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    Small collection of POW groups. ** REGIONAL ADMIN. AWARD & CERT. OF MERIT. *A RECOMMENDED POST


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    PoW groups are interesting and there is an enormous amount of information and photographs online. Not only did the PoWs see combat, but were also held captive and so had a entirely different story than the bulk of the troops. I thought it would be interesting to get a group for each of the large British surrenders.

    The first here is for Hong Kong on Christmas Day 1941, which consists of a group of 5: 1939-1945 Star; Pacific Star; Defence Medal; War Medal; Regular Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, GVI 2nd type; (4685565 SJT. A. COOKE. M.P.S.C.), mounted loose style as worn.

    A fine and interesting Second World War Fall of Hong Kong 25 December 1941 Prisoner of War of the Japanese long service group awarded to Sergeant A. Cook, Military Provost Staff Corps, late Military Foot Police, Coldstream Guards, and one time 5th Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, Territorial Army, who having been taken prisoner of war, was incarcerated at Omine in Japan and worked forced labour as a miner.

    Together with the following quantity of original documentation: Soldier's Service Record and Pay Book, dated 1952; Regular Army Certificate of Service, dated 12 March 1952; Discharge Certificate after his first period of engagement, dated 4 May 1931; Certificate of Proficiency from the School of Instruction Corps of Military Police - as awarded for his attendance on a course from 16 October 1933 to 7 January 1934 - he came 14th on a list of 16; War Office Letter of Appreciation on his retirement from the British Army after 21 years service, dated 1 May 1952; 4 x News of the World photographs of a group of men; Cooke is one of them; another of a group of soldiers drinking beer, taken circa 1920's to 1930's; and individual portrait photograph of recipient; another of soldiers relaxing; and an older photograph, also of a group of soldier's, this annotated but not clearly readable, possibly 1920's; a booklet titled 'Chelsea Pensioners Today; and an exceptionally rare - small print run book - titled The Last Phase at Omine, which is an official late 1940's large format printed booklet printed by The Examiner Press for the Omine Prisoner of War Camp in Japan where Cooke was incarcerated. It contains many printed sketches of the PoW camp during the war. Cooke is listed on page 2 of the British PoW list for Omine and was recorded as being in camp 26 169 and L. Cpl Alfred A. Cooke, 4685565 H. 23.1.18.

    Alfred Cooke was born in 1907, and originally enlisted as a Private (No.4685565) into the 5th Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, Territorial Army, at Denaby, Yorkshire, on 11th June 1925, but was then discharged at York on 4th May 1931 'in consequence of having joined the Regular Army', as he had joined the Coldstream Guards as a Guardsman. Cooke then saw home service, but pursued a career with the Military Foot Police and attend the School of Instruction for the Corps of Military Foot Police. While attached to this unit, he attended a course from 16 October 1933 to 7 January 1934. It is noted that he represented the Depot Corps of Military Police at Football. Later, he officially transferred into the Corps of Military Foot Police from 4 June 1934, he was then posted overseas to Shanghai and Hong Kong from 14 December 1938, and was still out in the Far East at the outbreak of the Second World War, and on the Japanese declaration of war. He was taken prisoner at the fall of Hong Kong on 25th December 1941, and spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner of war of the Japanese, being incarcerated at Omine Prisoner Camp, and employed on forced labour as a miner, before being liberated on 17 November 1945 after the Japanese surrender, and then posted home from 18 November 1945. Opting to continue in the service, he transferred as a Sergeant to the Military Provost Staff Corps, being awarded the Regular Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, and then being discharged after 21 years service on 16 April 1952.

    For more information on the mine look at: http://www.us-japandialogueonpows.org/Ominememorial.htm

    and more with Cooke listed under the British PoWs in http://www.mansell.com/pow_resources/camplists/fukuoka/fuku_5_omine/fuku_5_omine.html

    Edited by azyeoman
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    Top row and from left to right... Dunkirk (Territorial); Dunkirk (Militia - scarce TEM); St. Valery and Greece

    Bottom row from left to right... Crete, Tobruk and El Alamein.

