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6147765
Frank Seymour
East Surrey Regiment
2nd Battalion
Malaya
The 2nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment fought in Malaya against the Japanese invasion force which landed at Singora and Patani in Thailand and Kota Bharu in Malaya.
During the retreat defences were set up at Gurun, these were occupied by 28 Indian Brigade with the East Surrey Regiment holding positions just behind the front line. On the night of 14th December 1941 the Japanese attacked the Indian Brigade, driving a gap through the Punjabi lines they reached the East Surrey Regiment Head Quarters. There they killed the officers and staff of the East Surrey H.Q., the only one to escape was the Brigadier himself. Throughout the 15th December the East Surreys fought bravely, holding the Japanese attack and later in the day helped cover the withdrawal from Gurun.
The losses at Gurun were so large that the 2nd Battalion East Surrey Regiment and 1st Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment were amalgamated to form the ‘British Battalion’ on 20th December 1941 under the command of Lieut. Col. C.E. Morrison, D.S.O., M.C., of The Royal Leicestershire Regiment. They fought as the British Battalion on the long retreat down Malaya and across the causeway which separated Malaya and Singapore. Singapore surrendered on the 15th February 1942 and Frank became a Japanese POW.
Japanese POW
Frank worked on the Thailand-Burma Death Railway at Kanchanburi, Tamakan, Chunkia and Hell Fire Pass camps as well as the bridge. All the time he had his best mate Jimmy Noon with him.
His short story is called Frank's Story of the Years 1940 to 1945.
Post War
After the long pain of living through that hell Frank went to work as a master butcher at Smithfield market for over 36 years and didn't retire until his late seventies.
Died
2008
Franks passing away in 2008 deserved recognition for him and those thousands of brave men that fought for king and country.
May they rest in peace.
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