The Corps of Drums 1st Battalion Middlesex Regiment, Hong Kong 1940

Hi everyone sorry to bother you could any of you point me in the right direction. How I could find out what boat my grandfather william gordan dewberry arrived back to the UK on please . As I'm struggling to even come close to finding out any help would be appreciated cheers
Joe dewberry

 

Joe,

USS Joseph Dickman

Best

Steve

 

Sorry Joe, i mis read your question. It was most likely the Queen Elizabeth.

 

Joe, the best thing to do here is apply to the MOD for your granddads Service records. It costs about £30 and can take up to 6 months to receive, But they should have an entry that says “Home” dated ......1945. From this date we can determine which ship disembarked ex pows in Britain and make a match.

 

Cheers again for the help I have mentioned this to my father for him to apply too the mod will get on to him again thank you again for all the help you guys have done for me.


Joe dewberry

 

I’ll try and dig out the forms you need Joe and email them to you. I think there is two of them and you’ll need to send them a cheque. They won’t accept anything else. One more thing is to add a note with your application asking for photocopies of the original documents and not transcriptions.

Make em work for the money you pay!

 

Get a copy of military service records

You’ll also need a copy of your granddads death certificate.

I know its a ball ache but its worth it mate

 

'Drummy' Holdford was my Father. I shall post more information in due course and no doubt be asking for info too.

 

The instruments were destroyed at the barracks by the Japanese during the bombardment prior to the invasion. The corp of drums were musicians, but also in battle manned the machine guns, and were stretcher bearers aiding medics. during the fall of Hong Kong at the very end the bandsmen were defending the Hospital on the hill. My father had horrific tales of what happened to the injured and the nurses. He had nightmares every Christmas day evening referring to some of his drum boys shouting for help below high cliffs. The last hours before total capitulation were dreadful. That was only the start to the nightmare of Being a prisoner of war of the Japanese. My father was actually a WO1 but held the position of Drum Major to the Regiment. As such he was as unique as the Colonel. So was the rallying point to many in the lower ranks, especially to the lower ranks.
My father survived the Lisbon Mauru and the Kobi camp in Japan. Only surviving because it was a dockyard, they pillaged scraps. After the War he returned to England late 19545 and as a regular soldier was deployed to ESSEN Germany in 1946. In 1950 sent back to Hong Kong to fight in Korea. He lost a lot of Drummers there too. He was awarded the BEM.

Sadly past away in 1982 aged 66 He added 2 years to his date of birth to join the Regt in 1933.........

Regards
Charles his Son

 

Hi Charles, it’s nice to learn about your father. My grandfather survived the Lisbon Maru and POW life in Kobe House. He never spoke about it much but i have done quite a lot of research on the Kobe POW camp. If there is anything i can help you with, just give me a shout.

 

Hi Joe, you may already have all of this, but thought I would post it in case

Japanese POW Record







British POW Records (first page is the cover page for the lists that his name is on






More records











Source: Fold3.com







Source: http://mansell.com/pow_resources/camplists/osaka/kobe/OSA-02_Roster_WO361-1963.pdf

Below is a link to an excellent site (where the above list from Camp No 2 came from) that give you a lot more details on this POW camp, photo’s of guards, and a series of excellent photo’s of POW’s working at the Dock yards…..it is possible that he may be in these photo’s??

Kobe House POW Camp - Japan

Location of Kobe Camp #2, from link below:




Osaka Camp Group A

 

hi John Walter hall was my great uncle and my man’s brother she is now 91 and I would love to show her a clear photo of this if I can also I can upload his service records to add to this history I would love a reponse to this please and would love a clear photo to show her please can you message me. Thank you

 

Looking at the photo he is third from left on top row I will upload a photo of him this week.

 

I can upload a copy of his image from the original photograph if you want one.

 

yes please I am going to upload another picture of him too. Thank you high wood

 

Jamie,

I hope that these are O.K.

Simon.

 

Sorry for long delay here is another picture of John hall.

Regards,
Jamie