Major P.T. Howard POW of the Japanese

Discussion in 'War Against Japan' started by Jba45ww2, Dec 19, 2018.

  1. Jba45ww2

    Jba45ww2 Well-Known Member

    I have attached a few pictures of a grouping that belong to Major P.T Howard who became a POW of the Japanese early in the war. By all accounts he was a true hero that always had his mens best interest before and after there capture. After they were liberated he was responsible in bringing justice against some of the Japanese officers who committed acts of atrocities against his men. The grouping includes the War diary that shows the last entry before surrender was declared. It is one of my most treasured groupings and shows the strength of character of Major Howard. HWRD1.JPG HWRD3.JPG HWRD2.JPG HWRD5.JPG
     
    Extreme, dbf, 4jonboy and 3 others like this.
  2. Jba45ww2

    Jba45ww2 Well-Known Member

    HWRD4.JPG HWRD6.JPG HWRD7.JPG HWRD8.JPG HWRD9.JPG
     
    timuk, PackRat and CL1 like this.
  3. Jba45ww2

    Jba45ww2 Well-Known Member

    Part of the grouping included photos of the prisoners after they were released. I was not sure if it would be offensive to others so I will only post one and wait to hear feedback. I apologize up front if I offend anyone but it was a part of history and they were used to bring justice. HWRD12.JPG HWRD13.JPG
     
    timuk, Tricky Dicky and PackRat like this.
  4. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    Welcome and a very interesting collection.
    Unfortunately with the exception of the WD the photographic quality of the other pages renders them (at least on my system) unreadable.
    Would love to see more.

    Tim
     
  5. Jba45ww2

    Jba45ww2 Well-Known Member

    Hey Tim, thanks for the feedback. Sorry for the poor quality. I just purchased a Cannon scanner so I will start having better quality of the documents. Great information for those who want to research POWs from “The Cambridgeshire Regt”.
     
  6. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Hi John,

    That is a very special collection you have for Major Howard. The front page of his liberation questionnaire is on line here, if you have not seen this already:

    Record Details
     
    CL1 likes this.
  7. Jba45ww2

    Jba45ww2 Well-Known Member

    Many thanks, first time I have seen the document. I consider this grouping one of the most important ones I have in my collection
     
  8. papiermache

    papiermache Well-Known Member

    The photographs appear to be extremely rare, and may even be of national importance. Thank you for posting.

    I am intrigued about Major Howard's role in war crimes. His Judge Advocate General ( London Office at Spring Gardens, Westminster ) witness card now in National Archives reference WO356/15 is fairly typical. It shows him to be at JC/49 Tarkenun ( numerous spellings ) at 211/228 kilometres from Banpong ( near to Bangkok). It does not cross reference to a suspects card. ( see photo). The cards in WO356 are an incomplete index of files, the vast majority of files are not available at the National Archives at Kew. However, the Singapore office of DJAG also obtained witness statements, and if Major Howard was working there post-war any diary or account he left would be very interesting.

    His Liberation questionnaire shows him to have moved into Thailand in October 1942 and was with with Lt Col J.R.Williamson of 1 Ind HAA.. Williamson could not be found by the JAG post-war. I can't see a reference to Tarkenun in the camps list but there will be an explanation somewhere to be found.

    The Cambridge Regiment museum display is at IWM Duxford. There is ( or was ) a large collection of 1 Cambs and 2 Cambs records in the Cambridgeshire Archives. I saw this about five years ago at Cambridge but the archive is in the process of being moved to Ely and records will not be available for a long time. There used to be a pdf list of the collection at Cambridge Archives reference R/97/52.

    Howard WO356:15:856.jpg
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2018
    Extreme, timuk and CL1 like this.
  9. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    There appear to be at least 3 Howards all in 2nd Bn Cambridgeshire Reg't possibly with links to Ely, would they be related, to all be in 2nd Bn?
    HOWARD, LESLIE FREDERICK. Private. Service Number 5833592. Died 03/09/1945. Aged 33.
    2nd Bn. Cambridgeshire Regiment
    Son of Arthur and Sarah Howard; husband of Evelina Howard, of Congham, Norfolk.
    Buried at YOKOHAMA WAR CEMETERY Brit. Sec. Plot Q. Row D. Cremation urn marker 15.