    There are ten small lapel badges that were worn by those who supported the PoWs. The first three on the left are WWI and the rest are WWII.

    Edited by azyeoman
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    Fantastic! Alas, this IPad doesn't show much detail. The history behind some of these really makes one reflect. Singapore really wasn't the place to be captured was it?

    Can we see the militia group please? I have never seen one before.

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    A close up of two of the badges. Does anyone have any details? Thanks in advance.

    Left: White WWI enamel badge "Prisoner of War Help" with PW entwined in center - Thomas Fattorini, Bolton numbered 2302

    Right: Blue enamel badge "British Prisoner of W*R Assoc" With a styalized "W" in center. No maker marks.

    Edited by azyeoman
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    Obverse of the Hell Ship PoW group.

    4912781 Pte./Cpl. S.L. Ellis, Loyal North Lancashire Regt.

    1. GSM – Palestine – GVI – 4912781 Pte. S.L. Ellis, Loyal. R.
    2. 1939 Star
    3. Pacific Star
    4. Defence Medal
    5. War Medal

    With cap badge

    Samuel Leonard Ellis (4912782) was a corporal in the 2nd Bn. Loyal Regiment (N. Lancashire). (POW # 15612) He was captured on 15/2/42 in Singapore and held in camps in Thailand. He died at age 31 on 12/9/1944 when the Hell Ship, Kachidoki Maru taking part of Japan Party III was torpedoed by USS Pampaminto off Hainan Island in a convoy to Japan. He is commemorated on column 73 of the Singapore Memorial. He was the son of Mrs. A. Ellis of Palfrey, Walsall, Staffordshire. Father MR. J. Ellis 39 Countess Rd.. Walsall, Saffs. GSM confirmed on WO 100/504 P. 13In records, CE, ACT Cpl. DO 24/11 D 30/9/41AP/Cpl. DO 29/13 D 14/10/1941 and W/Cpl. DO 39/9D/ 23/12/1941

    A Japanese site with info written with a Japanese slant on history on the hellship Kachidoki Maru: http://www.powresearch.jp/en/archive/ship/kachidoki.html

    Edited by azyeoman
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    Obverse of the Crete PoW group. Interesting TEM.

    325868. Cpl. L.G. Taylor R.A.C.

    • 1939 Star
    • Africa Star
    • Defence Medal
    • War Medal
    • TEM Territorial QEII - 325868 Cpl. L G Taylor RAC With cap Rangers badge and copy of Prisoner of War Repatriation Questionnaire. Mounted court style for wearing. Lancelot Grahame Taylor was born 20 Aug. 1915 and was a builder who lived at Westacre, Newgate Lane, Watnall, Nottingham. He attested for the Sherwood Rangers on 1 Sept. 1939. The regiment was mobilized and went to Palestine as part of the 1st Cavalry Div. In July 1940, it lost its horses on conversion to coastal artillery, and in this role, took part in the defence of Tobruk and Benghazi and the Battle of Crete. Taken POW 1 June 1940 on Crete while serving with B Sqd., Sherwood Rangers Yeo. He was POW # 21377. He was first held at Stalag VIIB (Lamsdorf) until July 1942. Then he was transferred to Oflag VIIB at Eichstatt until 15 March 1945 and was finally held at Stalag VIIA, Moosburg until he was liberated on 29 April 1945

    Edited by azyeoman
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    A St. Valery PoW group.

    2569492 Pte. J. Ord. Gordons.

    • 1939 Star
    • War Medal
    • Army LSGC Regular Army GVI named as above
    • cap badge, collar insignia and shoulder sleeve insignia.

    With cap badge and mounted as worn and with a selection of Ord's original military documents and copy PoW De-brief papers that state Pte. Ord joined the Gordon Highlanders in 1927 and was captured at St. Valery on 12 June 1940. He was held in Poland from 14 July 1940 to 29 August 1940, then transfered to Stalag XXB in West Prussia until 24 January 1945 when he escaped while on a working party. He remained at large in Prussia until he met up with the Russians on 10 March 1945 in East Germany.

