INTRODUCTION

FEPOW 75

On 7 October 1945 the SS Corfu docked in Southampton, the first of many ships to bring almost 40,000 former Far East Prisoners of War back to the UK, after years of privation and suffering in South East Asia during the Second World War.

75 years on, this website seeks to pay tribute to the courage and fortitude of those survivors and to honour the memory of all those who never returned home and still remain somewhere in South East Asia.

We must not forget them.

Roger Townsend, Hon. Director

Reunion Dinner performed by Hubert Burton

REUNION DINNER

No schoolboy, relishing his country’s glory,
Shall read our victory there. It has no name,
No statesman cheered the news,
or full-page story
Roused in the public bars a toast to fame.
No classic ode commends, or sculpted face
Peers from a monument to those who fell.
Even our movements tactically disgrace
the paper-battles soldiers love so well,
And friends avoid, with genuine regret,
Mentioning days they’d like us to forget.

Dearer for us to know – as dear to those
Defeated, sore afflicted companies
Who share no common glory – that from these
Grievous dishonours only honour grows.

Lt John Durnford RA

Stan Durnford sketch

Stan Durnford, published in A Form of Consolation Poems 1942-1945 (1984)

FEPOW75

Foreword

When I became an Argyll a visit to the Regimental Museum was an important part of the induction as a young officer. One particular artefact caught my attention; the bagpipes which Eric Moss took with him into prison camp in 1942 and which for some reason he was allowed to keep for the duration of the war, although the original bag rotted in the conditions and he had to manufacture replacements from whatever materials he could scrounge. The museum, like the Battalion history, focused on the 2nd Battalion's fighting withdrawal, but it is sobering to recall that while 244 men lost their lives in action, of the almost 400 men taken prisoner in the course of the campaign, another 184 died as prisoners of war. One thing that did not die was the regimental spirit and individual determination, courage and comradeship of the Battalion. Symbolic of the spirit which sustained the men for those long years as prisoners of war, is the story of Orderly Quartermaster Sergeant Aitken, who when release came 'exactly reported to the commanding officer of four years before, the state of the Regiment, for he had secreted with him and kept up to date the official regimental roll book'.

I write from the perspective of a single regiment, but it is clear to me that an Army's reputation depends as much on the actions, conduct , discipline and behaviour of its officers and soldiers in the less good, or the downright bad days, as it does on performance on the good days. Indeed the unquenchable will, not only to survive but to prevail, shown by those many men of many regiments held prisoner by the Japanese in all parts of the Far East, in unimaginable conditions of privation, cruelty and inhumanity, is an example for us to ponder and commemorate.

Many former Prisoners of War tried to forget their experiences; some would never be able to do so and would find their lives afflicted to a greater or lesser effect; but on this 75th anniversary of the return of the first of the Far East Prisoners of War to Britain none of us should forget what they endured and the courage and integrity of spirit and discipline which they showed during their time of captivity.

Lieutenant-General Sir Andrew Graham C.B., C.B.E.
Infantry Colonel Commandant and former Colonel of the Regiment, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and The Royal Regiment of Scotland

FEPOW75

Histories

The POW camps

Pvt. Basil Elvin Ferron RAMC Slaughterhouse and pigsty, Ubon POW Camp. Thailand 1945. Courtesy S. Smith

Over 190,000 British and Commonwealth troops were taken prisoner by the Imperial Japanese during the Second World War. For many of those who were held captive in the Far East life was brutally harsh. Many were forced to carry out slave labour under the harshest of conditions, with barely enough food to survive. Most were malnourished and often starving, while many suffered from diseases, such as cholera, dysentery and malaria. Obtaining enough food to survive became their primary concern, with rations shared out equally between them helping to maintain morale inside the camps.

Cpl William George “Bill” Norways 2nd Cambridgeshire Regt, The Cookhouse at Kranji POW Hospital Camp, 1945. © Courtesy the Norways family

Conditions inside the POW camps varied, but for the prisoners on the Thailand Burma ‘Death Railway’, the suffering was terrible. Between 1942 and 1945 over 60,000 British, Commonwealth and Dutch prisoners were forced to work on the railway, enduring the most brutal and harsh conditions imaginable, including long hours of intense heavy labour with minimal food and water, which led to over 16,000 of them perishing.

Cpl William George “Bill” Norways 2nd Cambridgeshire Regt, Photograph of the hospital ward at Kranji POW Hospital Camp, 1945. © Courtesy the Norways family

Prisoners were often moved at short notice, often being forced to walk hundreds of miles, from camp to camp. Others travelled by boat or train, with some being taken to Japan, where they were forced to work in mines.

Cpl William George “Bill” Norways 2nd Cambridgeshire Regt, Photograph titled ‘Makan’, taken at Kranji POW Hospital Camp, 1945. © Courtesy the Norways family

What life was like for POWs The story of Taiwan POW camps

The Story of Lt. James Whitham

Lt. James Whitham 1907-1942

James Whitham was the son of an East India merchant. He was sent to Sherborne School in 1920 where he had a stellar career, becoming a School Prefect and Head of House. He was in the 1st XV Rugby team in 1923/4/5 and 1st XI Cricket team in 1925. He was a member of the School Gym team in 1923/4 and Captain in 1925. In his last two years he dominated the School athletics and held the record for the 100 yards, Long Jump and Shot Put.

1923 1st XV

He went up to Pembroke College Cambridge, where he won an Athletics ‘Half Blue’ and would almost certainly have been awarded a Rugger ‘Blue’ as a full back, had he not broken his thigh just before the Varsity match.

1923 Gym Squad

1923, Winners OTC Physical Training Shield

1924 1st XV

1925, 1st XI

After Cambridge James Whitham moved to Hong Kong, where he became the Acting Branch Manager for Sun Life Assurance of Canada. He married Beatrice, from Grand Haven, Michigan and at the end of November 1941 they had a son, Jonathan Glendaye Whitham.

1925, Abbeylands

1928, JP Whitham in Cambridge Senior match (The Tatler, 24 October 1928)

With the imminent threat from the Japanese James joined the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps. He then transferred to the 1st Bn The Middlesex Regt as a Lieutenant, playing an active part in defending Hong Kong and being wounded in the leg while doing so. He was captured by the Japanese on Christmas Day 1941, but not before he had been able to take Beatrice and her baby son to the supposed safety of the Governor of Stanley Prison. Beatrice had packed clothes for herself and the baby, but her husband had been in such a panic to get her there that she did not have time to do up the cases, so they arrived at the Governor’s house with only the clothes that both she and baby Jonathan were wearing. James went back to resist the invaders, but after the surrender everything in their apartment, including personal possessions and photographs, was looted.