    HOWARD, LESLIE THOMAS. Private. Service Number 5832656. Died 09/09/1943. Aged 29.
    2nd Bn. Cambridgeshire Regiment
    Son of James and Mary Elizabeth Howard, of Cambridge.
    Buried at KANCHANABURI WAR CEMETERY Plot 2. Row N. Grave 61.
    (originally Takaneen Camp Grave 153)

    HOWARD, SELWYN IVO KENNETH. Corporal. Service Number 5933046. Died 19/07/1940. Aged 20.
    2nd Bn. Cambridgeshire Regiment
    Son of Edward and Edith Ellen Howard, of Ely.
    Buried at ELY CEMETERY Sec. F. Grave 241

    Two other Howards are on the Ely FEPOW List, Antony Rowland and Patrick Trelivin (that's how it's shown).
    Ely Area
    I suspect that the Patrick Trelivin (Trevellyn?) could be the P T Howard, the subject of this thread, (the form is very faint but the second name appears more like "Thomas" than Trelivin) Service Number 66792. Mother: Alice Mary. He died in 1995 in Chichester.
    Name: Patrick Trelivin Howard. Death Age: 85. Birth Date: 21 May 1909.
    Registration Date: Apr 1995. Registration district: Chichester, West Sussex.
    Register Number: BR33. District and Subdistrict: 7791
    There is this (transcription error?)
    Name: Percy Trelivin Howard. Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1909.
    Registration district Dublin South, Ireland. Volume: 2. Page: 635
     
  10. Jba45ww2

    Jba45ww2 Well-Known Member

    It is the last that is listed on your list Patrick Trelivin. I have my scanner hooked up and scanned all of the pictures that were connected to the Japanese mistreatment of POWs. I will break them up in groups and also included some documents. I will have some more later this evening scan0010.jpg scan0002.jpg
    scan0001.jpg scan0003.jpg
     
    kevg1111, timuk, ozzy16 and 2 others like this.
  11. Jba45ww2

    Jba45ww2 Well-Known Member

    Next grouping of photos
    scan0004.jpg
    scan0005.jpg scan0006.jpg

    Following list was in grouping and I am trying to match up
    scan0007.jpg
     
    kevg1111, timuk, Extreme and 4 others like this.
  12. Jba45ww2

    Jba45ww2 Well-Known Member

    scan0013.jpg Some letters of "Recommendation"
    scan0008.jpg
    scan0009.jpg
     
    ozzy16, papiermache and Owen like this.
  13. Jba45ww2

    Jba45ww2 Well-Known Member

    scan0012.jpg Wanted to have a clearer version of these since the scanner was installed
    scan0011.jpg
     
  14. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Thank you for sharing those photos.
     
    kevg1111 likes this.
  15. Jba45ww2

    Jba45ww2 Well-Known Member

    Part of the grouping included the Nominal Roll from September 45 from the "2nd Battalion The Cambridgeshire Regiment".
    scan00015.jpg
    scan00016.jpg scan00017.jpg
     
    Tricky Dicky likes this.
  16. Jba45ww2

    Jba45ww2 Well-Known Member

    I also found this press clipping in the grouping
    scan00020.jpg
     
    timuk and Tricky Dicky like this.
  17. papiermache

    papiermache Well-Known Member

    Wow ! Not seen some of these before.

    Some of the photos are in file WO325/72 at the National Archives. There are also descriptions of each photo in the file. It would take some time to compare your collection with those at Kew, but a very worthwhile exercise. As for places I recall that photos showing patients were taken in August 1945, at Nakom Pathom Hospital and others at Kanchanaburi. The Singapore photos are not in that file. Other photos show the camps for natives.

    The references to Japanese parties and documents were well documented by the Cambs historians but it is always important to have as many copies of documents as possible because they often differ in important respects. I Cambs suffered the most losses on the Hofuku Maru, sunk 21st September 1944.

    It has to be stressed that the experts in this field who have been researching far longer than I have know that photos of the camps such as these are, as I said before, extremely rare.

    I am very grateful to you for sharing them.

    Photographs of POWs and POW camps in Far East
    Reference:
    WO 325/72
    Description:
    Photographs of POWs and POW camps in Far East
    Date:
    1946 Mar
    Held by:
    The National Archives, Kew
    Former reference in its original department:
    M19/19/BM/1438
     
    timuk and Extreme like this.
  18. Jba45ww2

    Jba45ww2 Well-Known Member

    Thank you for your kind words. As I expressed before I consider this grouping one of my most important ones. Since I have now retired I definitely have the time to do the research and thanks for the information
     
    papiermache likes this.
  19. Extreme

    Extreme Tha Khanun explorer

    Great photos and sketch of Bukit Timah Camp, in the Adam Park/Sime road I should imagine.
     
    papiermache likes this.
  20. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    That clarifies that Percy Trelivin Howard, born Ireland in 1909, is the same as "Pat" Trelivin Howard.
    Both names are used in the letters you posted.
     
    papiermache likes this.

Share This Page