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110685
Captain
James Craig McNeilly
M.B. (Bachelor of Medicine)
1912/09/15 - Born Ballymena, Ireland
Son of Robert McNeilly
Occupation Medical Practitioner
Next of Kin Father, R McNeilly, Connor House, Kells, County Antrim
Royal Army Medical Corps
4 Malaya Field Ambulance
Service
1939/11/20 - Enlisted
Dr James Craig McNeilly was stationed in Malaya.
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.
‘Singapore Surrender’ by Leo Rawlings
1942/04/14 - WO417/2, Casualty List No.797. Reported ‘Missing’.
1942/12/29 - WO417/004, Casualty List No. 1018. Previously shown on Casualty List No. 797 as reported Missing, 15/02/1942. Now reported a ‘Prisoner of War’.
Japanese PoW
1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore
Medical Officer, Roberts Hospital, Changi
PoW No. M-838
Japanese Index Card - Side One
Japanese Index Card - Side Two
1942/10/26 - Transported Overland to Thailand with Letter Party ‘W’, train 2
New PoW No. IV 5921
Thailand Camps:-
1942/November - Kannyu, 152 km from Nong Pladuk
1943/September - Hintok, 154 km from Nong Pladuk
1943/October - Kinsiayok, 161 km from Nong Pladuk
1943/October - Tha Sao, 125 km from Nong Pladuk
1943/10/25 - Thailand Burma Rail tracks joined near Konkoita, Thailand
1944/January - Nakhon Pathom Hospital
New PoW No. IV 1069
1944/October - Thimongtha, 271 km from Nong Pladuk
1945/July - Apalon, Burma, 332 km from Nong Plduk
1945/08/30 - Liberated Burma
Liberation Questionnaire, filled in by James after being liberated
1945/10/06 - WO417/9, Casualty List No. 1877. Previously reported 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
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Order of the British Empire
Military Medal
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Letter published in the Telegraph VJ 80 Day
15th August 2025
Information
Emma Coulthurst - Granddaughter
Andrew Snow - Thailand Burma Railway Centre
Fall of Malaya and Singapore
Thailand Burma Railway
KEW Files:- WO 361/1979, WO 361/2196, WO 361/2180, WO 361/2169, WO 392/25, WO 361/1954, WO 361/1987, WO 345/34. WO 361/2062,
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