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S/7662348
Lance Corporal
Desmond Ernest Lawrence Butler
1919/04/19 - Born Southampton, Hampshire
Son of John Ernest and Elsie Rose Butler
1941 - Desmond married Joyce Irene Lacey in Portsmouth
Next of Kin Wife, D Butler, Stewart Road, Bournemouth, Hampshire
Royal Army Service Corps
Malaya Command
Service
1939/11/01 - Enlisted
Desmond shown with a cross back row
Photo taken November 27th 1940
Stationed oversea in Singapore
1941/12/08 - The Japanese entered the war by bombing Pearl Harbour, attacking Malaya and Hong Kong. Japanese trrops were landed on the Thailand/Malay border at Singora and Patani, Thailand and also Kota Bharu, Malaya.
The Japanese quickly established a successful landing by taking the airfield at Kota Bharu. Without air cover, the defending troops were gradually pushed back down the west coast of Malaya towards Singapore. The Japanese used the tactics of getting behind the defensive lines and the troops had to withdraw. By the 30th of January, the last Allied troops crossed the causeway which separated Malaya from Singapore and the causeway was blown, placing Singapore under siege.
1942/02/09 - In the early hours, the Japanese made successful landings on the the North West coast of Singapore. They bluffed General Percival, as the Japanese had been concentrating bombing on the North East coast, where the 18th Division trrops were deployed. Within six days the Allied troops had been pushed back to the outskirts of Singapore City.
‘Singapore Surrender’ by Leo Rawlings
1942/02/15 - With the water supply for Singapore City in threat, Singapore surrendered to the Japanese.
1942/03/23 - WO 417/40, Casualty List No. 778. Reported ‘Missing’.
1943/05/05 - WO 417/60, Casualty List No. 1126. Previously posted Missing, Casualty List No. 778, 15/02/1942. Now reported a ‘Prisoner of War’.
1945/03/06 - WO417/89.1, Correction to previous Casualty List - both List No. 1126 and 778 referred to in original source. Rank should read ‘Lance Corporal’.
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The Evening News
Monday 10th May 1943
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Japanese PoW
1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore
Changi Camp
PoW No. I 1766
Japanese Index Card - Side One
Japanese Index Card - Side Two
1943/05/13 - Transported overland to Thailand with ‘H’ Force, train 5
Commander Lt-Col. R.R. Humphries, 77 HAA Regiment, RA
On roll of ‘H’ Force compiled at Kannyu Camp
New PoW No. 2615
Thailand Camps:
Tonchan, 132 km from Nong Pladuk
Commander Lt-Col. Newey
Hintok River Camp, 154 km from Nong Pladuk
Commander Lt-Col. Newey
1943/10/25 - The Thailand Burma rail lines joined near Konkoita, Thailand
Kanchanaburi, 52 km from Nong Pladuk
1944/May - Transported overland back to Changi, Singapore
1945/09/05 - On Changi Roll
1945/11/02 - Liberated Changi
General Seishiro Itagaki, Japanese Commander of Singapore, would not accept the surrender. Plus it gave him time to cover up all Japanese Atrocities in Singapore. The allied naval landing force 'Operation Tiderace' were delayed as it was still understood the Japanese would dispose of all the PoWs in Singapore if they landed. Mountbatten ordered British paratroopers into Singapore to protect the camps. To many of the PoWs in Singapore, those red berets of the paratroopers were the first signs that the war had ended. All this delayed organising the PoWs. It wasn't till the 12th September that Lord Mountbatten accepted the Japanese surrender at the Municipal Building. Hospital cases were the first to leave Singapore 1945/09/10 on the HMHS Koroa. They were soon followed by Repatriation ships which started reaching the UK about the 15th of October 1945. Why many of the liberated PoWs on these ships had November on their Japanese Index cards, I don't know as in other areas of the Far East, PoWs were marked as Liberated at their PoW camps with the correct date. Unless General Seishiro Itagaki did not make the cards available when the camps were liberated.
Liberation Questionnaire filled in by Desmond after being liberated
1945/11/21 - WO417/99, Casualty List No. 1916. Previously reported on Casualty List No. 1126 (Corrected by Casualty List No. 1698) as Prisoner of War now Not Prisoner of War. Previous Theatre of War, Malaya.
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Pacific Star
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War Medal
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1939-1945 Star
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Far East Medals
Post War
Desmond and Joyce were blessed with four sons
Paul, Richard, David and Stephen.
Desmond found work in Accounts at Paul Gieves and Hawkes Naval uniforms in Portsmouth. He then worked in Accounts at a Department store in Portsmouth.
Desmond passed away in 1986
Information
Paul Butler and Stephen Butler - Sons
Andrew Snow - Thailand Burma Railway Centre
Fall of Malaya and Singapore
Thailand Burma Railway
KEW Files:- WO 392/23, WO 361/2233, WO 345/08, WO 367/2, WO 361/2229, WO 361/2058, WO 367/2, WO 361/1946,
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