I don't really have time to join this thread at the moment but will try to get back to it tomorrow. I would disagree with you Kevin. Never heard of that, it is Air Mechanic (Ordnance). *edit* the above post from timuk is correct. Strictly speaking the number is not his FAA number but just his RN official number. The FX just points to him being a junior rating from the Fleet Air Arm. Regards Hugh
Either an error with the list - quite unlikely - or he simply wasn't there as a FEPOW. Possibly it was another relative that was a FEPOW?
The list quoted is the one compiled by CoFEPOW, a tremendous task but it is neither an official list nor infallible. It was, and I stand to be corrected, mainly compiled from the Japanese record cards, and in some cases this card did not exist. I have come across FEPOWs who are not on this list. I would also query the statement that on return to UK he weighed 6 stone. By far the majority of returning FEPOWs rapidly put on weight once they had access to good food. The long repatriation of around two to three months meant that by the time they reached UK, although suffering in other ways, few resembled the skeletal bodies they had been. As stated by others - Service Records certainly needed. Tim
Happy to be corrected, but CWGC seem to have no AM (Ordnance) category and instead show, for example, using fairly similar Service numbers.... Air Mechanic (O) 2nd Class (Officer 2nd Class) CALTON, MORRIS. Service Number FX.104178 Died 26/07/1944. Aged 20. H.M.S. Landrail. Royal Navy Son of Louis and A. Calton, of Glasgow. Air Mechanic (O) 2nd Class. KITT, EDWARD JOHN. Service Number FX.101191 Died 13/08/1943. Aged 34. H.M.S. Jackdaw. Royal Navy Son of William Edward Deeble Kitt and Catherine Kitt, of Liverpool; husband of Olive Linda Kitt, of Waterloo, Liverpool. but I'm no watery type, so accept your correction!
For info: Fleet Air Arm Armourers/Naval Air Mechanic (Ordinance) Branch of the Royal Navy. Fleet Air Arm Archive 1939-1945 Contents Page Tim
Timuk Using your web site above and doing a search under Fleet Air Arm Archive Database all Fleet Air Arm POWs 1939-1945 Register Fleet Air Arm POW Roll of Honour Search page of the Fleet Air Arm Archive 1939-1945 Contents Page Gives zero result - all the 'A's' are here - A-Z Prisoners of War index. TD
Ok.. Have spoken with mother in law... She says he was in Changi prison and escaped when it was bombed.... I have checked records and no mention of him at all!!! She says they were told his records were "lost" and it was only down to the British Legion that helped to verify everything..... So where now?
Hold on, Barney! You need to draw breath a little here.... As far as the folks on here who know about these things, he does NOT appear to have been captured by the Japanese in their records.... Accepting there is always an exception, I doubt whether the RBL have any better access to records than we have experts on here. You have been asked for details and have produced a photo of a rating in RN uniform and a receipt for some kit. However, the details for Birth and Death link to a chap in Army uniform who doesn't seem to have much resemblance to F-i-L. I also can't find any reference to Changi Goal being bombed, and if prisoners had escaped, I can't see how they would have got far! Sorry, but we can't rely on what you tell us without his Service Record. You've been given the links on how to do so, and then we can give you some real help.
To add to what previous posters, including myself(!), have stated, this will go in circles until there is access to his Service Records. Additionally, while I could be wrong, my understanding is that Service prisoners were kept at 'Changi' but that does NOT mean Changi Jail. Changi Jail was for 'normal' prisoners - it was a Prison (doh) - and Civilian prisoners. 'Changi' was, most likely, Selerang Barracks: which was such a hell hole that Changi Jail was probably relative paradise. I speak from experience: my Uncle George used to say 'Changi' but it has been established that he was in Selarang Barracks. Anyway, enough of this speculation: where are your chaps Service Records? Final point, really, who would have bombed Changi Jail when it was in Japanese hands?
Slight correction to above. As stated Changi Jail (Prison) and Changi POW Camp were not the same place. Changi POW Camp was a huge camp including Selerang, Kitchener, Roberts and India Barracks. Changi Jail, which had been the civilian prison, was used for civilian internees (the British civilian population) until 1944 when they were moved out to Sime Road Camp. The jail was then occupied by POWs returning from the Thai-Burma Railway. Tim
Tim Excellent bit of detail. Pure speculation - again, I really must stop this - but a possibility is that the chap was sent out to the Far East and captured post 1943 (ref the dates on his uniform order), sent to the Burma Railway, moved down to Changi which was then bombed - possibly during its liberation - and which is when he then 'escaped'. Unlikely but not impossible. If that is the case, then it's an excellent piece of family history.
Singapore was certainly bombed by the Americans prior to liberation but they targetted the naval base, apparently quite accurately. I have no knowledge as yet of Changi being hit. No more speculation until the service records are available. Tim