1942, Beatrice & Jonathan Whitham, Stanley Internment Camp, Hong Kong (Daily Record, 21 Sept 1942)

On 27 September 1942 James left Hong Kong on the 7,000 ton freighter ‘Lisbon Maru’ bound for Shanghai and Japan: one of 1,816 mainly British prisoners. On board, amongst others, were 311 Royal Navy personnel; 373 of 2 Royal Scots: 358 of 1 Middlesex and 376 Royal Artillery: all crammed into the three forward Holds; while 778 Japanese troops were housed in the aft Holds. Although she was armed, the ‘Lisbon Maru’ displayed no markings other than that of a normal merchant ship.

On 1st October the ‘Lisbon Maru’ was struck in the stern by one of six torpedoes fired from the American submarine USS ‘Grouper’ six miles off the Chinese island of Tung Fushan. The ‘Grouper’ came under attack from enemy planes and patrol boats and departed the scene, but not before noticing the Japanese troops being rescued from the stricken ship by a Destroyer and Freighter, taking the lifeboats and rafts with them, but leaving 25 guards on board, with the crew, with orders to shoot any prisoner who tried to escape. What they did not see however, was that the Japanese guard commander had ordered that the hatches over the forward Holds be battened down and canvassed over.

After spending 24 hours trapped in the Holds, in total darkness, in appalling conditions of filth, disease and malnutrition, with no access to food, water or latrines, it was apparent that the ship was sinking, despite the valiant efforts of RA prisoners who kept up a relentless shift trying to pump out the incoming water with two hand pumps that the Japanese had given them. The senior officer, Lt Col HWM Stewart, ordered Lt Howell of the RASC to make an attempt to break out. One man went with Howell, but was shot dead. Howell reported that there were only 5 guards left on board, so a second attempt was successful enough for the majority of the prisoners to escape, overpower the guards and jump into the water, only to be shot at by surrounding patrol boats, or attacked by sharks.

James Whitham did get off the ship and there are varying accounts of him in the water. In one he is seen hanging on to a hatch cover with Pte O’Donnell, (also of Ist Bn The Middlesex Regt) and apparently trying to give his lifejacket or life belt to O’Donnell, who did not have one. Sometime later he was spotted by another 1MX escapee: Robert Wright. “It was then that I heard someone call my name. It proved to be Lt. Whitham who, completely naked, was hanging on to a flimsy piece of wood.” Wright then swam off to find a lifebelt, but when he returned there was no sign of Jimmy Whitham. There is a suggestion that he was later spotted floating face down in the sea.

828 FEPOW died in the incident, or very shortly thereafter, and of the 988 survivors, 384 were rescued by Chinese fishermen and taken to three nearby islands, where they were treated with great kindness by the Chinese people, before being rounded up by the Japanese and eventually taken on to Shanghai and Japan. Other survivors were rescued from the water by Japanese ships, but of those taken to Japan, more than 200 died during that first winter in their work camps.

*****

Beatrice (Betty) Whitham’s distress at the tragic loss of her husband did not end after the War. She was released in a civilian prisoner exchange with the USA in 1942, but less than three years after her repatriation and moving to the small village of Cobble Hill, British Columbia, her young son Jonathon drowned in a creek near their home.

After marrying John William Humphries and living in India, Beatrice had two more children and eventually came to live in the UK: dying in Hereford on 24 March 2020, aged 103.

RCAT - with appreciation to Major Brian Finch and Tony Banham

Hellships: The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru

US Navy Supply Officer, Lt. Willard Carroll Johnson USS Canopus. Sketch of sinking of the Lisbon Maru, 2 October 1942, made while at Kobe POW camp, Japan.

On 1st of October 1942, The Lisbon Maru was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of China near Shanghai while carrying prisoners and troops to Japan. Over 800 British prisoners lost their lives.

Further information on the Lisbon Maru & other hellships

In Memory Of...