    Edited by azyeoman
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    Fantastic! Alas, this IPad doesn't show much detail. The history behind some of these really makes one reflect. Singapore really wasn't the place to be captured was it?

    Can we see the militia group please? I have never seen one before.

    Here's the obverse of the Militia TEM to a man in the DLI captured at Dunkirk.

    4858163 Pte. J.W . Fawcett, D.L.I.

    1. 1939 Star
    2. War Medal
    3. TEM – Militia – GVI – named as above

    With small cap badge (Firmin London) and cloth shoulder title and mounted as worn. He was POW 6644 and held in camp 20. While in captivity, milked cows on farm in Germany.

    Edited by azyeoman
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    1. African Service Medal 1749 L. A. Pett

    With cap badge, collar badges and brass shoulder titles for Umvoti Mounted Rifles.

    POW # 75438 Cpl held in Stalag 344 Lamsdorf, Germany.Also Immediate Military Medal “On 8th June 1942 Cpl. Pett as a member of an infantry company of the U.M.R. which was operating against the enemy in the area between barrels 11 and 13 in the Gazala Line of the Western Desert.

    It was necessary for the operation to dislodge the enemy from a strongly held position and to do this the infantry had to put in a frontal attack.Cpl. Pett acted as 2 i/c to Lieut. Mayne in right half of the company and throughout the attack displayed outstanding qualities of dash and courage.He led his platoon with daring and a total disregard of personal safety and materially assisted in the great success of the operation which resulted in completely routing the enemy, the taking of the position and the capturing of 460 prisoners and booty.”(LG 19 December 1946)

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    • 2 weeks later...

    It is indeed a S. African Medal as he was in the Umvoti Mounted Rifles. It's named, but sadly the rest of the medals he earned aren't with this one. Check posting number 12 to see the cap badge, collar insignia and the shoulder titles. I'd especially like to have his MM! : )

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    • 2 weeks later...

    1. 1939-45 Star

    2. Africa Star

    3. War Medal

    4. TEM - GVI Territorial 1st type - Sgt. R. Hutchinson D.L.I.)

    with cap badge.

    With photocopies of the PoW rolls showing that he was taken prisoner as a Sgt. in the D.L.I. and had the POW no. 223062; he was held at Campo 66 at Capua, Italy, and later at Stalag 357 at Oerbke near Fallingbostel. Camp 66 was a transit camp about 30Km north of Naples.

    His number suggests service with the 9th Bn. D.L.I., which fought with 151st Brigade at Matruh in June 1942 and suffered heavy losses in the face of a strong German attack, much of the battalion being surrounded and taken prisoner. This was a VC action too for a man in the 9th.

    The 9th D.L.I. was based at Gateshead.

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    Steve Loper who was taken prisoner in N. Africa wrote this description of Campo 66, " Eventually the train was pulled aboard the ferry boat and we were on our way to the town of Capua, Italy. The train passed through the City of Pompei where I traded my high school class ring for four loaves of bread and 50 lira. I shared the bread with my buddies but don't know what happened to the 50 lira. Soon the train arrived at our camp, Campo P. G. 66 near the city of Capua, not too far from Naples. This would be our home for the next five months. Everyone was depressed and our future did not look too bright. I developed a fever, apparently from a wound I received during the bombing back in Palermo and an infection had set in on my back. The area turned a dark color. A German doctor removed debris from the wound and the area was dressed and treated with sulfa drugs.

    The Italian guards were always singing opera as they walked guard at night. We said they were afraid of the dark. Occasionally, the Germans came to the camp to get POWs to work on the docks in Naples. We would volunteer hoping to get a chance to escape, or be taken in by friendly Italians. On one occasion one of the POWs jumped from the truck and started picking fruit near a home. A man ran out of his house with his shotgun in his hand. The German guard immediately pulled out his Lugar pistol. I thought for a moment we would witness a shootout but the Italian backed down.

    Mt. Vesuvius was in plain view of our camp. It was majestic. Steam would release from the top and clouds would form in the afternoon."

