Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 25113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 497

(x) A Far East Prisoner of War group of four to Lieutenant R. Smith, Royal Army Ordnance Corps late King's Royal Rifle Corps, who was taken prisoner of war during Fall of Singapore and had been present a month earlier during the British Mutiny, on board the troopship City of Canterbury

1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45; Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., Territorial (Lt. R. Smith. R.A.O.C.), very fine (4)

Ronald Smith was born in Warrington, Cheshire on 20 May 1908. He enlisted into the King's Royal Rifle Corps on 1 September 1939 under the service number 185068 and commissioned Second Lieutenant into the Royal Army Ordnance Corps 11 July 1941 serving in the No 4 Ordnance Store Company R.A.O.C..

The Mutiny

8 January 1942 the Troopship City of Canterbury arrived in Durban, South Africa from the United Kingdom. Then on 12 January Royal Air Force ground crew and R.A.O.C. refused to board ship that was destined for Singapore because of appalling conditions (these being ironic words for what fate awaited the loyal troops that stayed on the ship). The mutineers were arrested and set free later as men were needed and served in India. Soon after Singapore was under attack and Smith would subsequently be captured at the Fall of Singapore on 15th February 1942 and would spend the war as a Japanese Prisoner of War in Thailand. He was held at No 2 Branch Camp in various locations: Changi, Singapore 15 February to 22 May 1942, Ban Pong, Thailand 26 May to 29 November 1942, No. 2 Group (Various Camps) 30 November to 10 January 1945, Nakom Paton Hospital 10 January to 5 April 1945 and Kanburi Officers Camp 5 April to 15 August 1945 under Lieutenant Colonel Toosey, Royal Artillery who was the inspiration for the film "The Bridge on the River Kwai". In his release questionnaire Smith mentions Lieutenant T. P. Douglas, Lieutenant Donald Webber and Captain Max Webber; known as the "Dicky Birds" they were responsible for the broadcasting of over seven hundred news bulletins from the camps without being caught. He died in October 1988 in Huddersfield.

Sold with copied research.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Estimate

Starting price
£50