Buried Battles & Veterans' Voices
Prisoner of War
It was the lot of many thousands of soldiers to spend years in prisoner of war camps. Prisoners taken by the Germans, particularly in 1940, found themselves in labour camps in Germany or Poland, where conditions were harsh and dissolved into chaos as the Nazi regime collapsed. In the Far East, the 2nd Battalion of the East Surrey Regiment was one of those caught up in the disastrous defence of Malaya and Singapore and soldiers of the battalion had to endure the privations and cruelty of the notorious Japanese prisoner of war camps.
Funeral of a prisoner of war at Stalag VIIIB camp, taken by John Baldwin of 2nd Battalion, the East Surrey Regiment.
(Click to enlarge)
Private Eric Reeves Eric Reeves, 1/5th Battalion, the Queen's Royal Regiment, remembers his capture in 1940 by a courteous SS officer. |
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Private Sid Whyte Sid Whyte, 2/5th Battalion, the Queen's Royal Regiment, recalls his captivity in occupied Poland, 1940-1941. |
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In-Pensioner John Kershaw, late Sergeant John Kershaw, 1st Battalion, the Queen's Royal Regiment, is captured at Arnhem in 1944. |
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Private Eric Reeves Eric Reeves, 1/5th Battalion, the Queen's Royal Regiment, remembers American bombing raids around the POW camp in which he was held captivity. |
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Private Stan Blay Stan Blay, 2/6th and 2/7th Battalions, the Queen's Royal Regiment, recalls the end of his captivity in Silesia. |
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Private Sid Whyte Sid Whyte, 2/5th Battalion, the Queen's Royal Regiment, recalls a terrible march across Northern Germany in the winter of 1945 and his release from captivity. |
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Private Eric Reeves Eric Reeves, 1/5th Battalion, the Queen's Royal Regiment, remembers taking advantage of the chaos of the end of the war in Germany to escape. |
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Private Eric Reeves Eric Reeves, 1/5th Battalion, the Queen's Royal Regiment, recalls the black market in his POW camp and being saved by a German with a sense of humour. |
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Company Sergeant Major Len Jelley L Jelley, 2nd Battalion, the East Surrey Regiment, recalls the fall of Singapore, building the bridge over the River Kwai, and his release from Japanese captivity. |
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Sergeant Cliff Martin Cliff Martin, 2nd Battalion, the East Surrey Regiment, remembers the voyage into captivity in Japan and the end of the war. |
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