Adam George Currie The Royal Scots 29
Adams William Royal Artillery 34
Adamson Charles Vincent Royal Artillery Gloucester 41
Alexander Adam Glen Royal Artillery Lancaster 29
Alkman Ronald Edward The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 27
Allan Hugh Halmilton The Royal Scots Edinburgh 28
Allanson Kenneth Edward Royal Artillery
Allin Bernard Lester Royal Signals Corps Cambridge 21
Allison Patrict Joseph The Royal Scots Dumfries 24
Allport Albert Edward Royal Artillery Lancashire 40
Anderson John The Royal Scots 30
Anderson John Royal Artillery Belfast 23
Andrew Matthew Beaton The Royal Scots Kincardineshire 26
Andrews Leslie William The Middlesex Regt. Middlesex 23
Archibald Robert M. B. The Royal Scots 27
Archibald William The Royal Scots Joppa Midlothian 30
Arndle Edward Royal Artillery 22
Astill Arthur Royal Artillery Yorkshire 25
Atkinson Edwin Royal Signals Corps 24
Audsley Harold Royal Engineers Yorkshire 29
Austin William Royal Artillery 25
Bache Herbert Henry R.A.M.C. Lancashire 31
Backhurst Alfred Leonard The Middlesex Regt 22
Bader Bernard John Royal Artillery Surrey 25
Bailey Albert William Henry Royal Artillery 27
Bain John Harper The Royal Scots 24
Baker George Sidney The Middlesex Regt 25
Baker John James The Middlesex Regt London 36
Balaam Arthur John Royal Artillery Essex 24
Baldwin William Charles Royal Artillery Middlesex 22
Banks Raymond Royal Artillery 26
Barbour James Munro Royal Engineers Dumfries 26
Barlow William Arthur Royal Artillery Berkshire 28
Barnes Cyril Royal Artillery 22
Barnes John The Royal Scots Scotland 27
Barnes John Royal Artillery Sunderland 25
Barnes Walter The Middlesex Regt 28
Barratt Walter Arthur The Middlesex Regt London 22
Barrett John Charles The Middlesex Regt 25
Baskerville Albert Thomas Royal Artillery 38
Bates Ronald Langley Royal Engineers 41
Bath Ronald Jack The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 26
Baxter James Philip Royal Artillery London 24
Beaton James Thom Royal Artillery Scotland 24
Beesley Norman Royal Engineers Birmingham 22
Bell David Bowie The Royal Scots 31
Bennett John The Middlesex Regt London 23
Bennett Leonard Charles The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 35
Bennison William Royal Artillery 23
Berry Ralph Royal Artillery Essex 35
Berry Thomas Malcolm The Royal Scots Durham 26
Black Andrew Christe The Royal Scots 26
Black George Royal Artillery 38
Blackman Albert Lionel V Royal Engineers 29
Boag John Law Royal Engineers 30
Bond James William The Middlesex Regt Essex 37
Bowditch Alfred Edward Royal Artillery Middlesex 33
Bowey George Henry The Middlesex Regt London 27
Boyce Samuel John Royal Artillery 40
Boyle Thomas John The Royal Scots 23
Bradford Alfred Thomas The Middlesex Regt 27
Bremner William Royal Artillery Scotland 26
Brennan Michael Royal Engineer 26
Brockley Wilfred Army Dental Corps Cheshire 29
Brooks Sidney Royal Artillery Worcestershire 24
Brotherston A Dockyard Defence Cor 42
Bryant Willie The Middlesex Regt London 26
Bull Walter The Middlesex Regt Essex 37
Bumley Fred Royal Artillery Surrey 40
Burdett Kenneth Royal Artillery 26
Burgess Frederick Royal Artillery Manchester 24
Burnell Robert James Royal Artillery 23
Burnett Alexander Buchan The Royal Scots 32
Burnett Peter The Royal Scots Scotland 25
Burns Evan Owen Royal Artillery Liverpool 24
Burns Thomas McDermid The Royal Scots Scotland 25
Burrows Frank Royal Artillery 26
Burrows Vernon Howard Royal Artillery Staffordshire 28
Butler Thomas Royal Artillery
Butler Walter William Royal Artillery Sheffield 29
Campbell Clifford Herbert The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 23
Campbell James The Royal Scots Scotland 34
Campbell Norman N The Royal Scots Scotland 26
Carley John Royal Artillery Newchurch Ross 38
Carpenter Maurice Royal Engineers 27
Carrell George Thomas The Middlesex Regt Essex 27
Carrington William The Royal Scots 27
Carter John Ernest Royal Engineers 26
Carter Leslie John Royal Artillery Essex 23
Cartwright Leslie George ***** Essex 26
Caseley Frank Royal Artillery 34
Caslake Edwin Reginald The Middlesex Regt 32
Chalgrave Frank The Middlesex Regt 19
Chalmers Alexander The Royal Scots Scotland 25
Chapman Douglas Vernon The Middlesex Regt Kent 24
Charles Douglas Amos The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 23
Charles Sidney Royal Engineers 42
Charlton Rennison The Royal Scots Durham 25
Chick Henry The Middlesex Regt London 25
Childs Thomas Bernard Royal Artillery Shropshire 23
Chown George Henry Royal Artillery London 34
Christian Charles Harold Royal Artillery 24
Christie George Alexander The Royal Scots 28
Clapperton Robert The Royal Scots Scotland 27
Clark James The Royal Scots 29
Clark William The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 30
Clarke Charles Arthur The Middlesex Regt London 26
Clarke John Henry The Middlesex Regt 28
Clayton Samuel Royal Artillery Lincolnshire 23
Cleggett Albert Ernest Royal Signals Corps Kent 26
Clifford George Frederick The Middlesex Regt Hertfordshire 30
Clogy George Alfred Royal Artillery London 23
Cockburn Richard Royal Artillery Durham 26
Cole Frederick William Royal Artillery
Coleman Patrick The Royal Scots Scotland 28
Colthorpe Wilfred Royal Artillery Yorkshire 33
Combe Alexander Hunter E The Royal Scots Scotland 26
Commerford John The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 27
Coneghan James The Royal Scots 26
Connolly John Patrick G The Middlesex Regt 30
Cook Henry The Royal Scots Scotland 31
Cook James The Royal Scots Scotland 28
Cook Peter Harold Royal Signal Corps Cambridgeshire 25
Cooke James Leslie Cyril Royal Engineers 26
Cooke John Patrick The Middlesex Regt Irish Republic 25
Cooke Leonard Royal Artillery 27
Cooper Albert Edward The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 28
Cooper George William Royal Engineers 29
Copping Henry George The Middlesex Regt Monmouthshire 25
Cornwall Andrew The Royal Scots Scotland 22
Couch Henry Royal Artillery 22
Cousins George John Frec Royal Artillery London 36
Craddock Thomas George Royal Artillery Wales 24
Crawley Frederick William Royal Signals Corps Middlesex 23
Creed Frederick William Royal Artillery 24
Crichton George The Royal Scots Scotland 26
Critten den Albert Stanley Royal Engineers Sussex 27
Cross William Albert Royal Artillery Chester 27
Crowley Patrick Joseph The Middlesex Regt Irish Republic 34
Cuell William Tom Royal Artillery Surrey 47
Culpeck Francis Henry The Middlesex Regt London 27
Curtis LLewellyn Royal Artillery 28
Dainty George Henry Royal Artillery 23
Dair Robert Francis Royal Artillery 47
Daly Joseph Hunter The Royal Scots Scotland 22
Dannan Stephen John Royal Signals Corps 29
Davis Donald Edward Royal Engineers 27
Davis Harold Raymond Royal Engineers Stoke-on- Trent 33
Davis John Peter Richard The Middlesex Regt 25
Davis Joseph William Royal Artillery Birmingham 27
Dawes James The Middlesex Regt 29
Dawson George Royal Engineers 35
Day Harry Royal Engineers Kent 35
Delderfield Geoffrey Albert Royal Artillery Hertfordshire 25
Denyer George Royal Engineers Surrey 27
Dickson George Jackson The Royal Scots 25
Dixon Norman Royal Artillery Yorkshire 25
Doane Ernest Royal Artillery Cheshire 29
