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863659
Bombardier
George Henry Reynolds
1918/07/21 - Born Wolverhampton but moved to Newport as a lad
Son of George and Winefred Reynolds
1937/04/08 - Enlisted
Royal Artillery
5th Field Regiment
11 Indian Division
Service
1941/10/22 - George sailed with the 5th Field Regiment to the Far East
Being part of the 11th Indian Division they fought in the defence of the Malay Peninsular and Singapore.
Japanese PoW
1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore
PoW No. M 7333
Changi village then Changi Prison camp and later to Birdwood camp, working with a variety of working parties for nine months
Japanese Index card - Side One
Japanese Index Card - Side Two
1942/10/20 - Transported to Taiwan in England Maru with 1000 PoWs
New PoW No. I 1098
1942/11/14 - Disembarking Keelung and transported by train to Taihoku, the capital of Taiwan. The PoWs were marched through the streets in front of a large civilian crowd.
Taihoku (Camp 6)
Work included building a memorial park and a man-made lake
George woked for eight months building a marina
1943 - Moved to Kinkaseki (Camp 1)
Worked in copper mine
1945/03 - Mine was closed
1945/06 - Moved to Shirakawa (Camp 4A)
Contracted typhoid from contaminated rice, his weight dropped to under six stone.
Liberated Shirakawa, Taiwan
Sailed on U.S.S. Santee to the Philippines, from there he was flown back to Britain.
Post War
Here are some photos the taken by ‘Never Forgotten’ Taiwan Story on George’s return trip back to Taiwan, including photos with his safety helmet for re-entering the copper mine at Kinkaseki he was made to slave in.
Celebrating his 100th birthday July 21st 2018
George meets the Queen
Died
7pm
20th February 2019
Chest infection
Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport
Information
John Moses
Taiwan Story of the Camps
Photos on Taiwan Trip supplied by Mike Heather
KEW:- WO 392/26, WO 345/43, WO 361/1968, WO 361/1536,
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