Please help with an RAF FEPOW lookup

Discussion in 'Prisoners of War' started by steved3811, Sep 6, 2020.

  1. steved3811

    steved3811 Member

    Could anyone with a copy of "Unsung Heroes of The RAF - The Far East Prisoners of War" please do a look-up for me?

    I'm trying to research Aircraftman 1038562 Gordon Hayward Holland who served with the RAF and was taken prisoner in Java.

    I can't see any reference to a squadron or unit apart from a note on his POW Index Card which states his secondary unit as St. Eval (he served there prior to his posting to the Far East in late 1941).
    Unfortunately he doesn't appear to have completed a Liberation Questionnaire so information is very sparse.
    He was held in Java before being transported to the Moluccas in 1943 with 'C' Group work party that constructed the airstrip on the island of Haruku.

    Gordon was shipped back to Java after becoming desperately ill, but did survive captivity and was liberated in 1945.

    Any help at all on units, dates and/or camps would be very greatly appreciated.

    Thanks
    Steve
     
  2. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    Steve, from the aforementioned publication....

    HOLLAND Gordon Hayward 1038562 - Unit not known - Held Java.

    Sorry but that’s all there is.
    Peter
     
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  3. steved3811

    steved3811 Member

    Hi Peter
    Thanks for checking

    best regards
    Steve
     
  4. Ashley29

    Ashley29 New Member

    Hi Steve,

    Have a feeling that this might be my friend's grandfather, did a photo come with the card?

    He was a prisoner of war, but they believed he was in Japan. But the name seems to be similar and once released he moved to Devon where he had my mate's father.


     
  5. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    Ashley29,

    Steve has not logged on since April '23, so I will send him a message next to ask him to return.

    Had a quick look online and found this, from St Dunstan's Review in January 1975:
    From: Full text of "St. Dunstan's Review"

    From same journal January 1980:
    From: Full text of "St. Dunstan's Review"

    Then:
    From: WW2 | Kingsteignton History Society

    Might be worth contacting this local history group: Kingsteignton History Society

    Then from the Google search text, though not on the link?
    From: Newton Abbot

    Hopefully this is all for him!
     
  6. Ashley29

    Ashley29 New Member

    This is fantastic, thank you so much. This is really helpful.


     
  7. steved3811

    steved3811 Member


    Hi Ashley
    Please accept my sincere apologies for the delay in responding. For personal reasons I've not really been on the website for some time.

    I suspect you're correct and it is the same person - Gordon was from that area of the country and ran a Post Office after the war despite the issues with his sight (resulting from his incarceration and treatment while a prisoner of the Japanese.

    I do have a photograph of Gordon which was provided by his daughter. I have been researching his wartime whereabouts on and off since before COVID. Unfortunately, due to personal circumstances I had to take a significant break from my research efforts which inevitably delayed things somewhat...
     
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  8. Ashley29

    Ashley29 New Member

    No problem at all, Steve - thank you so much for your help. I hope you're okay and taking care of yourself <3. Your post was so helpful for us to get an insight into my friend's grandfather, so we're grateful.
     
  9. Gareth Smith

    Gareth Smith Active Member

    Good Afternoon,

    I've found a few more links which might be of interest:

    Page 217 UK, WWII, Allied Prisoners of War, 1939-1945 - Fold3 - WO 361 Casualities and Missing Personnel 1939-1945 - 2008: Prisoners of War, Far East: Names of POWs in Java, up to 1 November 1944
    Page 464 UK, WWII, Allied Prisoners of War, 1939-1945 - Fold3 - WO 392 POW Lists 1943-1945 - 24: British Prisoners of War Held in Japan or Japanese-Occupied Territory: E - J
    Holland, Gordon Hayward in UK, Far East Prisoners of War, 1942-1946 - Fold3 - UK, Far East Prisoners of War, 1942-1946
    HOLLAND, Gordon H in UK, Exclusive Records of Imperial Prisoners of War Held in Japan, 1939-1945 - Fold3 - UK, Exclusive Records of Imperial Prisoners of War Held in Japan, 1939-1945
    Page 1 UK, WWII, Allied Prisoners of War, 1939-1945 - Fold3 - WO 345 Japanese Index Cards of Allied POWs 1942-1947 - 25: Japanese Index Cards of Allied Prisoners of War and Internees, World War II: Hiam-Holme
    Holland, Gordon Hayward in UK, Royal Air Force Nominal Index of Airmen and Airwomen, 1918-1975 - Fold3 - UK, Royal Air Force Nominal Index of Airmen and Airwomen, 1918-1975
    Page 23 UK, WWII, Allied Prisoners of War, 1939-1945 - Fold3 - WO 361 Casualities and Missing Personnel 1939-1945 - 1945: Prisoners of War, Far East: Java (Djawa) Camp, as of 1 November 1944
    Page 108 UK, WWII, Allied Prisoners of War, 1939-1945 - Fold3 - WO 361 Casualities and Missing Personnel 1939-1945 - 2010: Prisoners of War, Far East: POWs in Batavia District, as of 25 September 1945
     

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