Dochard John Royal Artillery 26
Donnelly John The Royal Scots Scotland 27
Dooley Clifford Vincent Royal Artillery Nottingham 23
Drew Wilfred Royal Artillery 25
Duddridge Richard Henry Dockyard Defence Cor Kent 28
Dune George Brown The Royal Scots 28
Dunlop George The Royal Scots 26
Durose Robert James Royal Artillery Irish Republic 40
Dutch Cecil Henry Francis Royal Artillery Wiltshire 38
Eaton George The Middlesex Regt 27
Edge Leonard The Royal Scots London 22
Edwards James T. L. N. Royal Artillery Norwich 25
Egan John The Royal Scots 25
Ellard Cecil Royal Artillery 25
Elley Harold Edward Royal Artillery Yorkshire 28
Elliott Frederick Alexande The Middlesex Regt 27
Ellis Ernest The Royal Scots 26
Embleton William The Royal Scots 28
Embling James Albert Royal Engineers Gloucestershire 27
Evans Douglas Charles Royal Artillery Swansea 24
Everett Leslie Charles Royal Artillery 22
Eves John Charles Royal Artillery Wales 21
Fairbairn Alexander David The Royal Scots Scotland 23
Ferrie Gordon Royal Signals Corps Scotland 27
Fidler Edward Dixon Royal Artillery 29
Findlay Edward The RoyaL Scots 29
Fish lock Ernest Alfred J. Royal Engineers 28
Fisher Joseph Royal Artillery Lancashire 24
Flinter Edwin Stuart Royal Artillery Dorset 41
Foley Andrew The Middlesex Regt 27
Ford George The Royal Scots 29
Ford Sidney Royal Artillery Gibraltar 39
Forster Arnold William Royal Engineers Lancashire 23
Foss John George Royal Artillery Durham 22
Foster Edward Sinclair Royal Engineers 25
Fox Henry Royal Signal Corps 24
Franklin John Wilfred Royal Artillery 25
French Walter Leonard The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 27
Frenchum Frank Ernest The Middlesex Regt Hertfordshire 24
Fry William Francis Royal Engineers Sussex 23
Fuicher CecLi Eric Royal Artillery 21
Fullagar Thomas Royal Artillery 26
Fullerton Thomas The Royal Scots Scotland 28
Fyffe Neil The Royal Scots Scotland 28
Gadd George Richard Royal Artillery 26
Gailev Leonard Henry Royal Artillery 22
Gale Edward George Royal Signal Corps Wales 24
Gale John Frederick T. The Middlesex Regt Middesex 26
Gallagher Joseph Brendin Royal Artillery Irish Republic 25
Gardiner George The Royal Scots Scotland 27
Gardner Andrew Pollock The Royal Scots Scotland 25
Garth Patrick The Royal Scots Lancashire 23
Gentry Frederick James The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 29
George Alfred William Royal Artillery 24
Gibson Frederick William The Middlesex Regt London 30
Gibson Hugh The Royal Scots 27
Gibson Richard The Royal Scots Scotland 27
Gill Norman Henry Royal Artillery Devon 22
Glister Montague Henry Royal Artillery Middlesex 31
Glover Herbert Edwin The Middlesex Regt 27
Godfrey Alfred Trevor Royal Artillery Surrey 30
Godson Austin The Royal Scots Scotland 38
Goff James Henry Royal Engineers Hampshire 28
Goldie Charles The Royal Scots Scotland 28
Goodman Albert The Middlesex Regt 27
Gordon Ian Frances The Middlesex Regt London 27
Gorman James Thomas Royal Signal Corps 34
Goudie Harold Royal Signal Corps Staffordshire 31
Gould Henry Royal Artillery 36
Gourlay Ian Douglas Royal Engineers Essex 38
Gracey Peter Douglas Royal Signal Corps Devon 27
Grainger James The Royal Scots 27
Grant Denis Royal Engineers 22
Grant Edward The Royal Scots Surrey 26
Gray Christopher Frederic Royal Engineers Wiltshire 22
Gray Frederick Bernard The Middlesex Regt Surrey 24
Green Albert John Royal Artillery 23
Green Ernest Edward Royal Signal Corps Berkshire 34
Green Frederick The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 27
Green Jack Garfield Royal Engineers Cornwall 28
Green William John Royal Artillery 25
Gregory Thomas Henry Royal Engineers Lancashire 23
Greig William The Royal Scots Scotland 27
Grist Victor Charles The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 25
Gubb Percy William Martin The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 26
Guille John Robert Royal Artillery 24
Haines Charles Henry The Middlesex Regt 29
Hall Douglas James Royal Signal Corps 25
Hall Geoffrey Nathaniel Royal Artillery 23
Hall Reginald Ernest The Middlesex Regt 28
Hall Samuel The Royal Scots Scotland 25
Hall Thomas The Royal Scots 33
Hall Walter Royal Artillery Wales 25
Hall Walter The Middlesex Regt 20
Hamill Thomas The Royal Scots Scotland 28
Hamilton Isaac The Royal Scots Scotland 32
Han ran Thomas Bernard Royal Art;llery 24
Handford John Frederick The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 24
Hanley George Royal Artillery Liverpool 24
Hardington Ronald Royal Artillery 23
Hare Charles The Middlesex Regt Essex 25
Harkinson William John Royal Signal Corps 26
Harper Henry George Royal Artillery 25
Harrigan Francis William Royal Engineers 22
Harris Charles Richard The Middlesex Regt 26
Hart Robert The Royal Scots Scotland 26
Harvey Cyril The Middlesex Regt 30
Harvey Cyril Royal Artillery 22
Harvey James The Royal Scots 28
Hatcheft Percy John The Middlesex Regt 39
Hatfield Charles Henry The Middlesex Regt Essex 30
Hatton Thomas Royal Artillery Yorkshire 23
Havercroft Samuel The Royal Scots 29
Hawkins Joseph Edward Royal Engineers Middlesex 29
Hawkins William Henry Royal Artillery Kent 22
Haynes Narold George Royal Engineers Worcester 26
Hayward Walter Alfred The Middlesex Regt 34
Headley William Arthur Royal Artillery Wales
Hemmingfield Arthur Royal Artillery Yorkshire 23
Henderson David The Royal Scots 35
Henderson Francis The Royal Scots 36
Henderson Lancelot Royal Artillery Scotland 27
Heslop James Royal Artillery Northumberland 23
Hewer Edward Henry John Royal Signal Corps 25
Hewitt Frank Royal Artillery Yorkshire 22
Hewson Thomas James Royal Artillery 26
Hickman Oscar Royal Artillery Staffordshire 24
Hildred Reginald John Royal Artillery London 24
Hill Ernest Royal Artillery Yorkshire 27
Hiscock Albert Roy Royal Artillery 26
Hitchin Henry Alfred Royal Artillery 26
Hodge John Henry Royal Signal Corps London 23
Hodge Walter Resolution G Royal Signal Corps Portsmouth 43
Hodkinson Kenneth T. The Royal Scots Cheshire 22
Hogan William Royal Artillery Liverpool 22
Hooley Reginald Royal Artillery Lancashire 33
Hope Arthur The Middlesex Regt 34
Hormburb John Sydney W. Royal Engineers Buckinghamshire 27
Horner Georga Borham Royal Artillery 25
Houghton Frantis John The Middlesex Regt 29
Howarth John F. Royal Artillery 35
Hughes William The Royal Scots 29
Husband Edwin Royal Signal Corps Cornwall 33
Hutchison William The Royal Scots Scotland 31
Iies Arthur Henry The Middlesex Regt Bristol 26
Irving Malcolm The Royal Scots 20
Isaac Harry Royal Artillery 25
Jackson Albert James The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 27
Jackson George Allborn A. The Royal Scots 27
James James Ivor The Middlesex Regt 29
Jeffrey Andrew Buchan The Royal Scots 24
Jenkins Charles The Royal Scots 27
Jenkins Ernest The Royal Scots 27
Jennings Albert George The Middlesex Regt Hertfordshire 23
Jinks Henry Royal Artillery 23
Johns Denzil Royal Artillery Staffordshire 41
Johnson Arthur James Royal Artillery Portsmouth 20
Johnson Oliver Royal Artillery Durham 24
Johnson Wilfred James Royal Engineers Yorkshire 20
Johnston James The Royal Scots Scotland 28
Johnston Robert James The Royal Scots 26