    Phillip Green with Norman Milson RAF (BBC) gave another description of Campo 66, which apparently was before the Germans and Italians built huts. "I related the episode of our capture in the Western desert after being forced to bail out of our stricken Wellington at Tobruk on the night of September 24th 1942. After a series of journeys that totalled nearly 1000 miles, uncomfortably on the backs of rickety Italian lorries, we eventually arrived just outside the port of Tripoli, and with a couple of hundred other prisoners,the remnant of nearly thirty thousand, including the large garrison at Tobruk in May/June 1942. Gradually these were all taken to Italy and/or Germany, increasingly so after the Battle of Alamein October 1942, when the German and Italian armies were routed. It was widely thought that General Montgomery would reach Tripoli by Xmas 1942, but for some reason or other did not until the middle of January 1943. However, on New Year's day the remnant including yours truly, was suddenly ordered down to the docks after darkness fell, where we were ignominiously thrust below decks, battened down on a dirty, battered, old tramp steamship,that set course for Sicily across the Meditteranean and it occurred to some that there ws a possibility English submarines would be prowling around to sink the ship! Not a comfortable feeling as we peered through the darkened hold-praying! However, the night proved our saviour, and as dawn rose, we entered the port of Palermo a large bustling town through which we were marched down to the railway station. We looked a very sorry sight, unshaven, dirty, ragged, and though we tried with the aid of a sergeant or two to "swing those arms", it was hard to imagine a more decrepit rabble. Not helped either by the local populace, who hissed and booed, the more cowardly chucking old fruit and vegetables at us. These same crowds later were the first to cheer and wave flags as the Allied armies swept through Sicily after their triumphs in North Africa. At any rate, we entrained for Messina and from there across the toe of Italy until we reached Capua, Camp No.66 a few mile south of Naples. (It is actually about 30km north of Naples.) Situated on a flat plain, the ancient volcano of Vesuvius glowering over us, the so-called transit camp was a mess. The only accommodation, some tatty tents, into which five or six inhabitants competed for space, an ancient straw palliasse our sole piece of bedding, covered with a moth eaten blanket. Tents were scattered haphazardly, not in lines. Somewhere a larger marquee housed the cookhouse, from where issued what were laughingly called meals-an insult to the word. We received, apart from a small piece of bread and it could only have been a couple of ounces, the usual Italian 'soup', really hot water into which had been thrown a few handfuls of rice,served twice a day. It was really fortunate for us that the first Red Cross parcels of food arrived which transformed our lives and literally saved us from starvation. Parenthetically, when I volunteered for the RAF in January 1941, I weighed in at eleven stone(154 pounds), At the end of our incarceration and following a week or two normal meals in England-May 1945- my weight had shrunk to eight and a half stones (119 pounds)."

    Edited by azyeoman
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    A third account was written by Sgt. Bill Cooper (PoW Stories).

    "Then someone shouted we were passing Capri. And an hour or two later, "it's Naples." How did they know? Then we were alongside the dock and the chaps on deck started to disembark. Then we were ordered to climb up on deck, it took hours. I managed, but only with great difficulty. A lot of chaps in that hold never got out! On the deck there were firemen with breathing apparatus and lifting slings and on the quayside there were ambulances and Carabinieri. There was also a hearse or two! I was soaking wet, stinking and filthy as I stumbled down the gangway. At the bottom I was offered a cigarette as though this made all well. I followed the crowd and climbed into a railway goods van and fell fast asleep.

    The next thing I remember is being dragged out of the van feet first by two very young and small Italian soldiers, who for some reason were crying. Then came the usual shambles, out of the railway yard and up a lane towards a large barbed-wire prisoner of war cage. We passed soldiers and civilians on the way all of whom had tears in their eyes. Then we were in the cage. This was a prisoner's transit camp - Campo 66 at Capua, near Naples. We were each given a blanket, a lump of bread and pushed into a hut; there were no beds, and only a clean wooden floor. It appeared that the camp although controlled by the Italians was administered by a staff of British P.O.W.s There was a vague promise of Red Cross parcels, medical care and a lot of other things, but by now I had gone back into my shell and was sleeping all day again and was past caring. A kindly chap brought me soup and bread each day and told me of plans to have the lot of us examined.

