Thailand Camp 4. 4th Bn Suffolk Regiment

Discussion in 'Prisoners of War' started by Mandyg519, Aug 5, 2020.

  1. Mandyg519

    Mandyg519 Member

    I am trying to find information about my great uncle who was captured in 1942. I know that he was held at Thailand Camp 4 but cant seem to find specific information on that camp. He sadly died in October 1943 and is buried at Chungkai War Cemetery, Thailand. If anyone can point me in the direction of finding out more about the regiment and their experiences i would be really grateful. Thank you
     
  2. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    Would be helpful if you could tell us your great uncle's name as there may be more information in other records and his Japanese Index card.
    Meanwhile have a look at Death Railway

    Tim
     
  3. Mandyg519

    Mandyg519 Member

    Hi Tim, his name is Sidney James Arbon, his service number is 5829871. He served with the 4th Battalion Suffolk Regiment and was captured on 15th February 1942. I have some information that I found on find my past which was very useful. I will look at death railway as you suggested, thank you. I would like to locate the war diaries for his regiment and have emailed the Suffolk Record Office and waiting to hear. thank you very much, Mandy
     
  4. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Here are his basic details on the WO392 lists for prisoners of the Japanese.

    Arbon SJ..jpg
     
    timuk and papiermache like this.
  5. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    Sidney Arbon is listed as leaving the Sime Road Camp in Singapore and being transported in Train 11 to Bam Pong, Thailand on 17 Oct 42.
    Here is his Japanese Index Card.
    upload_2020-8-6_13-19-1.jpeg
    and the reverse
    upload_2020-8-6_13-19-46.jpeg
    The reverse has a lot more on it than many others so hopefully you may find someone able to translate it.
    It shows his date of leaving Singapore 17/10/17 (17 Oct 42) and his date of death 18/10/23 (23 Oct 43) but it would be useful to discover what the date of 18/1/22 (22 Jan 43) signifies, possibly a change of camp.

    Tim
     
    papiermache likes this.
  6. Mandyg519

    Mandyg519 Member

    Hi Tim

    Thank you so much for that information, I think I know of someone who may be able to translate the Japanese for me. I have also been sent some information on another thread with dates that Sidney's battalion moved and when he was admitted to hospital so will see if those mention the date 22 Jan 1943.

    Thanks again
     
    papiermache likes this.
  7. papiermache

    papiermache Well-Known Member

    I rather think that lines two and three on the reverse say that he was transferred to Group 2 by cribbing examples on the Dutch card site. To check my non-existent Japanese skills go to the link and search for " Transferred to No.2 " then use Google Translate to check the numerous examples that appear.. The wonders of modern typography. With a smart phone or tablet ( not available here ) you can input by hand using certain "apps", but Japanese characters should be written in a certain order.

    Japanse interneringskaarten

    I have managed to give the OP some further information in a PM. In happier times I photographed some documents in the rather charming record office at Bury St. Edmunds.
     
    timuk likes this.
  8. Mandyg519

    Mandyg519 Member

    [
    Bamboo 43, thank you for that information. Please excuse my ignorance but can you tell me what Chindit refers to? I did click on the link you included but wasn't quite sure.

    Kind regards

    Mandy
     
  9. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Hi Mandy,

    Glad to see that some forum members have come up with good info for you. The link you refer to is my own website. The link appears on all my posts and is part of my footer on the forum. It wasn’t meant to be part of my reply about Sidney. :)

    The Chindits were a force gathered together in 1943 and 1944 to fight behind Japanese lines in Burma and undermine their lines of communication.
     
  10. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    I'm not sure I'm reading you right. A lot of the Battalion may have stayed together when they became POWs but they would no longer remain as a cohesive Unit. Some would go one way and some another and all the Regiments would get mixed up. You may, of course, have been referring to the Battalion movements before they were captured.

    Tim
     
  11. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

  12. Mandyg519

    Mandyg519 Member

    HI Tim

    No I haven't I will definitely give that a try, thanks again

    Mandy
     

Share This Page