Hi, I'm looking for information for an elderly friend of mine whose uncle was called Sidney Read, his army service number was 5780968, he was a private and the date of capture was 15-Feb-1942. Thanks in advance
Royal Norfolk Regiment 5763001 - 5819000 Record Details Surname: READ First Name(s): Sidney Rank: Pte. Service No: 5780968 Service: A Date of Capture: 15/02/1942 You may want to edit your first post and add some tags to attract other members who are more specialist in this area than me TD
Hi Kevin, let's hope someone can find the POW camp in Germany or Austria, he was sent to. Do you have any POW document issued in German? Stefan.
Very much suspect he was FEPOW. Date of capture is Fall of Singapore. Tim Edit: TD's link shows this is the case.
From 18 Division Pilot Roll at Changi: Read S 5780968 Pte 4 Norfolks OVL/WP 21/10/42 This means he was captured Singapore, was a Private in 4th Battalion Royal Norfolks. Sent in a Party Overland 21/10/42. He would have been in Singapore barely two weeks before capture. I'll have a look at the Work Parties and see if I can find where he went. Action in Malaya and Singapore (Seems to be a sudden rush on threads for FEPOWs). Tim
Apply for his International Red Cross record on 15 January. Read this article Requests for information about people held during the Spanish Civil War or the Second World War: Quarterly limit reached
Sidney Read ended up being liberated from TOKYO 12B Mitsushima, which is recognised as one of the most brutal camps in mainland Japan. Nine guards were convicted and executed from this camp at the War Crimes Trials.
Well done Enigma. Further links: Tokyo 12B - Mitsushima Tokyo 12-B, Mitsushima POW Camp Tokyo 12B Survived Tim
Help. 18 Div Pilot Roll shows Sidney Read as leaving Singapore OVL (Overland) 21/10/42. I can't find the Party list for this date although there were Parties departing on 22-26 (Trains 14-18) all to Bam Pong, which means Burma-Thailand Railway. These parties included 400 men of 4 Battalion, Royal Norfolks. I suspect Sidney started off on the Railway and then transferred later to Japan when the Railway was finished. Any ideas? Tim
