Spr. George William Orchard
British Army 287 Field Company Royal Engineers
from:Eltham, London
(d.25th Aug 1943)
George Orchard was my uncle, and enlisted in the Royal Engineers on 16th Jaunary 1941 as a Sapper. After initial training in July 1941 he was posted to the 8th Field Squadron and in August the 287 Field Company.
He was posted to Singapore on 28th October 1941, towards the end of the Malayan campaign, and it was rumored that there's was the last convoy to reach Singapore before its fall, arriving in January 1942. Other records show the 287th fought in Johore and lost 21 other ranks killed in action or died of wounds, eight taken prisoner and imprisoned in Pudu Jail, Kuala Lumpur and at least one missing in action. During the subsequent fighting on Singapore island, the 287th incurred another 5 casualties. Singapore surrended on 15th February 1942, although some members of the armed forces managed to escape the chaos, just before this. Indeed George's Sergeant, made it home, to tell his parents that he had been unable to persuade George to leave with him, as he intended to "stay and fight".
Following surrender, George and numerous other POW's were marched many miles with little food and water to work on the infamous "Burma Railway". Casualties from the prisoners labours, malnutrition and brutality of their guards has been well documented. George survived until the 25th August 1943. His records show he died of acute enteritis. George is commemorated at Chungkai War Cemetary, Thailand.
