Lance Corporal Percy Herbert Horace Ward RAOC - Japanese Prisoner of War

[DavidJP]

Hi all,

I am helping a friend look into their grandfather's time as a Japanese prisoner of war during WW2 & I am somewhat unfamiliar with researching this part of WW2.

Their grandfather was as mentioned above, Lance Corporal Percy Herbert Horace Ward (1908-1945), RAOC, regimental number 10536797.

His CWGC entry here: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2171293/WARD,%20PERCY%20HERBERT%20HORACE

His Fepow/Cofepow entry here: http://www.cofepowdb.org.uk/cdb/Controller.jsp?action=showfepow&id=44322

We are aware that there are around 7 records for him on FindMyPast, one of which is believed to be his Japanese Index Card?, but neither of us has access to FindMyPast.

Percy was in Singapore when it fell in 1942, his fepow entry shows a date of capture of 8th March 1942. It is believed that he was initially in Changi pow camp, is known to have been on the Sumatra death railway. Believed also to have been in Bakanbaru/Pakanbaru pow camp. His pow number is not known. Percy sadly died on 17th May 1945.

CWGC document if I read it correctly shows a transfer from Medan to Jakarta War Cemetery. Was this his remains being transferred?

Can anyone help with info or point us in the right direction for online info/or record repositories where info can be found?

Any & all help gratefully received.

Many thanks in advance.

Kind regards

David

[brionne]

This is not really my domain but have had a look.
Japanese records are mainly just numbers,
Have picked out what I can, not that easy.

Jap Index Card is in Japanese,with English written where from etc,service corps/number ,pretty basic.

British Army Roll of Honour gives Theatre of War as Netherlands East Indies.
Number 10536797 RAOC born London EC.
Death 17 May 1945.

Another image 08/03/1943---17/5/1945
Camp MA.

Prison camp Malaya,Birth 1908 Res London.
Arch ref,WO 345/54

Believe POW No,17202 may also be camp number.

Bandoeng Draft 1st Batch British Ward P H H. 1943.

Death details, WARD Percy Herbert Horace,  A,  Lcpl,    2, Death 17/5/45  Cemetery Camp 2 kms 4
[191] near PAKAN BAROE   with his service no there are these,,,,,,11017  and  4534
You need to find more help on this,Brionne

[DavidJP]

Hi Brionne,

Many thanks for your reply, I very much appreciate your looking at & picking out of info for me.

Kind regards

David

[Jebber]

Have you tried the following?

 royalmailmemorials.com

[DavidJP]

Hi Jebber,

Many thanks for that, much appreciated, same thing was suggested on the thread I started as regards same here: http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=779305.msg6333970#msg6333970

I shall be following up the suggestion however & emailing the people at the website given to see what info if any they can provide.

My thanks again.

Kind regards

David

[mathsmal]

Hi

Pakan Baroe was the location of the Sumatra railway - built by POWs but not as well known as the Thai/Burma one. There is some good information on this site - http://pakanbaroe.webs.com/

His Japanese POW index card indicates that he died from BeriBeri on 17th May 1945.

I recommend that you contact the Thai-Burma Railway Centre in Kanchanaburi - they have records on FEPOWs (not just those in Thailand) and are very helpful.
https://www.tbrconline.com/

Matt

[jds1949]

Might I also suggest that you try your local library as most central libraries have subscriptions to Find My Past which will enable you to study the documents referred to for yourself, and even print them off [most libraries allow this]

jds1949

[Nanna52]

David if you are looking for general information on prisoners of the Japanese then have a look at this site.  It has some examples of documents and if you are game information about war crimes.

http://www.2nd2ndpioneerbattalion.com/sampledocumentsFRAMESET.html

It is an Australian unit.

[DavidJP]

Hi mathsmai, jds1949 & Nanna52,

Many thanks for your replies with links & suggestions, very much appreciated.

Kind regards

David