Great Grandad Prisoner of War in Japan

Ok so I believe it says embarkment for overseas.. then he disembarked Malaya 2 months later.

It appears he had embarkment leave at the end of September for a week. This must of been the last time he was at home and maybe the last time they saw him

 

Overseas

TD

 

Before you become confused. At that time Malaya meant Singapore. So disembarked Malaya meant disembarked Singapore. That at least rules him out being part of 89 Battery's detachment on board MS Abbekerk which never disembarked till Oosthaven in Sumatra.
Tim

 

I think it's a very mundane "Embarked for Overseas" - not giving the enemy any info there!

Poor sod, he left England on 8 November 1941 which was before Japan attacked Pearl Harbor so had no real idea to what he was heading towards.
By the time his ship arrived, the Japanese were swarming down Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur had fallen even before they arrived on 13 January 1942.
It's almost as if British troops simply disembarked straight into captivity without even seeing any fighting and totally unprepared for an enemy that regarded surrender as a disgrace.
This might help with a time frame Invasion of Malaya and Singapore

 

Thanks for the link,
Joins the army, trains for a couple of years then gets sent straight into Japanese hands, it is sad reading this. And seeing his application form he’s filled out writing about his wife and children, it’s sad to see.
His medical he had is interesting, he was only 9.5 stone when he joined the army! Didn’t have a lot of reserves to keep him going!

 

Hi Emma,
Checked my Dad's records. He joined two weeks before your great grandad. 1/2" taller and 2lbs heavier!!
He won't though have been in training for two years. The Regiment was deployed around the UK mainly on airfield defence. My Dad's record shows he was at RAF Benson, RAF Bicester and Gosport amongst others either with 90 or 78 Battery. If you haven't got this info I'll have a look through some info I got from the RA Museum to see where 89 Battery were sent. Info on movement of Regiment on embarkation and in Singapore is in my Post 31 on this thread.
You've done brilliantly for five weeks research.
Tim

 

Thanks just went back and re read that, makes a lot more sense with what I’ve found out since.
Hopefully I’ll hear soon from the Red Cross application I did in January and they might have more info.

 

I need to make a visit to this R.A. museum.
He weighed not much more than me and I’m 5ft 3 and would say slim so they must have been very trim!

 

He was captured in March 42, why does he not get reported missing until February 43..?

 

Emma,

Provision of information by Japanese authorities left alot to be desired which led to delays as in your great grandfathers case.

Steve