Hi I wonder whether anyone is able to help me? I am researching soldier from the 18th Division who was captured on the 15th of February 1942 when Singapore was surrendered to the Japanese. He left Gourrock on the 31st of October 1941 and travelling in convoy via Halifax, Port of Spain, Cape Town, Mombassa and the Maldives reached Singapore with the division’s 53rd Infantry brigade on the 13th of January 1942. I know that a lot of mail sent out to the troops in Singapore was returned undelivered after the surrender but my questions are: a) would the troops on the convoy have received any mail at any of the ports they visited prior to arriving at Singapore, b) Would they have received mail on arrival in Singapore and c) were they able to get mail while a POW of the Japanese. Thank you Mike
Mike, As to your question (c) the answer is yes, from about December 1942. David Nelson in his 1979 book "The Story of Changi" deals extensively with the delivery of mail for POWs. The Japanese gave the Bureau of Record and Enquiry, a POW organisation which operated at Changi POW camp on Singapore Island ( half in secret ) , the job of trying to forward mail to Thailand, Burma, Java, Japan, etc. Captain Nelson mentions that the UK censor obliterated useful information such as unit and service number but the BRE were very resourceful and successful in routing mail from Changi throughout the Far East. The Postmaster-General during the war was William Morrison to early 1943 then Captain Harry Crookshank and a search of the historic Hansard website for those names brings up references to speeches in parliament dealing with questions concerning mail to POWs, for example: Sittings in the 20th century (Hansard) "HANSARD 1803–2005 → 1940s → 1944 → January 1944 → 26 January 1944 → Commons Sitting → POST OFFICE British Prisoners of War, Far East (Mails) HC Deb 26 January 1944 vol 396 cc670-1 670 §17. Major-General Sir Alfred Knox asked the Postmaster-General if it has yet been found possible to arrange for the delivery of mails via Vladivostok to British prisoners of war in Japanese hands. §The Postmaster - General (Captain Crookshank) Letters and postcards for British prisoners of war and civilian internees in Japanese hands are despatched regularly via Russia and the trans-Siberian railway and I understand the mails pass through the port of Fusan. It is not possible at present to send mails via America and Vladivostok. §Sir A. Knox Is there any prospect of getting parcels sent by the same route? §Captain Crookshank I should like to have notice of the Question about parcels. I have answered what my hon. and gallant Friend asked me. Back to POST OFFICE Forward to Service Personnel (Reinstatement) Noticed a typo? | Report other issues | © UK Parliament" In 1941 the rates of postage to Singapore were: "HANSARD 1803–2005 → 1940s → 1941 → May 1941 → 7 May 1941 → Written Answers (Commons) → POST OFFICE RATES, SINGAPORE (ARMED FORCES). HC Deb 07 May 1941 vol 371 cc862-3W 862W §Mr. Rhys Davies asked the Postmaster-General the postal rates to and from Singapore; whether any reductions on the standard rates are allowed to men serving in His Majesty's Forces there; and whether he will reduce the present rates in their case? §Mr. W. S. Morrison The standard postal rates from this country to Singapore are as follow: Letters.—2½d. for the first oz. and 1d. for each additional oz. Parcels.—Up to 3 lb., 2s.; 7 lb., 3s. 3d.; 11 lb., 4s. 6d.; 22 lb., 7s. 9d. For letters and parcels addressed to all members of His Majesty's Forces serving overseas, however, special reduced rates are in force, namely: Letters.—1½d. for the first oz. and 1d. for each additional oz. Parcels.—Up to 3 1b., 9d.; 71b., 1s. 6d.; 11 lb., 2S.; 22 lb., 3s. 6d. I am sorry that I can make no further concession. For letters from Singapore the standard rates are 8 cents for the first oz. and 4 cents for each additional oz., and for parcels up to 3 lb., 80 cents; 7 lb., 1 dollar 40 cents; 11 lb., 1 dollar 90 cents; 22 lb., 3 dollars 40 cents. Free postage has been granted in respect of letters for this country posted by His Majesty's Forces, but I understand that parcels have to be prepaid at the standard rates. Any question of reducing the parcel rates in favour of the Forces would be a matter for the Colonial Government." I believe the route for mail in late 1941 was by way of the Cape, rather than by way of India. John
Not a definitive answer but to a and b I would say probably not. Mail would have gone by sea and bearing in mind the original destinations of your soldier's convoy and the later WS12Z (left UK 12/13 Nov) were not Singapore I think it unlikely they would have received any mail. As to c. FEPOWs did receive mail. There are many references to them receiving mail - some received several letters, some none. Mail to FEPOWs was fraught with problems. First was getting the mail to the Far East and depended on the Red Cross and neutral ships and that only when the Japanese allowed it. Second was the problem of locating the whereabouts of the prisoner (many of whom moved around quite considerably) and the onward transmission of the mail to their camp. David Nelson in his book 'The story of Changi, Singapore' highlights some of the problems and how the BRE assisted. For instance he says that on the 11 Dec 42 they were notified of the first mail delivery which turned out to be 4,000 letters for 100,000 troops, many of whom had already been dispersed elsewhere. Distribution was not helped by the fact that someone in England had blacked out the names of regiments, units, formations and batteries, in fact anything except the prisoner's name and number. Tim Edit: Oops crossed with Papiermache's reply
Postal History of the POWs & Civilian Internees Vol. 1 | COFEPOW Postal History of the POWs & Civilian Internees Vol. 2 | COFEPOW Postal History of the POWs & Civilian Internees Vol. 4 | COFEPOW Cant find Vol 3 at the moment, but perhaps someone else has it TD Abebooks seem to have some for sale if interested David Tett - AbeBooks
I have volume 3 at home, it is a very informative book: Postal History of the POWs & Civilian Internees Vol. 3 | COFEPOW
Thank you both for your replies. I thought that this might be the case and have now found in the BBC's People At War series of interviews and account from an 18th Div survivor. He ws one of the last of the Division to arrive at Singapore and he confirmed that there had been no mail since leaving the UK in OCtober 1941. Once again, Thanks and best regards Mike
