malaya in early 1942. He then went to Changi before being transported on the 10 day journey aboard the hellship the Toyohashi Maru working on the northern end of the Burma Railway heading south toward Thailand. Does anyone remember him? I believe he is in a chapter of a book written by one of the survivors who was his best mate, possibly named Bowler, whose son is now the M-P for Kalgoorlie. Uncle Barney returned to Australia and passed away at Esperance Western Australia in 1999. Thanks Halden Boyd

My Great Uncle William Earle (Barney) Moore WX6252 was with A Division Group 5 taken from Singapore to Burma on 14th May 1942. He was with 2/6 Field Park Company when take POW in Malaya. He then went to Changi before working on the northern end of the railway heading south toward Thailand. Does anyone remember him? Uncle Barney returned to Australia and passed away at Esperance Western Australia in 1999. Thanks Halden Boyd

My Father, Richard Roy WARRY was a POW taken by the Japanese when Singapore fell in 1942. Dad got sick a number of times and worked on the Burma railway and again got sick and was forced to return to camp on foot, a very long trip. He made it back to the hospital at Changi and recovered to help out in the hospital. Dad past away10 years agonot talking about his experiences until the end.

My Great Uncle now deceased and buried Charleville was a POW in Changi, Charles Neil Collins, I have his nominal roll entry for WW2 he was born Blackall, he had the nickname of Bruiser...He was forced to dig his own grave and was bayonetted and hit over the head with rifle buts, but survived and was nursed back to health by Sir Edward Weary Dunlop..I have his battalion details too..

My uncle, Patrick Breen QX13575 was in the 2/26 Battalion AIF. He was a member of F Force and died at Shimo Sonkuri on 22.8.1943. He was born in Ireland and came to North Queensland where he cut cane with his brothers. Paddy was actually too old to join the army but changed his birth date so he could join up. He is buried in the War Cemetery in Burma. I would love to visit his grave one day.

My Uncle, Joseph Martin Dekreon was on the four stacker destroyer U.S.S. Pope when it was sunk off of Java in early March of 1942.
He was one of the crewmen rescued by a Japanese cruiser after the men spent over two days in the water and life boats. He spend the next three and half years in the Japanese prison camp in Mankassar, on the island of Celebes. Looking for any survivors of this camp or other crew members of the USS Pope. It was part of the Squadron of Navy ships, along with the English and Dutch who was the last defense of the Dutch Indies including Java and the surrounding islands.