Jones Thomas David The Middlesex Regt London 28
Jordan-Bowditch Horace J. Royal Signal Corps 22
Joslin Henry John The Middlesex Regt 30
Kehoe Edward Michael Royal Engineers Portsmouth
Kelly Maurice The Royal Scots Scotland 29
Kennedy Albert Royal Engineers Yorkshire 29
Kennedy John Alexander The Royal Scots Scotland 29
Kenny Michael Royal Artillery 27
Kerruish John Alfred Royal Artillery 23
Kimber James Royal Artillery Cheshire 22
Kimpton William Ernert Royal Engineers London 23
Kinnard William Henry Royal Artillery 25
Kirby Alfred The Royal Scots Yorkshire 27
Lake Alexander Sidney Royal Engineers 21
Lane Francis Edward Royal Artillery Stoke-on-Trent 27
Lane John Hugh Royal Artillery 26
Langdell Stanley The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 22
Langridge Walter Thomas Royal Artillery Sussex 24
Lanib Peter McDonald The Royal Scots 30
Law Reginald The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 22
Lawlor William John The Middlesex Regt Irish Republic 23
Leigh Thomas Richard Royal Artillery Middlesex 23
Lewis Arthur Royal Signal Corps 25
Lewis Ertiest Royal Artillery Isle of Man 26
Limacher Frank Oliver Royal Artillery Devon 25
Linklater Arthur The Royal Scots 30
Linton George The Royal Scots 24
Linton James Frederick Royal Artillery Devon 22
Littlefield Frederick The Middlesex Regt Wales 28
Livesey Albert Charles Royal Artillery Liverpool 24
Lochrie George Sutherland The Royal Scots Scotland 27
Logan Sydnel The Royal Scots Scotland 21
Love Noel John Royal Artillery Yorkshire 22
lszard George The Middlesex Regt London 24
Lyon George Royal Artillery Yorkshire 23
MacDonald Thomas Royal Signal Corps Scotland
Mace Frank Edward Royal Artillery 23
Mace Harry Leslie Royal Artillery 22
Macey Frank Leslie The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 23
Mackay William The Royal Scots Scotland 30
Manders Thomas George Royal Engineers Birmingham 25
Marsh William Thomas Royal Artillery 25
Marshall Henry Gibson The Royal Scots Scotland 27
Marshall Thomas The Royal Scots Scotland 34
Mason William Alfred Royal Artillery Sussex 24
Maynard James Alfred The Middlesex Regt 27
McAndrews George Royal Engineers Durham 34
McBride Alexander David Royal Artillery London 25
McCallum William The Royal Scots 26
McCormack Bernard Royal Artillery London 25
McCullock William The Royal Scots 41
McDermott Cornelius The Royal Scots 29
McDermott James Royal Artillery Liverpool 24
McDermott Lawrence Royal Artillery 36
McElroy John Royal Artillery 24
McEneaney James Royal Signal Corps Scotland
McGillivray James The Royal Scots Scotland
McGivney John Royal Artillery 27
McHugh Bernard The Royal Scots Manchester 24
Mckinlay Robert The Royal Scots 27
McLean Andrew Montague The Royal Scots 26
MclLwraith Wilfred Arthur Royal Engineers 24
McMeechan Hugh Mcintosh The Royal Scots Scotland 24
McPherson Charles Donald The Royal Scots Scotland 31
McSherry Peter The Royal Scots 34
Mead James Charles The Royal Scots London 29
Medley Lloyd Charles Royal Artillery Yorkshire 29
Melbourne Frank Edward The Middlesex Regt London 23
Mendelson Arthur Leonard The Middlesex Regt Kent 30
Metcalfe Thomas Arthur The Middlesex Regt Manchester 35
Miller Donald The Royal Scots Lancashire 34
Minchin Arthur Filix Royal Artillery Berkshire 24
Mitchell Maurice Royal Engineers Kent 31
Morgan Trevor Kenneth Royal Signal Corps 31
Mose George A. Royal Artillery Hampshire
Moxham Henry Richard Royal Engineers Hampshire 23
Murphy Thomas The Middlesex Regt 28
Murray John Stuart The Middlesex Regt 29
Murray William The Royal Scots Scotland 31
Murrell Arthur Robert The Middlesex Regt 23
Musto Stanley Arthur Royal Artillery 37
Ncwington Richard T. J. Royal Engineers Warwickshire 26
Nellist James Royal Artillery Durham 24
Newman Thomas Harry Royal Engineers Hampshire 25
Newnham Bertrwn Charles Royal Signal Corps 25
Newton Percy Alfred The Middlesex Regt
Norman Alfred William Royal Artillery 34
North Albert James ScotsSI9IW t~OQS Wiltshire 23
North Frederick Ernest The Middlesex Regt Hertfordshire 29
O'Connell Jeremiah Royal Artillery 22
O'Connor Michael Oliver The Royal Scots Scotland 22
O'Rourke Thomas The Royal Scots Scotland 25
Oakley Thomas Ernest Royal Artillery Yorkshire 32
Officer, Maj. John Moore
Ormiston John Mitchell The Royal Scots Scotland 23
Oswald Ronald George The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 26
Owen Glyn Royal Artillery 24
Owen Gordon John Royal Artillery 30
Pacey Arthur The Middlesex Regt London 25
Page Charles Albert Royal Signal Corps Essex 33
Page William Cecil Royal Artillery Sussex 26
Palmer Joseph Benjnmin P The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 27
Panting Hugh Eric R. The Middlesex Regt 27
Pape George William The Middlesex Regt 26
Parker Raymond John The Middlesex Regt 26
Parsons Arthur John Royal Signals Corps 26
Paterson Henry The Royal Scots Scotland 25
Payne Arthur Royal Artillery Coventry 27
Payne Terence Robert The Middlesex Regt London 22
Pearce Raymond John C. The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 26
Pearson Alfred The Middlesex Regt 28
Pearson Harry Royal Signal Corps Durham 36
Peffers Adam The Royal Scots 31
Pelhan Harold Alfred G. The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 30
Pembroke William Henry Royal Artillery 26
Pennick Reginald Joseph The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 26
Penny Richard Arthur The Middlesex Regt 22
Pepper Frank Crookes Royal Engineers Yorkshire 24
Perry Donald Charles Royal Engineers 25
Philipson John Beaver Royal Artillery Kent 24
Phillips Edward John The Middlesex. Regt 22
Phillips Reginald Ernest The Royal Scots 24
Pickston Leslie Royal Signals Corps Lancashire 30
Plummer William Arthur Royal Artillery Buckinghamshire 27
Pollock James The Royal Scots 30
Pope Donald Charles Royal Engineers Sussex 25
Potter John Henry Royal Signal Corps Hampshire 24
Potter John Thomas Royal Artillery Durham 25
Potter Robert Royal Artillery 33
Powell William John The Royal Scots 23
Pressley Harvey Royal Artillery Nottinghamshire 31
Priest Henry Herbert Arthur Royal Artillery 33
Priestley George Royal Artillery Bristol 22
Pring Mark Edward The Middlesex Regt 26
Pritchard Janes Royal Artillery 33
Probert Sidney Charles G. The Middlesex Regt 27
Pullar James Royal Artillery Scotland 26
Rainey Eric Royal Engineers 27
Rainsford Henry Charles Royal Artillery 23
Ramage Humphrey George Royal Engineers 32
Ramsey James Robert The Middlesex Regt Essex 37
Ramsey John Fitcter The Royal Scots 25
Rankin Thomas Royal Artillery London 38
Raper William George Royal Artillery Yorkshire 31
Ratcliffe Norman Ernest Royal Engineers Derbyshire 31
Rawlings Frank Royal Artillery Essex 39
Redfern George Stanley Royal Signal Corps 30
Reed George William Royal Artillery Yorkshire 22
Rees Leonard Frederick Royal Artillery Plymouth 34
Reeve Sidney Arthur Royal Engineers Leicester 33
Richards Frederick William R.A.M.C.
Richards Robert William The Royal Scots Scotland 34
Richards Stanley John Royal Artillery Yorkshire 34
Riches Jack Ernest The Middlesex Regt London 32
Richmond Robert Henry Royal Engineers York 28
Ricketts GeorgeRaymond Royal Artillery 25
Ridden Donald The Middlesex Regt 29
