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My wife's late Grandfather, Charles Constantine was UK Army signal corp, taken prisoner in Singapore. He survived his time in the hands of the Japanese only to learn his job was gone when he got back because he volunteered rather than wait for conscription. Disgusted they left England for Canada. I have documents, letters, and some photographs but would like to hear from you if his name rings a bell. Thanks. My email is jmoncalieri (at) shaw (dot) CA

Hello, My grandfather helped run Smokey Joe's cafe in Changi. Piet Bakker. It was run to raise money to feed the Dutch troops. At the time he was in his late 40's. He never told us about changi. As a kid I had a traumatic time learning to swim breaststroke from him because that's how he swam up a river in Java to blow up a bridge. If anyone knows any stories about Smoky Joe's please send them to me.

My beloved great-uncle Leonard Daughtrey was a P.O.W . captured in Singapore in 41. He was in anti-tank , and from a village called Emsworth near Portsmouth. He lived on to be 86 , only passed away only 4 years ago . I just took a trip today to visit his widow. He was a very amazeing person , and although troubled by the past , he had great humanity , and a love of the natural world thatv he passed on to me . Thankyou for this site , and i wish any surviving members all the very best. With love and thanks , for all your increadable stories of survival and courage X <BR>P.S I know he was at Kanu 2

This is a new site to me on the internet so was pleased to find it. My father was not on the Dreaded railway but was a signalman on HMS Exeter sunk 1st march 42 during the battle of the Java sea.
He was in the sea for 36hrs and picked up and taken to Makassar POW camp for 6mths after was transported to Nagasaki Japan, fukuoka camp 2b and worked in the shipyards as a riveter, many perished in the winter months there, but Dad survived until the A bomb dropped, one of the few westerners to witness the bomb from the ground, He died aged 52 in 1974 we are convinced the A bomb was to blame for his early death...try telling that to the MOD..a joke.Here is a link to my Video clip on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF-Tast2Ua8

Peter, it

A very interesting website. Must have taken lots of research. I never knew there were so many doctors on the line. How about more info on the orderlies who assited the doctors.

I'm Sir Albert Coates's 1st. Grandchild. I'm a Christian and I believe that even though he never spoke much of his faith; nonetheless that is what saw him through that horror.

My Dad, James Patrick Gass served in the Royal Army Medical Corps in Burma between 1939 and 1944) and was discharged on 29th October 1946. He served in Assam Burma from 1939 to 1942 and in Malaya from 42 to Discharge. Dad often spoke about harrowing experiences in the trenches and Japs 'seraching for him' as a sargeant. There was however, one part missing which he would never talk about. I suspect he was a POW at this time. He mentioned names like Pekoku, Lungshay, and Rangoon. He also mentioned names like Muir, Sweeney, Campbell and Jenkins all of whom I have no idea about. His experiences were character builders for us youngsters and I now know why he lapsed into silence and the drink whenever he bought this part of his life story up, Must have been the trauma.
Dad died on 22nd November 1985 and took with him some of the most disturbing war tales I have ever heard. Is there someone out there who may have heard of Sgt James Patrick Gass and his time with the RAMC? Be glad to share stories.

Marshall Gass

I am very pleased to have found this great site. Congratulations to all involved in making this information available.
I am researching my wife's great uncle Brig. Duncan S Maxwell MC who was a POW in Changi, Formosa and Manchuria. Although he was veteran of Gallipoli and the Western Front and an infantry brigade commander in WW2, he was also a medical doctor. Family tradition says that eventhough he was a "senior officer" he served as a medical officer while a POW.
I'd appreciate any information or leads that anyone may have about Duncan Maxwell.
Many thanks

I am trying to find out more information about my Granddad. His name was Sidney Browne and he was a nurse with the Royal Norfolk Regiment. He died when I was 8 years old, I am now 25 and wishing he was here to answer my questions. I have been getting quite emotional reading this website. I have just found this book online Behind the Fence: Life as a P.O.W. in Japan 1942-1945 and wondered if anyone could tell me if it was any good or not? Also where on earth do you go to find out more info about P.O.W? Thanks, Sophie

my father Peter Watt was taken POW when the Encounter went down in the Java Sea. Cant find him on any camp rosters. were the survivors of the "Encounter" kept together? if so does anyone know which Camp they were held in ?

Trying to discover which camp my late father-in-law was in after capture somewhere nr Java or Timor.
It has been said he was taken by ship via Hong Kong to Fukuoka but which one I do not know. He was repatriated after the war and spent abt 6 months in Canade. sadly but understood he never spoke of his time there so we are still searching for information after his death in 1998. He was Frederick Charles Bailey RA.
other details like army number i can give if needed. thank you

trying to find out anyhting about my great uncle. arthur thomas fisher. he died thailand - burma railway. he was in the royal army ordance corps. died on 27/12/1943. thats all i know. if anyone has any ideas about further places to research i would be very grateful.

the name of my oncle is sgt m.j. Arbouw, died and burried in Kanburi his grave number is 230006-vak 7 rij a no 38 and died 10.12.1943

who can tell me something about him???

