I am researching the family history of my best friend for her 70th birthday. She knows her father was in a POW camp in Burma. He died in 1960, never having recovered from his experiences. The information I have for him is as follows. Private George Andrews Army Service number 5834445 Date of capture 15/02/1942 I believe he was in Camp number 4. Could anyone suggest where I may find out more information on him and his time during his imprisonment. Many thanks in advance.
Hi Jackie, Someone will be able to help you. It’s amazing your friends father survived his ordeal. No surprise he never recovered, there was no way of understanding just how cruel the Japanese were.
I rather think you may have the wrong George Andrews. The one you are showing the records for was a Private in the 5th Suffolk Regt, captured Singapore, transported from Singapore 17/10/42 and died 6/11/43. Tim Edit: There are errors in this man's Service No. Some have 5834445, some 58344455, 18 Division Roll has 5834455.
Very confusing. CWGC has service number 5834445 showing for Arthur Woods, 4th Suffolks, died 1945. If service number or regiment is not known, do you have a home address for 1942? .
Results George Andrews, 5834455, Private, Suffolk Regt Died 6/11/43 Chungkai War Cemetery Tim Edited to add: Son of Henry and Jessie Andrews. Husband of Louisa Ellen Andrews. All from North Kensington, London
Oh dear. Thank you all so much for your help. It's back to the drawing board/GRO/Ancestry/Find My Past tomorrow. I'll check his home address in 1942 too. Thank you.
Hello - me again. I hope that this time I have found the correct George Ernest Andrews. I am attaching what I think was his attestation in 1932 showing his service number as 824385 In 1942 his home address would certainly have been in Portsmouth, possible either Byerley Road, or the 1939 address of his wife, Hampshire Street Portsmouth. He died in Feb 1960. My further searches on FMP and Ancestry have not brought up anything about his internment - maybe his family just got it wrong.
Jackie - do you know where he died, or do you have an approximate year of birth TD or his approximate age when he died? or his wifes name?
Hi Tricky Dicky. He died in Portsmouth in 1960. Born 1914. 46 when he died. His wife was Irene Amelia. Thank you.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 Name: George E Andrews Death Age: 46 Birth Date: abt 1914 Registration Date: Mar 1960 Registration district: Portsmouth Inferred County: Hampshire Volume: 6b Page: 632 With a copy death certificate then you can apply for his service records - Requests for personal data and service records: a detailed guide England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005 Name: George E Andrews Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1938 Registration district: Portsmouth Inferred County: Southampton Spouse: Irene A Newman Volume Number: 2b Page Number: 850 TD
The MOD are the only ones that hold service records for military personnel of WW2 era, other companies only hold details that are publically accessible such as from CWGC, so it is the one and only place to go to for these official documents TD