Ritchings Thomas Royal Artillery Warwickshire 22
Roberts Alfred Henry Royal Artillery Scotland 25
Roberts Charles Arthur Royal Engineers 26
Roberts Leonard The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 26
Robertson Albert Thomas The Middlesex Regt 26
Robertson Mornington The Royal Scots Scotland 28
Robertson Peter Ian N. Royal Signal Corps 25
Robinson John Royal Artillery Lanceshire 22
Robinson Joseph Royal Signal Corps Lincolnshire 33
Robinson Percy Albert G. Royal Engineers Essex 22
Rogers Ernesr James W. Royal Artillery 24
Rogers John Francis Royal Signal Corps Yorkshire 45
Rogers William Royal Engineers Australia 22
Rompen George The Royal Scots Durham 29
Ross John Connacher The Royal Scots 22
Round Walter Thomas Royal Artillery Worcestershire 23
Rule Albert The Middlesex Regt 27
Rule Charles Frederick The Middlesex Regt 25
Russell Alexander The Royal Scots Scotland 26
Russell Robert The Middlesex Regt 26
Russell Thomas Royal Artillery Middlesex 42
Samuels Christopher The Middlesex Regt 27
Sansum Harry The Middlesex Regt 36
Sayce Thomas Royal Artillery 25
Schorsch Robert The Middlesex Regt 23
Scott Alexander The Royal Scots
Scott Arthur Reginald G. Royal Engineers Dorsetshire 24
Scott Donald The Royal Scots 28
Scott Frank Douglas Royal Artillery Kent 24
Scott Robert Ferrie The Royal Scots Scotland 27
Scully John Patrick Royal Signal Corps 28
Seager Albert Ernest Royal Artillery 25
Searle Henry George Royal Artillery Lancashire 39
Selwood George William Royal Artillery 33
Sharp Duncan Royal Artillery Scotand 21
Sharrock Harnold Maynard The Royal Scots Cornwall 26
Shepherd George Royal Artillery 37
Shepherd Thomas William Royal Signal Corps 28
Shipp Cecil Edward Royal Engineers 36
Shirlaw George Fitness Royal Artillery London 33
Short Leslie Charles The Middlesex Regt Cornwall 27
Simmons Edward Walter Royal Engineers 23
Simpson Matthew Allen Royal Artillery Durham 32
Simpson Thomas The Middlosex Regt Lancashire 28
Sinclair Frederick Leonard The Middlesex Regt 30
Singleton Thomas Royal Engineers 34
Skinner John The Royal Scots Scotland 26
Smalley Frank The Middlesex Regt 29
Smith Ernest Alexander The Middlesex Regt 29
Smith Frederick William Royal Artillery 24
Smith John Royal Artillery 26
Smith John Brazier Royal Artillery 23
Smith Leslie Frank Royal Engineers 24
Smith Leslie lvor Royal Artillery Wales 25
Smith Matthew The Royal Scots Scotland 31
Smith Patrick The Royal Scots 39
Spall Arthur Ernest The Middlesex Regt 25
Spare Dermot Royal Signal Corps Yorkshire 23
Sparkes John Charles Royal Artillery Berkshire 25
Spence John Frederick Royal Engineers Isle of Wight 27
Spencer Geoffrey William Royal Engineers Middlesex 23
Spencer Reginald Charles Royal Engineers Hampshire 24
Spiers George Edward The Middlesex Regt 23
Standford Frederick Samuel The Royal Scots Essex 40
Stanners Adam Ramsey The Royal Scots Scotland 27
Steele William Ernest The Middlesex Regt London 22
Stemp Reginald Stanley Royal Artillery Middlesex 33
Stewart Forbes The Royal Scots
Stewart William The Middlesex Regt 24
Stewart William Gallagher The Royal Scots Scotland 28
Stickley Thomas The Middlesex Regt 34
Stobbart John Douglas Royal Artillery 23
Stocker James Lawrence Royal Artillery Shropshire 24
Stone George Frederick R. Royal Artillery 24
Stot James Black Royal Signal Corps 30
Sturdy Patrick Joseph The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 28
Suggitt Robert Royal Signal Corps Durham 33
Sumner William Royal Artillery Lincolnshire 29
Tait Alexander The Middlesex Regt 28
Tait Robert The Royal Scots Scotland 22
Talks Vernon Royal Signal Corps 28
Tarner John Norman The Middlesex Regt Suffolk 34
Taylor Alec The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 21
Taylor Gerald Francis Army Dental Corps Lancashire 30
Taylor Norman Royal Artiller Scotland 21
Thackeray Samuel Robert Royal Artillery 28
Thomas Alfred Llewellyn Royal Engineers 26
Thomas Cyril The Middlesex Regt Wales 27
Thomas David Royal Artillery Wales 23
Thomas Edwin Royal Artillery Chester 24
Thomas Jack The Middlesex Regt 30
Thomas Jack Henry The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 26
Thompson Andrew The Royal Scots 23
Thompson Frederick John Royal Artillery Essex 21
Thompson William Royal Engineers Irish Republic 33
Thomson Alexander The Royal Scots Scotland 23
Thomson David Haston The Royal Scots 35
Thorn Ronald Alfred Royal Engineers 21
Thrush James Waters Royal Artillery Somerset 34
Tivey Richard John The Middlesex Regt Essex 26
Tomlinson John Brarnley Royal Signal Corps Nottinghamshire 27
Tooley Michael Royal Artillery 41
Townsend George Royal Artillery 23
Trinder George The Royal Scots 38
Tucker Joseph Henry The Middlesex Regt Wales 25
Tunmer William Arthur The Middlesex Regt 28
Turnbull James Royal Engineers 25
Turner Frank Royal Engineers Stoke on Trent 23
Twomey Wilfred Roy Royal Engineers Isle of Wight 24
Upton Edward George H. Royal Engineers Hampshire 29
Valentine Roland Edward The Middlesex Regt Middlesex 23
Vallance George William E The Middlesex Regt Australia 37
Waddington Wilfred Gibson Royal Artillery 26
Wakefield Joseph William The Royal Scots 23
Walker Frederick Charles The Middlesex Regt 31
Walker Leighton William C The Royal Scots Sussex
Walker William The Royal Scots Surrey 29
Wallace Warner Royal Artillery Scotland 24
Walters John The Royal Scots Wales 29
Warburton John Royal Artillery Lancashire 23
Ward B. M. Royal Artillery 26
Warder Alexander Charles Royal Artillery Hampshire 31
Warren Chrishopher Royal Signal Corps Hampshire 23
Waters Robert Edward The Middlesex Regt London 27
Wathen Walter Norman Royal Signal Corps Hampshire 36
Watkins John Patrick The Middlesex Regt 24
Weaver John Douglas Haig The Middlesex Regt 26
Webster Allan The Middlesex Regt 24
Webster George Royal Artillery Pembrookeshire 30
Weeks Douglas Reginald Royal Signal Corps 25
Wellington Richard Henry Royal Artillery 49
Wells William George Royal Artillery 36
Welsh James Blaney The Royal Scots Scotland 25
Weston John William Royal Engineers Staffordshire 37
Whelen William Royal Engineers Hampshire 31
White Robert The Royal Scots Scoland 24
Whitefield Charles Arthur Royal Signal Corps Hampshire 31
Whitehead Arthur Frederick Royal Artillery 36
Whitehouse Herbert The Middlesex Regt 32
Whitham James Percival The Middlesex Regt
Wigzell Wallace Frank Royal Signal Corps Dorsetshire 43
Williams Frederick lvor Royal Artillery 24
Williams Ronald Frederick Royal Artillery 22
Williams Thomas Alun Royal Engineers Wales 27
Williamson James The Royal Scots 27
Willis Francis Royal Signal Corps Dover 25
Wilson Arthur Stanley Royal Artillery Durham 23
Wilson Charles Edward The Royal Scots Scotland 33
Wilson William Eric Royal Artillery Essex 39
Withington Henry Royal Artillery Staffordshire 38
Witty Herbert Charles The Middlesex Regt Sussex 22
Wood Lawrence Archer The Middlesex Regt 32
Wooldridge Edward Royal Artillery Derbyshire 26
Woollcott Edgar Joseph Royal Engineers 25
Woolley Bertram The Middlesex Regt Kent 27
Woolwright Alfred The Royal Scots Nottinghamshire 27
Wordley Ernest George R.A.M.C. Surrey 30
WylieWilliam The Royal Scots 35
Yeoman Herbert George Royal Artillery 25

