George Ronald Metcalfe 1911-1968

Captured in Singapore. That's all I know. Can anyone assist please?

 

As previous advice, apply for his service records, also have a look at the online family history sites, seems to be some info.

 

I'm not related so can I still apply for his service record?

 

Rather than posting the question on forum why don’t you look for the answer by reading the official instructions via this link.

Get a copy of military records of service

 

I've applied with his name and year of birth. That's all I have. I suspect my application may fail.

 

As for searching family history sites I don't have that much money for subscriptions!

 

Deleted by self duplicate post

 

Family trees posted on ancestry show this man

George Ronald METCALFE
born 7 May 1911 Kendal, Westmoreland
died 24 Dec 1968 Westmoreland

If this is the person you seek this pow card has also been posted on the trees

View attachment 419768

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/mediaui-...87/media/19a64d43-b794-44b8-a510-6884d1c4b32a

 

Deleted by self, duplicate post

 

Sadly it will fail as you need to show proof of death

Kyle

 

Been there

This may help fill in a few blanks ? Served 1st Border regt in Palestine pre -war

Full Name
Metcalf, G R
Incident Date
27 Jun 1940
Rank Name
Private
Service Number
3596560
Authority
Army Order 247 of 1939
Clasps Awarded
Palestine
Served During Qualifying Period
1st Battalion
Service
British Army
Primary Unit
Border Regiment
Archive Reference
WO100/504
Conflict Period
World War II
Served For
United Kingdom
_______________________________________________
Liberation Questionnaire (PDF)

Metcalfe, George Ronald Info
Title
Metcalfe, George Ronald
Total Images
2
Full Name
Metcalfe, George Ronald
Country Of Imprisonment
Japan
Service Number
3596560
Birth Date
7 May 1911
Rank
Corporal
Unit
R. A. S. C. Malay Command
Branch
Army
Enlistment Date
28 Aug 1931
Casualty Date
15 Feb 1942
Casualty Place
Singapore
Reference Number
WO344/392/2
Surname Range
Meek-Mills
Conflict Period
World War II
Served For
United Kingdom
______________________________________________
Full Name
METCALFE, George R
Date of Capture
15 Feb 1942
Date of Liberation
2 Sep 1945
POW Camp
Thailand
Rank Name
Corporal
Service Number
3596560
Service
British Army
Archive Reference
WO392/25
Conflict Period
World War II
Served For
United Kingdom

_________________________________________________-
Full Name
Metcalfe, George R
Date Of Birth
7 May 1911
Nationality
British
Date of Capture
15 Feb 1942
Date of Liberation
12 Sep 1945
Other Pow Camps
Thailand
POW Camp
Malai 4
Rank Name
Corporal
Service Number
3596560
Profession
Driver
Duty Location
Singapore
Next of Kin
Parents: W & A Metcalfe, 5 Grayrigg Bank, Kendal, Westmoreland
Service
British Army
Primary Unit
Royal Army Service Corps
Secondary Unit
1 Malaya Ammunition Column
Archive Reference Ron Bridge's Collection
Conflict Period
World War II
Served For
United Kingdom

______________________________________
and the other documents available online other than what Travers has already added.




Kyle

 

I would suggest a great deal of care when believing trees on Ancestry, there can be a complete load of ******

In this case I can't find a GRO entry to support a death of 24 Dec 1968. With a death that late in the quarter it is likely to have been registered Q1 1969 but nothing suitable, just to be sure the nearest death in Q4 1968 is aged 63.

There is however an entry for Q4 1967 with an age of 56 i.e. a birth around 1911. Not sure that this death would be as late as 24 December unless the informant rushed it round and the Registrar was working over Christmas.

On the basis that the MOD will want accurate information to find him (and a certificate) I would suggest that David needs a lot of homework first. Do we know the soldier in question is from Westmoreland as David doesn't?

David, sign up for a free 7 day FMP trial after you have collected all the info you can.

 

As Tony pointed out be very careful with family tree info online . Sometimes media are shoe horned in to fit . There is only one GEORGE RONALD METCALFE listed as a Japanese PoW though .
The 1967 document as referred to by Tony:-




Kyle

 

Hi,

I’ve reached out to a contact on another forum who has access to Met Police records to see if he can assist you further.

Can you tell me what is inscribed on the rim of his PLSM please?

I’ll keep you posted.

Steve

EDIT

Apologies….Should’ve posted this message in this other topic of yours….

Sgt McKenzie L, Scots Guards, 2701105

PPS

3596*** POW Liberation Questionnaire confirms enlistment 28/8/1831. You’ll need to have sight of his papers to see whether he “dipped his toe” in the water by joining his local TA Battalion (4th) or joined Regular Army directly. Think 1st Border were in Northern Ireland around that time.

My father was 35978** and enlisted in to his local Border TA Battalion (5th) in May 1935. He joined regular army (Brigade of Guards) January 1937.

 

Once again thank you to forum members who have contributed to this man's personal details.

 

Further to Kyle’s comprehensive post, here are images of the same POW questionnaire he linked to, courtesy of Ancestry. Not the greatest clarity, I’m afraid, so I’ve tried to piece it together below.





Same page on COFEPOW, again not very clear:

Metcalfe, George Ronald

From what I can decipher from the above, he was at the following places on these dates. The names in brackets are the Camp Leaders and/or Detachment/Block Leaders, of course:

15th Feb - April 1942: Changi, Singapore (Lt Gen Percival)

April - Dec 42: Reformatory Road, Singapore (Major Stuart (Man. Regt)

Dec - March 1943: Changi, Singapore (Col. Holmes (Man. Regt)

March 1943 - Sept 1944: Kosho. - Hatang - Sangun - Honsho - Sanguri - Siam (CSM Longhurst, RASC, Capt Renwick, Major Noble RE)

Sept - Feb 45: River Valley, Singapore (Col. Gill 137 Regt RA, Capt Dawes)

Feb - Aug ‘45: Saigon Docks.Longthan.Liang Khang F.I.C. (Col Gill - QSM Bradstreet, 137 F.Regt RA)

Whilst for the last two entries, George has written “44” as the year, I think this should be 1945? I am guessing at some of the place names, not too easy to read, so apologies for any errors on my part.

No escape attempts by George. However, on page 2, question (f), he writes of an attempt, but again, it is very hard to read. I think it was made by a man named King, of either the RIF or AIF (I’m leaning towards the Aussies). His rank is possibly Gnr?

At Liang Khang, King made his escape after being tied to a tree in the Japanese compound. The rest is illegible to me, unfortunately. I can make out “He was undergoing punishment for”, “stealing”, and, at the end, “after the Jap surrender”, but that’s all. It could be that the plucky King survived, given that last sentence…

For question no. 4, page 2, Sabotage, George writes “Petrol and M.T. spares sold to natives”.

Please feel free to correct anything I’ve deciphered incorrectly, as maybe your eyes are much better than mine, especially re the escapee King story.

 

Coming to this late.

There is a marriage @ Kendal, Westmoreland between a George R. Metcalfe and a Gwendoline V Nelson, between January-March 1946.

 

That's all I had before you all replied to my request.
From my Ancestry account

 

My father, who's George's or the Forum member?

 

Contact the ever helpful Thai-Burma Railway Centre who should be able to provide you with details of his time on the infamous railway.
TBRC Online: THE THAILAND-BURMA RAILWAY CENTRE

It seems he returned to Singapore and was then transported to Saigon. From the dates I would guess it was on the Haruyasa Maru.
Japanese Transports Database

Tim