My grandfather was a POW in Singapore. He was a L Cpl with 9th Btry Royal Northumberland Fusilliers. I know he was captured in Bukit Timah Heights Singapore and worked on the death railway and ended his time there in Iruka. I have found on iwm.org.uk reference to the private papers of D Watson who served along side my granddad. It does not tell me how to download them or how to get them. I would love to read them. Would they be available elsewhere? How can I read them?
I think you will have to visit the Imperial War Museum to view their D.Watson file. See the guidance: Research Facilities
Marie, As its closer to your location, have you considered going to the RNF Museum which is at Alnwick Castle. Over 123 men of the 9th RNF were liberated from Iruka together, so I would imagine the odds of just one of them writing his story and it ending up at the museum must be high. Mike
Welcome to the forum, Marie. I am assuming he survived the War?! As Mike suggests, have a look if the RNF Museum can assist: Research The Far East is not a theatre of WWII I know a lot about but maybe the International Red Cross have a record of his incarceration: Requests for information about people held during Spanish Civil War or the Second World War: Quarterly limit reached He may also have completed a PoW Liberation Questionnaire on his return to the UK and if so, this will be held at the National Archive: British prisoners of the Second World War and the Korean War - The National Archives There are forum members who can search for this for a moderate fee and if interested in doing this just ask. You may also wish to check out the FEPOW site (Far East PoW) and facilities. Kyles link takes you to the website. Similarly, with the Watson Private papers it may be possible to see if the aforementioned forum members would be willing to copy them for you... Best, Steve.
Good suggestions from all the above Marie. The COFEPOW website has placed some liberation questionnaires on line, here is link: COFEPOW
Have you read 'Harry's War' by Sgt Harry Walton, 9th Battalion Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. From the above info it would seem that he and your grandfather were together. Click on this link: 15th February Tim
Marie, I have had another look at your original post and am not sure how much you know about your grandfather's time as an FEPOW. Do you, for instance, know that Iruka Camp was in Japan. Info here: Nagoya POW Camp #4 Iruku Ishihara Industries. If you click on the Roster link you will be able to check that he is there. If you can post his name it will help forum members who may have further information. Tim
Marie, When you compare the Liberation Q. from your grandfather and Sgt. Harry Walton (Timuk post #8 above), they seem to have been side by side all the way. I imagine "Harry War" will give you as much information as the other copy you were trying to get from IWM
Hello Marie, I note that your grandfather was from Scotswood. Did he attend St. Aloysius School? If so, he was likely a class mate of my dad’s oldest brother. If not, they may still have known each other as nearish neighbours... Best, Steve.
Hello Marie, Some more information here: 9th Bn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers - Missing Personnel The L/Cpl Edward Hall on the questionnaire is listed as Fus. E Hall 4278913 in Roll 20 - 23a. Is this your grandfather? Regards, Richard. Edit 4/8/2018: Fus Hall's initials changed. See next post. Thanks Tim.
Richard - slight correction to your Post. It is Fus E Hall the 'W' you have copied is the 'W' (Wife) for Next of Kin. He also appears on the 18 Division Roll as Fusilier but on the Iruku liberation Roll as a L/Cpl so I assume he was promoted whilst a POW. Marie - You will find 'Thailand-Burma' Death Railway by Ronnie Taylor has a lot of information. See: Death Railway If we have the right person, your grandfather left Singapore on 7/11/42 which would put him in the Great World Party going to Thailand. Great World was a POW camp in Singapore but I don't think he was actually in the camp as the Rolls mark him as CHA, which is Changi. Tim
