Researching T/193038 Driver Walter SAMPLER, RASC att'd 6 HAA RA: FEPOW

Hi, I researching my relative who was a POW in WW2. I have found various details ;
Full Name

Name: Walter Sampler

Rank: Driver

Service Number: T/193038

Service: British Army

Regiment: Royal Army Service Corps

Archive Reference: WO 417/42

I have found his POW record which includes date of capture and where he was captured. I think I have identified which camp he was in using a key and I think I have identified it as
Camp Malay POW Camp. I was wondering if anyone had any more information of this camp?

I am also wanting to find more about his journey before he was captured and his regiment. Which I also believe was the Y Coy., Royal Army Service Corps.

I have attached some images for references. Any help would be appreciated SO much.

Many thanks.

 

Welcome to the Forum.


This is your relative's Liberation Questionnaire (completed by him on liberation). He has not completed it fully as the dates are not consecutive.
However it shows he was in the RASC Section attached to 6th Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment. Assuming that he was attached to 6th HAA before leaving UK indicates that he left UK on 13 November 1941 arriving Singapore 13 January 1942. 6th HAA split. RHQ with 12th and 15th Batteries going to Sumatra and Java leaving 3rd Battery in Singapore. Your relative remained in Singapore where he was captured. He was then held in Changi POW camp.
He was then transported to work on the Thai-Burma Railway (better known as the Death Railway).
There's then a gap in the dates but he eventually returns to Singapore and to Krangi Hospital, whether as a patient or not I can't tell.
Death Railway

You should contact the very helpful Thai-Burma Railway Centre who will, almost certainly, be able to help you with the Camps he was in on the railway.
TBRC Online: THE THAILAND-BURMA RAILWAY CENTRE

I'll have another look at this in the morning.

Tim

 

As Tim says above, your relative appears to have been attached to the Royal Artillery.

 

A starting point for 6 HAA is the "go to" reference site: 6 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA - The Royal Artillery 1939-45

If you search online with: "6 heavy anti-aircraft" site:ww2talk.com that identifies a number of threads; change to "6 HAA" and many more appear. I have not looked at them.

There are many more threads than the Tag system finds; it depends on the opening author of a post adding a tag.

He appears in this long thread, probably his basic details as it appears to be list of 6 HAA POWs. See: 6 (HAA) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery - Survivors

His name does not appear elsewhere here.

Too many possible hits using hims full name and RASC in an online search.

We always recommend making an application for his service record (details on PM next). It is not available elsewhere online, alas it can take up to a year to appear.

 

Wow this is all absolutely amazing thank you all so much. I hadn't found any of this information, I am very grateful.