On the same day as the bombing in Pearl Harbour, the Japanese had started their invasion of the Malayan peninsular, threatening Singapore. Captain Richard George Read, a veteran of WWI, had re-enlisted in 1939 with the 102nd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, at Aberystwyth, having already spent 25 years in the Royal Horse Artillery. Early in 1941, he transferred to the 118th Field Regiment Royal Artillery, part of the newly formed 18th Division, which was to depart the UK late in 1941 bound for the War in the Middle East. However during their journey Winston Churchill decided to send them to the Far East, the war there was not going well there at his point, and Churchill had decided to send additional troops to bolster the defences and hold off any invading forces.
As with the rest of the 18th Division, the 118th were not prepared, trained nor did they have the correct equipment for war in the Far East, nevertheless they landed on 29th January 1942 during Japanese bombing raids of the harbour and , little did they know at the time, just days before the British Surrender on the 15th February 1942. On the 15th February 1942, the British and Commonwealth troops finally surrendered to the invading Japanese troops. The Japanese Commander, Lieut-General Yamashita had successfully led his 30,000 troops to overcome the 85,000 defending allied troops on Singapore.
To this day , it was the largest surrender of British led forces in history. Winston Churchill called it ‘the worst disaster’ in British Military History.
And so started three and a half years as a prisoner of war for my Great Grandfather along with 140,000 Commonwealth troops. The Japanese had refused to sign up to the Geneva convention and many of the camp guards were notorious for their acts of cruelty to their prisoners, the Japanese used the prisoners as slave labour, either on the infamous ‘Death Railway’ built by the POWs between Burma and Thailand or in Japan or their invaded territories.
My Great Grandfather was fortunate to survive the ordeal and was shipped back after the Japanese surrendered in August 1945. Upon his return to the UK in late November 1945, he caught the train home to Aberystwyth. I have an original copy of a Cambrian News article dated 7th December 1945 telling of my Great Grandfathers return and his time as a POW, transcribed below, where he was given a hero's welcome by the town and dignitaries.
He had never really recovered from his ordeal as a Prisoner though, and in August 1946, he was rushed to Chester Military Hospital again, suffering from what was later found out to be stomach cancer, he died there on the 26th September 1946. He is commemorated on Llanbadarn Fawr War Memorial.
'Strange Living - Life in a Jap Camp - authentic story of a Aberystwyth Repatriate'
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| Thanks to the National Library and the Cambrian News for permission to reprint this article |
Transcript
'Strange oddities like snakes and snails being used as foodstuffs and secret listening to the B.B.C. News from wireless sets installed in water bottles and tin cans, these and other thrills were all packed into the life of Capt. Richd. George Read, 3 The Broadway, Llangawsai ,Aberystwyth, whilst a prisoner-of war in the Far East.
Capt. Read arrived home on Wednesday week, and was given a tumultuous reception at the Aberystwyth Station. Owing to misunderstanding his wife, who had travelled to meet him at Shrewsbury, was not present, as the train that carried her husband was not the one expected. Capt. Reed was, however, met at the Station by his two daughters the Misses Eileen and Mary Read, who incidentally, he said, "I could hardly recognise, they had altered so much in that comparatively short time."
En route from Singapore to Madras on the SS Rajula, Capt Read met Dr. J. M. Cribbs, the ship's medical officer, who, prior to enlisting, was in practice at Aberystwyth, and will be well remembered by the residents. At Bangalore, India, the ex-prisoners were very well looked after and cared for by the Red Cross, and thorough overhaul was given to each man, and it was estimated then they left that most of them had gained about two stone in weight. Capt. Read sailed home on H.M.S. Llandovery Castle, and arrived at Southampton on Nov. 4th, whence he was moved to Chester Military Hospital before finally being supplied with clothing coupons and such like effects at a Liverpool camp to pre- pare him for a new life in his own country.
Capt. Read, who joined the Army in 1914 as a trumpeter in the Royal Horse Artillery, has now completed 32 years with the Colours and was Lt.-Quarter-master to the 146 Field Regiment at Aberystwyth in 1939. He left this country from Liverpool in October,1941, is the SS Arcadia, and sailed across the Atlantic to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where the whole company disembarked and boarded the SS America, renamed West Point, which was Americas largest liner. After visiting Cape Town, where the local organisations gave them grand welcome, the troops to whom Capt. Read was attached were given hardening-up training course for three weeks about 100 miles inland from Bombay. Finally, he and his comrades arrived at Singapore on January 29th, 1942, and were subject to heavy aerial bombardment before being captured on Feb. 15th.
Spending most of his time as captive in Changi Camp, with but a brief spell at Towner Road Camp, both in the vicinity of Singapore, Capt. Read said that beriberi broke out in March,1942. This was followed by skin troubles, eye ailments, diphtheria and general malnutrition, in spite of the prisoner's efforts in local gardens, which covered about 150 acres of land, where the captives grew as much as possible of green produce and tapioca, Ceylon spinach, etc. As food supplies decreased the health of the whole camp deteriorated; the fish that was sent in was rotten, but prisoners ate it, including the heads At this stage, Capt Read recalled the wonderful moral of the prisoners, "In spite of the shortage of food and clothing," he said, "We always knew that were on top. and the end for which we all prayed came about by our people arriving and the Japs capitulating. Whilst prisoner of war, we knew that the spirits of the people at home were such that it enabled us to keep our own high."
Referring to the hidden wireless sets, Cap Read said that they wore made from odd pieces which the men from wireless vans whilst on fatigues and were made secretly in the camp. During the whole time Japanese guards made regular searches, but all proved fruitless. Speaking on the brighter side of their lives, he said that the British and Australians made up good concert parties, and the Japanese did allow the prisoners to buy material for making instruments, many of which that were used in the orchestra were made by the men, such as basses, 'cellos, guitars, flutes and yin whistles.
As food went down in scale, the officers complained and the Japanese reduced the deductions for food and accommodation, instead of increasing the ration. They invested the remainder of the prisoners work pay, and when their country capitulated they wanted to pay using this money, but their money was worthless. "I might add' , said Capt. Read, that most of our valuables, such an watches, cigarette cases, lighters, and pens were sold to get food, much of which was obtained through the black market of the Chinese."
Capt. Read was met Aberystwyth Station by the Mayor and Mayoress (Cllr. and Mrs. A. W. Miller), the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress (Cllr. and Mrs. Griffith Davies), Cllr. Emile T. Evans, and a host of old friends and acquaintances. In a car he was slowly driven to his home, where the neighbours had prepared the street with lighting flags, and for a part of the journey headed by the Army Cadet Band, in charge of Drum Major H. Humphreys. “Speaking as an old soldier, said Capt. Read, "I admired very much the turn out of the Band, both their turn out and drill." Capt. Read wishes to thank everyone for their kindness and good wishes. “I was really and truly struck by the wonderful reception” he said.'
Blog by Simon Burgess
Author's website : https://www.richardgeorgeread.com/
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