To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

Royal Army Service Corps

T/203496

Driver

John Bryson

jcross

1920/04/05 - Born Paisley, Scotland

Son of James and Margaret Bryson

Occupation Driver

 

Next of kin - Parents, J and M Bryson, 45 Baterholm Road, Paisley

Royal Army Service Corps

No. 43 Reserve Motor Transport Company

 

1942/02/15 - Singapore surrenders to the Japanese

1942/03/03 - WO 417/40, Casualty List No. 784. Reported ‘Missing’

1943/08/23 - WO 417/65, Casualty List No. 1219. Previously posted Missing now reported ‘Prisoner of War’.

 

Japanese PoW

1945/02/15 - Captured Singapore

PoW No. IV 4741

Japanese Index Card - Side One

Bryson-John-01

Japanese Index Card - Side Two

Bryson-John-02

1943/04/28 - Transported overland to Thailand with ‘F’ Force, train 11

74th Train to Thailand

The route in cattle trucks to Thailand:-

1943/04/29 - Kuala Lumpur (0300 hrs), had rice and dried fish at Ipoh (1600 hrs)

1943/04/30 - Reached Pai (0200 hrs), arrived Haadyi (1700 hrs)

1943/05/01 - Water in cattle trucks very short, heat stifling in trucks all day..

1943/04/03 - reached Ban Pong

The PoWs were ordered off the Cattle trucks on arrival and after a walk of nearly a mile to a transit camp where they were then informed they would be marching North West  along the railway route in 14 mile stages. Many of the PoWs tried to sell their possessions to the Thais but not at a good price as the Thais knew the the PoWs from ‘F’ Force were already in bad shape and could not carry their baggage for long.

 1943/05/05 - After two days of walking through the night, as it was too hot in the daylight sun, they reached the small town of Kanchanaburi. Many who tried to carry their possessions left them at this staging camp.

Walking at night caused many problems as the track was uneven with bamboo shots cutting into their feet, in time tropical ulcers would form.

1943/05/16 - PoWs from train 11 party moved out at 1930 hrs.

1943/06/05 - Reached Songkurai, many of the PoWs had dropped out along the almost 300km route.

New PoW No. IV 2476

Kami Songkurai - 299.20km from Nong Pladuk

 

‘F’ Force had the most deaths on the Thailand Burma Railway

‘F’ Force Summery

 

British

Australian

Total

Departed April 1943

3336

3664

7000

 

 

 

 

Returned  Dec. 1943 - Sime Road

175

165

340

Returned Dec. 1943 - Changi

835

2060

2895

Returned Apr. 1944 - Changi

295

411

706

 

1305

2636

3941

Less Died at Changi

17

32

49

 

1288

2604

3892

I.J.A. Custody (Including Changi Hosp.)

11

 

11

Alive as at 30th Apr. 1944

1299

2604

3903

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Died Thailand Burma Railway

2013

1014

3027

Died Changi

17

32

49

Missing

7

14

21

Total Casualties

2037

1060

3097

 

 

 

 

Casualty Percentage

61.03%

28.95%

44.21%

 

Boxall-Edward-06tn

 

Died

Age 23

1943/10/30

Diarrhoea and Colitis

Buried Kami Songkurai, grave 390

After the war John was buried at Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery

 

1946/01/15 - WO417/101, Casualty List No.1961. Previously shown on Casualty List No.1219 as Prisoner of War, with Duty Location as Malaya. Now reported ‘Died’.

 

Loved Ones

Son of James and Margaret Bryson

 

Memorial

Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery

B3. V. 16.

Bryson-John - THANBYUZAYAT WAR CEMETERY PLAN

Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery

 

pacific-star-tn

war-medal-1939-1945-tn

1939-1945 Star-tn

Pacific Star

War Medal

1939-1945 Star

 

UPRIGHT, HONEST, JOLLY AND TRUE THAT'S HOW WE ALL REMEMBER YOU’

 

Information

Angela Ronald

Mike Heather

Japanese Transports

Thailand-Burma Railway

Commonwealth War Grave Commission

KEW Files:- WO 361/1656, WO 345/7, WO 392/23, WO 361/1946, WO 361/2058, WO 367/2, WO 361/2234, WO 361/2201, WO 361/2025, WO 361/2070,

*

''Our Thanks are for being a Chapter in Life.''

 

 

 

Keeping The Candle Burning

 

Fepow Family

In Memory of FEPOW Family Loved Ones
Designed and Maintained by Ron Taylor.

 

[FEPOW Family] [Roll of Honour] [B]

 

Honorary Life Member-1tn

Honorary member of COFEPOW

 

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