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T/271508
Driver
Robert Oswald Lionel Lawson
1920/07/21 - Born Rainford, Lancashire
Son of Bertram and Maggie (nee Whalley) Lawson
Brother to Bertram Augustus and Ella
Occupation Wages Clerk
1941 - Married Edith Mary Hesketh at Bridgewater, Somerset
Enlisted 1941
Royal Army Service Corps
att:- 85th Anti Tank Regiment
Service
1941/12/08 - Japan entered the war by attacking Pearl Harbour, Hong Kong and Malaya.
Japanese troops landed at Singora and Patani, Thailand plus Kota Bharu, Malaya.
The Japanese troops landing at Kota Bharu, soon took control of the airfield and the defending troops then had very little air cover.
The battle hardened Japanese quickly gained a foothold and pushed the defending troops back to Singapore Island.
On the 31st of January 1942, the Causeway joining Malaya to Singapore was blown in an attempt to halt the Japanese troops.
On the night of the 8th of February 1942, the Japanese landed on the North West side of Singapore Island. General Percival had made strong the North East coastline thinking that is where the Japanese would attack, but the Japanese bluff worked, as by the 15th February 1942, Singapore was forced into surrendering.
1943/06/09 - WO 417/62, Casualty List No.1156. Previously shown on Casualty List No.786 as Missing, 15/02/1942. Now reported a ‘Prisoner of War’.
Japanese PoW
1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore
Changi - Commander General Percival
Japanese Index Card - Side One
Japanese Index Card - Side Two
1943/04/28 - Transported Overland to Thailand with ‘F’ Force, train 11
Southern Area OVL Party 7000
74th Train from to Thailand
The route in cattle trucks to Thailand:-
Kuala Lumpur, had rice and dried fish at Ipoh
Reached Pai , arrived Haadyi
Water in cattle trucks very short, heat stifling in trucks all day..
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.
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.
1943/06/05 - Reached Songkurai, many of the PoWs had dropped out along the route.
Transported sick to Thanbaya Hospital where he died from Beri Beri and Dysentery
‘F’ Force had the most deaths on the Thailand Burma Railway
‘F’ Force Summery
Died
Age 23
10th September 1943
Died at Thanbaya Hospital, Burma
Cause of death Beri Beri and Dysentery
Buried Thanbaya Cemetery Grave 147
January 1946, Robert was re-interned at Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery
Loved Ones
Son of Bertram and Maggie Lawson, of Rainford, Lancashire
Husband of Edith Mary Lawson, of Sunnymeads, Wraysbury, Buckinghamshire
Memorial
Photograph - Gardens of the Death Railway
B1. G. 12.
Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery
Burma
AMIDST LIFE'S CHANGES HIS MEMORY IS KEPT, WE LOVED HIM TOO DEARLY TO EVER FORGET
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Pacific Star
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War Medal
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1939-1945 Star
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Information
Andrew Snow - Thailand Burma Railway Centre
Fall of Malaya and Singapore
Thailand Burma Railway
Commonwealth War Grave Commission
KEW Files:- WO 361/2234, WO 361/2201, WO 361/2025, WO 361/2070, WO 345/31, WO 367/3, WO 361/241, WO 361/2061,
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