    Then it happened again. I woke up in the middle of the night, went to the rear of the hut, found water, removed my clothes and cleaned them and myself. In this state I was discovered by two sentries who did not know what to do with me. So they waited until I finished and then escorted me back to the hut and my waiting blanket. Next day, wearing only my boots and the blanket, I hung my clothes out to dry. At this stage Red Cross parcels arrived to great excitement. But anti-climax, there was no food, just toilet things. I was not too disappointed. I got a very good razor, shaving brush, toothbrush, toothpaste, a small mirror, a bar of Lifebuoy soup and a "housewife," (this contained needles, thread, wool, buttons, etc.) My comrades were mad. No food, but worst of all no cigarettes.

    Then an Italian officer arrived with prisoner of war cards which we could send home to our next of kin. Who should be acting as "dogsbody" to this officer but none other than my wretched trouble making Corporal? He looked well fed and already had a good command of the Italian language. Apparently he was a member of the camp staff, it was the last time I ever saw the wretch. I filled a card in knowing my mother would never receive it; of course she never did! The Corporal departed on the heels of his master carrying the box of cards and the officers' hat and gloves. But he left me with a legacy. With his knowledgeable and smooth tongue he had informed a lot of simple soldiers that I had been solely responsible for a lot of men's deaths, this information was passed on and so I became an outsider. Even after I moved on to Campo 53 my reputation followed me.

    Well some more Red Cross parcels arrived, no food but each of us received ten cigarettes and wool socks and underwear. I gave five cigarettes to the chap who had fed me during my depressed period, he was delighted and surprised. I found my friend of the blunt razor and gave him three cigarettes. I used the last two to have my head shaved for lice had appeared. About this time a Red Cross representative arrived at the camp and a great many men gave evidence as to the cruel treatment we had received in transit. I was now regaining my senses and knew now why the soldiers and civilians had cried when we arrived. We really had been brought back from the dead, what a state we must have been in, but I never thought it was cruelty. The Italians were never capable of being cruel; it was just that they were totally inefficient and furthermore just did not have the same standards of rations, hygiene and administration. The word atrocity did not come into use until some years later, just as well, for my bitter comrades were busy building a big case. I never gave evidence; I suppose I was considered too stupid. But I am glad really, when one considers Auschwitz and Belsen we were small fry, anyway nothing came of it, and I have never seen a written word about the affair.

    So we went on receiving a bowl of soup and about six ounces of bread a day and occasionally an apple or a tomato, the British camp staff were corrupt and had complete control of all Red Cross goods arriving. When the Italians started issuing ten cigarettes a week to each man a huge black market started. You could buy almost anything for a few cigarettes! I used to pass my ration around the hut but even this created jealousy and some men thought I was trying to buy friendship.

    After three or four weeks in Campo 66 we were herded down to the railway siding and loaded onto goods wagons, after being locked in we were shunted up and down and then moved off northwards."

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    It is very easy, for me at least, to think of the POW camps as places of safety, if 'not very nice' to live in and, of course, the scene of much derring do by the escape committees. I am always a bit shocked to be reminded both how nasty many of them were - poor and inadequate food, abysmal health care, etc - and of the fact that they had their share of collaborators, crooks and just plain nasty men! These accounts are fascinating as a real 'reality check' - windows into a seldom seen corner of the war.

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    Hi Peter,

    I can't recommend enough Midge Gillies book The Barbed Wire University: The Real Lives of Allied Prisoners of War in The Second World War published by Aurum Press in 2011. It's very well researched and thouroughly discusses the trials and tribulations and ordeals of the Allied PoWs in German and Italian hands as well as the FEPOWs. It's full of anecdotes too, which make it a good read and anyone interested in PoWs should buy a copy. It's out in paperback now.

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    A Second World War Far East Prisoner of War Casualty group to Gunner

    W.J. Butler, 5th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, who was captured by the

    Japanese at the fall of Singapore and died whilst at prisoner on 28th May 1944 in Taiwan.

