Newton Men lost in Far East and a Blackwell POW

On the anniversary of VJ Day, it is fitting to remember 2 young men from Newton, both killed within 2 months of each other in the Far East and commemorated on the Singapore War Memorial. Both were serving with the 1st Battalion the Leicestershire Regiment. These are the only 2 Blackwell Parish men we know of who lost their lives in the Far East.

Reginald William Cuthbertson appears on Newton’s War Memorial; he was the second son of Herbert Cuthbertson and Daisy ( maiden name Meakin), and had 7 siblings: Herbert Douglas, Joan M, Ronald, Ena, John, Robert and Margaret. In 1939 the family were living on Main Street Newton.

Reginald William was Corporal 485845 when he was lost and presumed dead on 14th December 1941 aged 24. Reginald William has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial in Kranji War Cemetery.

Walter Hind, son of Walter Hind and Florence nee Hayes, we believe was the youngest son of 10 children born between 1899 and 1918 in Tibshelf and then Newton, where they lived at the Malthouse on Town Lane. His siblings surviving infancy were Percy, Reginald, Margaret Elizabeth, Grace Dorothy, George Vincent, Thomas and Florence Mary.

Walter was Private 4860135 with the 1st Battalion when he was lost on 12th February 1942, just 8 weeks after Reg Cuthbertson .Walter is also mentioned on his parents grave in St Werburgh’s churchyard.

If anyone has a photo of Reginald or Walter which we can publish, please contact us.

According to Wikipedia, the 1st Battalion Leicestershire was a Regular Army unit stationed in the Far East on the outbreak of the Second World War. The battalion fought the Imperial Japanese Army in the Malayan Campaign in early 1942 and sustained heavy casualties, temporarily amalgamating with the 2nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment to create the British Battalion which was, however, later captured and the men of both battalions remained as prisoners of war (POWs) for the rest of the war.

One reader of our post told that a Mr R Miles of Blackwell was a POW in the Far East and we are interested to find more about Mr Miles.

Victory over Japan, and a letter to the Welfare Fund from F Rockley, South East Asia Command

 

75 years ago this week saw the Japanese Surrender and so an end to WW2.

From the letters from Newton and Old Blackwell servicemen in the Far East to the Secretary of the Servicemens’ Welfare Fund, it is known that the following residents served out there..(there may be others so far unknown. If you have more information to share please comment on this page)

John Druce, Leading Aircraftman RAF, South East Asian Air Force

F Rockley, Corporal, HQ Squadron 3rd Carabiniers, South East Asian Command ( See Letter below)

R Walker, Captain, Z Force Communications Group, India Command

A G Wilkinson, Tpr, 207 Corps, South East Asian Command

Ron Flint, Leading Aircraftman, RAF, South East Asian Air Force

H Dickens, Private, Admin Coy 9th Border Regt , South East Asian Command

H L Oldfield, Leading Aircraftman, 15/17 Billet RAF Station, Jodhpur, South East Asian Air Force

R Rockley, Corporal, 20th Indian AMD Brigade, South East Asian Command

The following is a transcript of a letter from F Rockley to Mr Coupe, Secretary of the fund, on the day the Japanese surrender was signed, 15th August 1945:

15/8/1945

4981943 Cpl F Rockley

HQ Squadron

3rd Carabiniers

SEAC

Dear Sir

Once again I should like to take this opportunity of Thanking You and All Subscribers to the Fund for giving these Gifts of Money to My Mother for Me .

Its great to think you remember us stuck away out here, and I hope to be seeing some of you before long, as my Repat should be Here in the Near Future .

Its Great News to hear of this Japanese Surrender over here now. Lets all get Home again, to Normal Times, and Peace once more.

I hope you all manage a “ Victory Celebration, and everyone soon forgets such things as War.

Heres Thanking You and All, once again

I Remain, Yours Faithfully

F Rockley