Major P.T. Howard POW of the Japanese

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.

 

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.

 

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

 

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”.

 

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

 

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

 

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.

 

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

 

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

 

Next grouping of photos



Following list was in grouping and I am trying to match up

 

Some letters of "Recommendation"

 

Wanted to have a clearer version of these since the scanner was installed

 

Thank you for sharing those photos.

 

Part of the grouping included the Nominal Roll from September 45 from the "2nd Battalion The Cambridgeshire Regiment".

 

I also found this press clipping in the grouping

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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.