The Poetry of John Durnford

John Durnford

Stanley John Harper Durnford was born on 9 March 1920 in Edinburgh. Educated at Sherborne School from 1934 – 38, he won the English Verse Prize in 1936/37 and 1938; when he also won the Barnes Elocution Prize and the Longmuir English Prize. He edited the School magazine.

He went up to Trinity Hall, Cambridge in 1938 to read History and a promising career beckoned; possibly in education, or the Church. However he was only there a year when War was declared and in September 1939 he quickly joined the Royal Artillery and was posted to Malaya. Leaving Glasgow in March 1941, he made friends on board ship with officers of the Lanarkshire Yeomanry and transferred to that regiment, attached to the Artillery. He arrived in Bombay and after training with the Ghurkas sailed again across the Andaman Sea to Port Swettenham in North Malaya, landing there in August. He fought all the way down the peninsula from Kedah on the Siamese frontier in December 1941 to the last days of the battle for Singapore, culminating in the fall of that island on 15 February 1942, when out of 130,000 Commonwealth casualties he was one of 38,496 British troops captured by the Japanese. In October he was sent with 21,000 other FEPOW to Siam/Thailand to work on the River Kwai ‘Death’ Railway, in country that contained panther, pythons, rattlesnakes and iguana, where even the Thai villagers were afraid to go. 12,399 FEPOW died there, alongside over 90,000 Asiatic labourers.