I first joined the Army in 1974 and resigned my commission in 2006. Having just read Wayne Pelling's reflections I am amused that he thinks he understands the life and sacrifice of soldiers during times of war. It is not all heroics and anzac day. Stories sometimes have the habit of of reaching mythical porportions. While soldiers are definitely brave to keep in the front lines even when they suddenly become aware of the dangers of war (as are those who face danger in civilian employment)it is quite another to make heroes of people who are supporting war efforts which is really all about killing. Unless Wayne has served in the army there is no way that he could appreciate what soldiers go through, even in ties of peace.

FANTASTIC Web Site! We have added a link to our monthly newsletter so that more veterans can be made aware of this tremendous resource. Also, please visit our web site to learn about hidden government benefits you are eligible for and how to significantly increase your service-connected compensation or VA pension. http://www.veteranprograms.com

I am doing a family history of Keith Ruthven Portbury - POW in Changi and then the Burma Railway. IHe was in the 2/4th Anti Tank Regiment and was kpresumed dead when the ship Rakyuo Maru was torpedoed by American submarines. I am trying to locate the camp that he was in and wouldc love to know if there are any people reading this sight who may have any knowledge of him.

I am researching 2/10AGH medical core. Australian war records of POW's. My great uncle was inturned in Singapore. If anyone has information on this I'd dearly love to hear from you. There's not much written about the 2/10AGH, very sketchy indeed.
Regards Sharon
(A family research project)

Hi

My Dad was Sgt Nicholson in...

"A composite story of POWs in Hoten Camp, Mukden, Manchuria"

Stealing drugs for Doc Des Brennan...

I dread to think what would have happened if he'd been found out - I sometimes think it's a miracle I was ever born.

Rob
xxx

My daughter Shani just discovered this website and was so surprised and proud to read the articles about my Uncle Harry Badger as I have been as well. I never knew much about my Uncles involvement during the War except that he was a POW. Now I also know where to find him I will make contact. Thankyou for producing this website and to all who have participated in it you should be very proud Australians as I am of you.

My fathers uncle Thomas Bates of the signal corp, was a P.O.W. and worked on the railway and bridges, I know very little,we had his cffin plate for over 25 years, and my father put it on his uncles coffin when he died in the mid 80's.He suffered from having experiments done on him and the usual diseases that went with the region, UP TO HIS death he could not forgive the japanese brutality, and could not understand any englshman buying a japanese product, he would get so angry when japanese dignitories met the queen,and it was on tv and in the papers.Despite this he was a very caring person and loved his family and yorkshire cricket immensly. Thank you.

My uncle Joe was a POW at Makassar from March of 1942 to 1945.
He was on the USS Pope when it was sunk by the Japanese Navy on March 1, 1942. He died in May of 1969 when I was only 9 years old. Does anyone have futher information on this camp? Are there any living survivors from any of the ships that were involved in the second Battle of the Java Sea? Please write me back at Show email address. Thank you so much.

I commenced general nurse training in 1974 at a small metropolitan hospital in Melbourne.I looked after many WW2 veterans, and I remember on a very busy night, when we had an old man being quite stroppy because there was not enough staff to supervise his smoking, two patients who were about to be discharged the next day offered to watch over the old bloke. They told me-they were mates- that they had been in Burma during the war and had spent many nights awake watching over mates. They said no more.It was only in the last 8 years ,did I realise that I had witnessed a piece of history ,in that no POW died alone in those man made hell holes.There was always someone there with them until they passed away.

Our family doctor for ten years was AJM White,a tall,thin,quietly imposing figure.My 21 year old son,informs me that White's father was the CO of the Light Horse Regiment that became cannon fodder on the Nek in Gallipoli ,but I do know how accurate that is. I recall that Dr White died of an illness that I presume was as a result of his POW experiences. I am 51 on Sunday ,and I hope that the experiences of the POW camp doctors ,will not be forgotten by our Society nor the next generation of Medical Practitioners.
As the Book of Ecclesiasticus says"
"These were merciful men whose righteousness hath not been forgotten"

I am looking for information about my mother Adriana Georgina Grootenboer (aged 10 years in 1945) and my grandmother May Turner who was a teacher who were both kept in a prisoner of war camp in Sumatra, and evacuated to Singapore at the end of WW II. Both survived.

Peter, Your article about the life of Captain (Dr) Don Cumming's life and his wartime experiences moved me to tears. Thankyou. I believe you have certainly covered all the main aspects of his life and you have compiled an amazing account of his years as a Japanese POW. I was particularly interested to read Les Hall's notes of Don "treating by voice alone" as for a short time after graduation Don worked at "Broughton Hall" hospital for nerve and trauma patients, which evidently stood him in good stead under the tragic conditions of the camps, and the lack of supplies. Postwar and following his return from London,as you reported, he resumed practices in Newcastle and Sydney, but soon consolidated his professional activites to a very large partnership which he and Dr Ross Moxham built in Paramatta. Except for Don's medical abilities and reputation I think you could describe him as one of this world's "Quiet Achievers", so I appreciate your work in recording the history of men and women such as these true heroes of our time and nation. Joye,(his cousin).