Hi all On a Facebook Page that I run (Forgotten Naval Ratings of WW2), a member has posted some old photographs that she took shots of on her ipad. They were retrieved folded from her father's wallet after his death and show images from the fall of Singapore in 1945. I have asked her to get a scan of them so they can be digitally enhanced, but here are some basic shots of the pics. As soon as i have better pics I will post them
Apart from the POWs shown at work,the other three photographs appear to be associated with the formal surrender of Japanese forces in Singapore to Mountbatten on 12 September 1945.
One is almost the same as this one. THE JAPANESE SOUTHERN ARMIES SURRENDER AT SINGAPORE, 1945. © IWM (SE 4708)IWM Non Commercial Licence
This is interesting. The chap in the photo is Frank Box, a Royal Navy Leading Signalman who was trained as a commando and a diver, I am informed by his daughter that this was the rig they wore when in Burma and elsewhere...was this common for Naval personnel?
The picture of the Japanese prisoners set to clean up tasks is telling. Apparently L/Sig Box was told to guard them, and they were seething. It seems that years of being on the other side of the rifle led them to believe such menial tasks were beneath them
Having spoken to another member of the group apparently Khaki was often worn as tropical rig by Naval personnel, and the hat band is naval issue, being seven parts white and one blue. Well, you live and you learn
