To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

British Flag

Captain

Richard Vivian Welch

Known as Dick

Welch-Richard-Vivian -KANYU CAMP-tn

Photo taken Kanyu Camp, Thailand - Dick bottom right

1910/09/17 - Born Barry, South Wales

Son of Nicholas and Lena Welch

After school in England Dick joined

Artists Rifles

 and then

Essex Regiment

 Received a commission as 2nd Lieutenant

Dick left the army and joined Commercial Union Assurance Co.Ltd

1932 -  Posted to Singapore and then Ipoh

1938/03/24 - Dick married Australian Betty Robina Ann Thompson in Singapore

Half page in ‘Singapore Gossip’ in the Singapore Free Press with a list of guests

1939 - They were blessed with a baby girl, Robin Ann, born at Bato Gajah

Outbreak of War Dick joined

Federated Malay States Volunteer Force

 

Japanese PoW

1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore

PoW No. M-2501

Japanese Index Card - Side One

Welch-Richard-Vivian-01

Japanese Index Card - Side Two

Welch-Richard-Vivian-02

1942/10/28 - Transported overland to Thailand in ‘U’ Letter Party

1942/11/10 - Kanyu Camp

Colonel Moore - Senior British Officer at Kanu/Kinsayok.

New PoW No. IV 5479

Welch-Richard-Vivian -KANYU CAMP-tn

KANYU CAMP THAILAND

December 1942

(Written on back)

Back Row (left to Right):-

Lt Osuki

Maj. Robertson OC ‘E’ Btn

Capt. Brownhill Adjt ‘E’, 1st Indian Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment

Maj. Kirby Smith OC ‘W’

Lt. Col. Morton OC ‘J’, Federated Malay States Volunteer Force

Front Row (left to right):-

Lt Col. Moore CO

Maj. Sconce Staff Officer

Maj. Hansell 2 IC ‘E’, 6th Norfolk Regiment

Capt. Young Adjt ‘CO’

Capt. Welch Adjt ‘J’ (kneeling on the right)

Welch-Richard-Vivian - Kanyu trestle-tn

Trestle Viaduct - Kanyu

Dick contracted diphtheria and was invalided back to Kanburi Hospital where he survived.

New PoW No. IV 1683

1945/09/02 - Liberated Thailand

 

Post War

After liberation rejoined Commercial Union Assurance Co. Ltd

1947 - Son Richard born at Bato Gajah

1950 - Posted to Calcutta 1950

1953 - Daughter Tessa Vivienne born Calcutta

  Remained in India as General Manager

1966 - Retirement

Retired to UK

1974 - Spain

 

Died

10th September 1981

Torrington, Devon

 

Information

Richard Welch

Jonathan Moffatt

KEW:- WO 392/26, WO 345/55, WO 361/1979, WO 361/1954, WO 361/2196, WO 361/2196, WO 361/1987, WO 361/2169

*

''Our Thanks are for being a Chapter in Life.''

 

 

 

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In Memory of FEPOW Family Loved Ones
Designed and Maintained by Ronnie Taylor.

 

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