Genealogy Chat

I have always been lead to beleive that my Gran's brother was taken prisoner by the Japanese in the second world war, is there anywhere you can search for this information as although I have a surname his christian name is not known. Thanks Jane

Jane I would have thought it would be easier to find his first name first - did he share your gran's surname and if so, can you check the GRO birth indexes before/after her birth to find him? Secondly, there is info about Japanese prisoners of war records at the national archives here: www.catalogue.nationalarchives.gov.uk/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=303 but I don't think you will find any details online, I think you will have to go to Kew. nell

Hi Nell He was my gran's brother so his surname was her maiden name but I don't known his forename hence the search and as she is no longer with us or anyone I could ask I wondered if there was a site - their surname is not too common so hope something might click - ie family names. I was also told he then went to Australia and died there some years later (possibly took his own life). Thanks for the info you have given I will certainly give it a try. Regards Jane

You might find this site of some uses. I will look for others if you need them www.mansell.*com/pow-index.html

Hi Peter Thanks for the info I'll give it a try Regards Jane

If you put in search British POWs of Japan you will get lots of sites come up, some about pows sueing for compenstion as well as info on what it was like in the war. WARNING some of the sites might show pics of Beheadings The way the Japs executed some POWs I have in the past found pics showing the FULL execution.

Thanks Peter I will look - hopefully I'll not see any beheadings - it is quite distressing to think what was done to the prisoners especially when it may have been a relative. I do know however that he was supposed to have survived the camp. I'll give it a try. Thanks again

Hi Jane This site by Carol Cooper for the Children of Prisoners of War www(.)cofepow(.)org(.)uk/index(.)html gives a good insight on the subject and her story is amazing. If you finally find his Regiment it could be one that is mentioned on the site. Keith

Other sites you should try are ones to do with, the fall of Singapore, The Chindits ( I think that how its spelt) Burma WW2 and WW2 in the far east. You can find some thing on all the above by using search

Hi, let us have your grandma and her brother's names. You never know, someone might get inspiration! Regards, Mary

Thanks Keith & Peter Mary The Surname was Cannon, he had a brother Henry, and 3 sisters - Mary Elizabeth (Molly) (my gran), Cissie & Alice, his parents where James & Hannah and all the children (except Gran) where born in Gateshead, Tyne & Wear. As previously mentioned I don't know his forename and hoped to be able to find it some how. Thanks Jane

Jane You don't give any dates, but here is a Cannon born in Gateshead who lived in Australia. Same name as your g-grandfather, so could be a possible: CANNON JAMES WILLIAM : Service Number - WX6862 : Date of birth - 16 Aug 1908 : Place of birth - GATESHEAD ENGLAND : Place of enlistment - CLAREMONT WA : Next of Kin - CANNON JULIA Incidentally, I live in Claremont, WA! It's a suburb of Perth: Richard

The same James Cannon was cremated at a local cemetery: James William Cannon: died 20/12/1962 aged 54 Ashes Request: TAKEN BY WAR GRAVES FROM KARRAKATTA

Hi Richard Thank you so much - I think this must be him there are too many coincidences for it not to be. Where did you find the info if you don't mind me asking Thanks again Jane

Hi Jane The war service record can be found by searching the National Archives of Australia website (www.naa.gov.au). On this site, you can request copies of the original docs, which may give you more info. The cremation record is from the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board of Perth website (www.mcb.wa.gov.au). If you wanted to get his death cert, details on how to apply are at: www.justice.wa.gov.au . The death cert would most likely have his parents names, if this was known by the informant. Cheers, Richard

How amazing to see this thread. My Dad was a Jap POW, he was in Thailand at Kanchanburi. He is now 85! Tomorrow we are going to Thailand, to take him back to the area that he was in, and to visit the graves of his friends who never came back. I don't know where he got the info, but he has a list of the plot numbers that we need to visit in the two cemetaries that are there. I don't know how any of us will cope with this, I couldn't cope with the exhibition at the Imperial War Museum, so I won't visit the sites suggested in this thread. An intersting thing, is the Japanese perspective on this period of history, both my sons have visited Japan as part of a programme called Pacific Venture (A reconcilliation programme for decendants of POW's) The young people have very litttle knowledge of the attrocities, or even their involvment. Sorry going on a bit here!!!!! Suex