    Group of 3: 1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; War

    Medal; together with Army Council Condolence Slip, this named to: 'GNR W.J.

    BUTLER'; and box of issue this addressed to: Mrs. M.A. Butler, 24, Bovill Rd.,

    Forest Hill, London, S.E.23.

Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine.

William Joseph

    Butler served as a Gunner (No.1077320) with the 5th Field Regiment, Royal

    Artillery, and was serving out in Singapore when Japan declared

    war. Butler was captured with the fall of Singapore and subsequently died whilst

    a prisoner of war on 28th May 1944, After the war his body was taken to Hong Kong and he was

    buried in Sai Wan War Cemetery. Aged

    32 at the time of his death, he was the son of William Henry and Minnie Alice

    Butler, of Forest Hill, London.

    China, (including Hong Kong) Identified Casualties: 1059
    Location Information

    Sai Wan War Cemetery is in the north-east of the island of Hong Kong, in the Chai Wan area, about 11 kilometres from the centre of Victoria.

    At the entrance to the cemetery on Cape Collinson Road stands the memorial to those who died in Hong Kong and have no known grave. From it the cemetery slopes down towards the sea.

    The easiest way to reach the cemetery is by the mass transit railway (MTR) Hong Kong line to Chai Wan Terminus.

    From the Terminus one can either walk up to the cemetery following Chai Wan Road to the roundabout, turning west into Wan Tsui Road, then south east up Lin Shing Road which leads to Cape Collinson Road. The CWGC road direction sign is fixed to a wall facing down Lin Shing Road.

    The Cape Collinson area has many cemeteries. Walking up this narrow one way traffic road, one will pass the Catholic Cemetery situated on the hillside to the left of the road, and the Hong Kong Military Cemetery on the right. Sai Wan War Cemetery is about half way up Cape Collinson Road and faces the Muslim and Buddhist cemeteries.

    One can also get a taxi from Chai Wan Terminus and follow the same route. Alternatively one can board a public light bus, Route No. 16M, which runs from Chai Wan MTR Terminus to Stanley where the CWGC has another cemetery (Stanley Military Cemetery).

    En route to Stanley the minibus will pass Sai Wan War Cemetery, stopping only on request.

    Visiting Information

    Sai Wan War Cemetery is open daily: 08:00 - 17:00.

    The location or design of this site makes wheelchair access impossible. For further information regarding wheelchair access, please contact our Enquiries Section on telephone number 01628 507200.

    Historical Information

    The island of Hong Kong fell to the Japanese on Christmas Day 1941 following a brief but intense period of fighting. Most of those buried in this cemetery were killed at this time, or died later as internees or prisoners of war during the Japanese occupation. The remains of those who died as prisoners in Formosa (now Taiwan) were brought to Hong Kong for burial at Sai Wan in 1946.

    There are now 1,505 Commonwealth casualties of the Second World War buried or commemorated at Sai Wan War Cemetery. 444 of the burials are unidentified. There are special memorials to 16 Second World War casualties buried in Kowloon (Ho Man Tin) No 3 Muslim Cemetery, whose graves were lost. There are also 77 war graves of other nationalities from this period, the majority of them Dutch and 7 non-world war graves that the Commission maintains on behalf of the MoD.

    The cemetery contains special memorials to 12 First World War casualties buried in Kowloon (Ta Sek Ku) Mohammedan Cemetery, whose graves have since been lost.

    At the entrance to the cemetery stands the SAI WAN MEMORIAL bearing the names of more than 2,000 Commonwealth servicemen who died in the Battle of Hong Kong or subsequently in captivity and who have no known grave. Additional panels to the memorial form the SAI WAN CREMATION MEMORIAL, bearing the names of 144 Second World War casualties whose remains were cremated in accordance with their faith, and the SAI WAN (CHINA) MEMORIAL, commemorating 72 casualties of both wars whose graves in mainland China could not be maintained.

    Both the cemetery and memorial were designed by Colin St Clair Oakes.

    Edited by azyeoman
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