WW2 Prisoner of war Burma - help needed please

Discussion in 'Prisoners of War' started by Jackie H Knapp, Jun 10, 2018.

  1. 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.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. BarbaraWT

    BarbaraWT Member

    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.
     
    Last edited: Jun 10, 2018
  3. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    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.
     
    Last edited: Jun 10, 2018
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  4. Enigma1003

    Enigma1003 Member

    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?
    .
    Woods, 5834445.jpg
     
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  5. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    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
     
    Last edited: Jun 10, 2018
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  6. amberdog45

    amberdog45 Senior Member

    Hi Jackie, can you see George's death in this search engine at GRO? FreeBMD - Search
     
  7. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    From WO392/23 at the National Archives:

    Andrews G.  2.jpg
     
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  8. 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.
     
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  9. 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.
     

    Attached Files:

  10. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    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?
     
    Last edited: Jun 19, 2018
  11. Hi Tricky Dicky.
    He died in Portsmouth in 1960.
    Born 1914.
    46 when he died.
    His wife was Irene Amelia.
    Thank you.
     
  12. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    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
     
  13. Thank you again. It looks like this is the only option for me.
     
  14. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    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
     

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