I get the feeling that someone has taken the details below and somehow concluded that he must have died in captivity. Why Changi, specifically, I have no idea. Conflict World War 2 Record set Prisoners Of War 1715-1945 Archive reference FO 916/50 First name(s) Leonard Last name Somerfield Year - Rank Driver Ship name Royal Army Service Corps Country of imprisonment - Ship or corps Royal Army Service Corps Prison camp or ship - Archive The National Archives Document details List of missing combatants - circulation among POW camps 1941 Category Military, armed forces & conflict Subcategory Regimental & service records Collections from Great Britain, UK None
The Army report is less specific in date of death - between 27 May and 2nd June, reflecting the chaos and loss of records at the time. With no identified body, then it could be he was trapped in a ship lost at any time between those dates. Are there any other personnel deaths in that period who were also attached to I Corps HQ? That might guide to a potential vessel, but in the confusion we may never know any better detail.
Changai reference appears to be a transcription error by find my past as original document clearly states `BEF` Perhaps a mix up between;- SOMERFIELD Driver 115116 LEONARD Sunday, June 2, 1940 Age 21 DUNKIRK MEMORIAL Royal Army Service Corps United Kingdom and SOMERFIELD Private QX12346 EDWARD Sunday, November 22, 1942 Age 42 KRANJI WAR CEMETERY Australian Infantry Australian Kyle
