My great uncle Percy (see my signature) was captured at Singapore and died in 1943 in one of the Jap PoW camps. What would his medal entitlement have been? Am I right in thinking it would be the 1939-45 Star and War Medal with possibly either the Burma or Pacific Stars? Any help gratefully recieved
Originally posted by Lee@Jun 8 2004, 12:58 PM My great uncle Percy (see my signature) was captured at Singapore and died in 1943 in one of the Jap PoW camps. What would his medal entitlement have been? Am I right in thinking it would be the 1939-45 Star and War Medal with possibly either the Burma or Pacific Stars? Any help gratefully recieved Hi Lee, If captured @ the fall of Singapore{With the Suffolks;TA;?}He would have received the Medals you state:1939~1945 Star;PACIFIC Star;British War Medal,{Same as "My" Lads the 1st & 2nd Cambridgeshire Regiment T.A; & 5th Norfolk R;}Had he been in long enough,he may if serving with the Terriers earned the Efficiency[Territorial}Also.[War service counted as double for Territorial Awards,so eg;1936~43 would be 7 Years,with 3.5 of them approximately counting double]
Originally posted by Sgt Pilot Bernard Henson RAFVR@Jun 8 2004, 02:51 PM If captured @ the fall of Singapore{With the Suffolks;TA;?} Hello Mate! I thought you'd help out here, for some reason. Many thanks for confirming what I suspected. Yes, Percy was in the 5th Suffolks, but he lived in Southall, Middlesex and wasn't in the Army before the war. A bit like my grandfather who also lived in Southall and ended up in the 5th Beds and Herts. Once again, Cheers
Originally posted by Lee+Jun 8 2004, 02:04 PM-->(Lee @ Jun 8 2004, 02:04 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'> <!--QuoteBegin-Sgt Pilot Bernard Henson RAFVR@Jun 8 2004, 02:51 PM If captured @ the fall of Singapore{With the Suffolks;TA;?} Hello Mate! I thought you'd help out here, for some reason. Many thanks for confirming what I suspected. Yes, Percy was in the 5th Suffolks, but he lived in Southall, Middlesex and wasn't in the Army before the war. A bit like my grandfather who also lived in Southall and ended up in the 5th Beds and Herts. Once again, Cheers [/b]Cheers Lee, I consider the award of the Efficiency Medal{Territorial}to these Men who endured the Evil Internment @ His Majesty The Emperor Of Japan's Pleasure,as one of the hardest earned of all Medals,to survive against the odds of extreme disease,abuse,cruelty,starvation etc; for nearly 5 years,almost beggars belief. It is surprising,considering the Territorial Local Nature of these TA Battalions How Many Men came from well out of the Recruitment Area
Originally posted by Sgt Pilot Bernard Henson RAFVR@Jun 9 2004, 11:48 AM I consider the award of the Efficiency Medal{Territorial}to these Men who endured the Evil Internment @ His Majesty The Emperor Of Japan's Pleasure,as one of the hardest earned of all Medals Yes, I agree. I don't think Percy survived long enough to qualify for this medal, although we'd prefer to have him around than the medal the Evil Internment @ His Majesty The Emperor Of Japan's Pleasure Don't get me started on that subject, I have no time for them whatsoever. Its a funny way of looking at it but I bear no grudge against the Germans who killed 2 of my great uncles in WWI in combat, but I cannot forgive the Japs for what they did to Percy; am I wrong holding this view?
I feel the Japanese would have come out with a higher regard; from the whole affair if they like the Germans had had some contrition & acceptance of their War Crimes,The blunt refusal to acknowledge responsibility even after 60 years keeps the lividity alive,more so to those who like yourself lost close relatives & those who still suffer,
Originally posted by Sgt Pilot Bernard Henson RAFVR@Jun 9 2004, 11:30 PM I feel the Japanese would have come out with a higher regard; from the whole affair if they like the Germans had had some contrition & acceptance of their War Crimes,The blunt refusal to acknowledge responsibility even after 60 years keeps the lividity alive,more so to those who like yourself lost close relatives & those who still suffer, You've hit the nail on the head! Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know, but if they can't accept that what they did was wrong (and that's putting it mildly) then people like my family can't forgive.
Worth mentioning to those who criticise the dropping of A bombs on Japan: how many more Allied soldiers (and Japanese conscripts) would have died in taking Japan and continued fighting in Burma/China/Manchuria; and how many thousands of POWs would have succumbed during another year or so in captivity, no doubt on the end of conventional air raids, with even less food and supplies and with long marches to new camps? Anti-American and/or Dead White Male Bashing IMHO. Richard
Originally posted by DirtyDick@Jun 22 2004, 04:43 PM Worth mentioning to those who criticise the dropping of A bombs on Japan: how many more Allied soldiers (and Japanese conscripts) would have died in taking Japan and continued fighting in Burma/China/Manchuria; and how many thousands of POWs would have succumbed during another year or so in captivity, no doubt on the end of conventional air raids, with even less food and supplies and with long marches to new camps? Anti-American and/or Dead White Male Bashing IMHO. Richard Hear Hear,These facts are never brought to the fore by the bleeding heart Liberals who condemn the use of the Atomic Bomb @ that time,They always insist Japan was about to sue for peace,but never back this up with any real proof,as a consequence of its use; Awesome as it was,it did end the War{on the 2nd Drop}& undoubtedly saved the lives of many thousands of Allied Prisoners{who would well have been executed in the normal end of the War had it dragged on}Troops on Both Sides & Many more thousands of Japanese Civilians who would have died as a Result of strategic Allied Conventional Bombing & Land Warfare to defeat the Imperial Japanese Forces. An evil; undoubtedly but @ the time a Necessary one & In my Opinion,one that preserved a Shaky peace for the ensuing 50 odd years throughout the Western World. One cannot uninvent Technology,though Pol Pot did try?
