I am reading The Voice of War at the moment which is a collection of memoirs and correspondence from a variety of people from around the globe through WWII.
During an account from Alfred Allbury about the fall of Singapore he mentions his co-driver Vic Wilson from Charlton who has been separated from his wife young baby.
If was just wondering, yes a massive long shot, if anyone knows anything about him or if he survived the war?
Fascinating book by the way for anybody who is interested in WWII. Highly recommended
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What was his unit/Regiment?
Charlton Life at its best.
OK people, I'm afraid that this story has a sad ending, as contrary to what I first thought (from an admittedly very quick search last night) Vic Wilson did not survive the war. Gunner Victor Charles Wilson of 118 Field Regiment R.A., died in captivity on 27 July 1943 and is buried at THANBYUZAYAT WAR CEMETERY, in Burma, which suggests that Vic was one of the many who died whilst acting as slave labour on the Burma Railway. Vic had married Violet E Brown of 60 Inverine Road, Charlton during the 3rd Quarter of 1939 but they had moved to Baughurst in Hampshire (perhaps for safety's sake during the Blitz) but the electoral registers for 1945 until 1961 show Violet and her baby daughter living back in Inverine Road with her parents.
"The notorious Burma-Siam railway, built by Commonwealth, Dutch and American prisoners of war, was a Japanese project driven by the need for improved communications to support the large Japanese army in Burma. During its construction, approximately 13,000 prisoners of war died and were buried along the railway. An estimated 80,000 to 100,000 civilians also died in the course of the project, chiefly forced labour brought from Malaya and the Dutch East Indies, or conscripted in Siam (Thailand) and Burma (Myanmar). Two labour forces, one based in Siam and the other in Burma worked from opposite ends of the line towards the centre. The Japanese aimed at completing the railway in 14 months and work began in October 1942. The line, 424 kilometres long, was completed by December 1943. The graves of those who died during the construction and maintenance of the Burma-Siam railway (except for the Americans, whose remains were repatriated) were transferred from camp burial grounds and isolated sites along the railway into three cemeteries at Chungkai and Kanchanaburi in Thailand and Thanbyuzayat in Myanmar. Thanbyuzayat became a prisoner of war administration headquarters and base camp in September 1942 and in January 1943 a base hospital was organised for the sick. The camp was close to a railway marshalling yard and workshops, and heavy casualties were sustained among the prisoners during Allied bombing raids in March and June 1943. The camp was then evacuated and the prisoners, including the sick, were marched to camps further along the line where camp hospitals were set up. For some time, however, Thanbyuzayat continued to be used as a reception centre for the groups of prisoners arriving at frequent intervals to reinforce the parties working on the line up to the Burma-Siam border. Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery was created by the Army Graves Service who transferred to it all graves along the northern section of the railway, between Moulmein and Nieke. There are now 3,149 Commonwealth and 621 Dutch burials of the Second World war in the cemetery."
So, given the date of Vic's death, it is possible that he died during an Allied bombing raid on the marshalling yards adjacent to the POW Camp there, or equally possible that the poor bugger was worked to death.
He fought behind the Japanese lines for up to 9 months at a time, he was an expert in explosives and blew up many bridges, often fully loaded with trains, etc. They set out with sufficient food for around a month, they would then forage for the remainder of the time, eating there mules weren’t unusual. They fought hand to hand and he was bayoneted to tree with the bayonet going through his thigh, his great mate stood back to back with him and fought of the attack. They had no communication with their base and no communications with other patrols. Eveytime the entered another valley, they had no idea who or what they would come across, friend or foe, even the locals some were friendly, some were indifferent others were friends of the Japanese.
During one little skirmish, His mate took a bullet to his stomach, in most other places in the world the chances were fairly good, but with no medics, all they could would leave him behind to die or get captured and used a bayonet practice if he was lucky. Dad was the last one to say goodbye, they all heard the single shot and no one said a word.
The reason my dad went back to Burma was to say sorry and get some form of peace of mind, he did and he died happy on his return. He had suffered from nightmares ever since his return, i heard him screaming from well down the road at night, after his return for the short time he lived he never had another nightmare.
He was not a Chindit, who he dislike immensely, words cant described what he say and did, but he survived to return home and see his 3 year old child for the first time. He was a great man who never spoke about the war, the only reason i knew about the above is because he needed to get it off his mind just prior to his last trip to Burma.
Sorry for going on, just a bit of personnel; background on what is a very interesting thread.
Thanks for sharing.
John Maycock RAF, he had photos on bombing raids over Germany.
Reg Boorman, served in N.Africa
John Ascot, served in Italy, as he met his wife there during the war.
In the mid-60s I worked with a great character who had been a Bomber Command navigator. After a few pints he might occasionally mention his service. One story I can vividly recall. Long after the war Bill and his missus were on holiday - a cruise, I think - when they were befriended by a couple from Berlin. "Have you ever visited our city?" "As a matter of fact I've been several times, but I was never able to stay very long!"
Interestingly, Vic's wife Violet Elizabeth seems to have changed her name back from Wilson to her maiden name of Brown sometime during 1953, so not sure what this is all about. I will report back when I have more.