John Durnford was in Khanburi camp helping to build that railway, spending a gruelling 12 hour working day where each man was designated a cubic metre of earth or stone to excavate by hand. Unlike in Europe, officers below the rank of Captain were also expected to do manual work and, as a Lieutenant, John endured hardships such as starvation, personal assaults and the epidemic diseases of dysentery, malaria and cholera with minimal medical assistance. He wrote his verse at night and with no electricity he had to write by the light of a lamp made of an old tin filled with coconut oil.

It took some days after VJ Day for news to reach Khanburi, and Durnford was finally liberated on 2 September 1945. Thanks to the efforts of Earl Mountbatten he was one of 1,134 FEPOW repatriated from Rangoon to Southampton on the P & O liner ‘Corfu’: arriving on 8 October: the first of 22 ships carrying FEPOW to dock here. It was during the homeward journey that cable-grams and letters had been received through the Recovered Prisoner-of -War Mail Centre, one of these was from John's fiancée saying she had married someone else. No families or girlfriends were allowed to meet them, but they were greeted on board the ship by General Sir Ronald Adam, the Adjutant General; and by Lord Nathan, the Acting War Minister, who gave each FEPOW a written message of welcome from King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. John Durnford has written poems describing his return to Southampton, which feature here.

On disembarkation John and his fellow FEPOW were kept for two days under canvas on Southampton Common before he was given a rail warrant to return to his parents’ home in Bath, having not seen them for over four years. On returning home many FEPOW were to find that wives had re-married and girlfriends had not waited. All had to acclimatise to relationships that they had not had for four years.

The following year John Durnford married a long time friend Paula Hansford; their son Peter was born in 1947 and their two daughters Sara and Caroline in 1949 and 1950.

*****

In common with many thousands of his fellow FEPOW survivors, the peace was not kind to John Durnford. Although he took a regular commission as a Captain and pilot in the Army Air Corps, the memories of his time as a FEPOW were always fresh and he suffered from bouts of severe depression. Following a breakdown when flying in North Africa in 1952, he was retired from the Army on an 80% invalid pension, rising eventually to 100%.

Still with a deep faith, he initially started to train for the priesthood, and then took a number of jobs. Being unable to settle at any of these he turned to his writing skills resulting in his POW story 'Branch Line to Burma' which was published in 1958 by MacDonald.

The legacy of all these experiences took a heavy toll on John’s personal and family life and his first marriage ended in 1959. He then moved to Bristol, remarried to Belinda a few years later and had another son Tom but sadly this marriage also ended.

John managed to continue writing consistently throughout his life, producing another memoir of his flying years called 'Testudo'. He self-published his poetry 'Immortal Diamond' in 1975 and 'A form of Consolation: Poems from 1942-1945' in 1984. In 1985 some of his poetry was included in a collection titled 'Poems of the Second World War ' published by Dent Everyman's Library in association with The Salamander Oasis Trust .

After another brief marriage in the mid-80s to Sheena, who helped him by collating more of his life story and writings, John Durnford finally retired to his beloved City of Bath where he died on 11th August 1995.

*****

John Durnford’s poem Dedication, written for a reunion of the 18th (East Anglian) Division at the House of Commons on 7 October 1956, forms the cornerstone for FEPOW 75.

Hubert Burton reads three short poems by John Durnford

Reunion Dinner

Southampton

Repatriation

Repatriation

Coming Ashore

List of ships into Southampton

  • October 7th - Corfu
  • October 17th - Almanzora
  • October 18th - Queen Elizabeth
  • October 18th - Indrapoera
  • October 22nd - Maloja
  • October 22nd - Ormonde
  • October 22nd - Orion
  • October 28th - Chitral
  • October 31st - Ile de France
  • November 5th - Queen Elizabeth
  • November 9th - Highland Monarch
  • November 11th - Athlone Castle
  • November 14th - Dominion Monarch
  • November 18th - Queen Mary
  • November 18th - Principessa Giovanna
  • November 27th - Queen Elizabeth
  • November 28th - Durban Castle
  • December 9th - Alcantara
  • December 11th - Corfu
  • December 11th/12th - Orontes
  • December 13th - Arawa

FEPOW75

Southampton Memorial

 

Mayor Reading - memoirs of a Far East prisoner of war repatriated to Southampton

Councillor Susan Blatchford, Mayor of Southampton, reads a memoir from Lt John Durnford RA who survived three and a half years of hardship on the death railway in Siam.

 

FEPOW75

Acknowledgements

Hon. Director: Roger Townsend

Virtual FEPOW75 Team


Website Curator: Julian McSweeney MA
Website Designer: Ken Rayner
FEPOW Consultant: Meg Parkes MPhil
Communications: Katie Belo dos Santos FITI, MCIL
Communications: Camilla Paul

Physical FEPOW75 Team


Finance: Antony Fanshawe FCA MBA
Finance: Simon Reynier
Administration: Philippa Taman
Southampton City Council: Craig Lintott
Repatriation Commemoration: Walter Tuttlebee OBE
Dancing Man venue: Mandy Lacey-Cross

Contributing Supporters

Matt Ankers, Dr Tony Banham, Keith Bettany, Cllr. Sue Blatchford - Mayor of Southampton, Hubert Burton, Peter Campos PhD, Chris Carnegy, Linda Brouwer Carrigan, COFEPOW, Sears Eldridge, The FEPOW Family, Major Brian Finch - The Middlesex Regiment, Lady Ann Foley, Lieutenant-General Sir Andrew Graham C.B., C.B.E. Infantry Colonel Commandant and former Colonel of the Regiment, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and The Royal Regiment of Scotland, Richard Hutchinson, Joyce Lewis, Megan Maltby - Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Captain James Ramsay - Adj., The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, Lieutenant-General Sir William Rollo K.C.B., C.B.E. - Blues and Royals, Reverend Pauline Simpson - NFFWRA, Colour Sergeant Alastair Tripney - Pipe Major, The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of, Scotland Pipes and Drums, Jonathan de Sausmarez, Warner Goodman LLP, Corporal Christopher Watt - The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland Pipes and Drums, Anthony Wilder