Ban Pong POW Camp

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Those known to have been held in or employed at
Ban Pong POW Camp
during the Second World War 1939-1945.

Colclough James Reginald. Pte.
Garrould Cecil Alfred. Pte.
Haylock William Douglas. Pte.

The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records from Ban Pong POW Camp other sources.

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Want to know more about Ban Pong POW Camp?

There are:-1 items tagged Ban Pong POW Camp available in our Library

These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War.

Pte. William Douglas Haylock 1st Btn. Cambridgeshire Regiment

William Haylock arrived in Singapore days before it fell. He was taken prisoner. Camps included Ban Pong, Chungkai, Kinsayo, Kanburi, Nong Pladuk, Singapore and Saigon, working on the death railway throughout his capture.

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Pte. Cecil Alfred Garrould 6th Btn. Royal Norfolk Regiment

My father, Cecil Garrould enlisted on the 13th of June 1940 and was posted to Singapore. Documents show that he and thousands of others there were ordered to surrender when Singapore fell to the Japanese. As a POW he was assigned to No. 1 Railway Battalion, which worked on constructing the Thai-Burma Railway, from 4th of December 1942 to 11th of February 1944. During this time he was held in work camps at Ban Pong, Nong Pladuk, Tahlua, Kanburi (Kanchanaburi), Ban Kau, Wampo (Wang Po), Tan Yen, Conchon, Nam Pei, Kinsaiyok, Pran Kiash, Tomajo, and Hindato. From 12th of February 1944 to 2nd of February 1945 he was involved with camp construction (Nong Pladuk), then dock and general work (Singapore), and was ultimately sent to Saigon on 8th of February 1945, remaining there until 13th of August 1945.
Like all POWs held by the Japanese, he endured horrendous conditions and hardship. His medical history during this time included bouts of malaria, colitis, fever, and dysentery. I cannot read the name but the designation on one of the documents is by a major with the Gordon Highlanders, and he wrote "A man who endured the hardships of this period without being evacuated has something to be proud of". His military release certificate, issued at the Warwick Record Office, is signed and dated 26 March 1946. My father did not talk of his time as a POW. There is a letter awarding him medals but I understood from my mother that he refused them. We believe this was to do with the circumstances around the surrender. Strangely enough, having lived on little except rice during his captivity, it was still one of his favourite dishes. Sadly, my father died far too early, in 1982.

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Pte. James Reginald Colclough 4th Battalion Norfolk Regiment

James was in the following camps:
1. Changi - the POW Camp.
2. Ban Pong - first transit camp on the Railway.
3. Chungkai - Group 2 main base camp and Hospital
4. Jungle Springs - possibly Tonchan Springs
5. Tha Khannun
6. Nakhon Pathom - main Hospital in Thailand.
7. Harbour Camp - Bangkok Docks

POW Numbers
4257 - his number in Singapore.
3890 - his original number in Thailand.
4697 - a new number given to him in Thailand.

He left Changi, Singapore on 31/10/42. This would have been as part of R Party (18th Div) under the command of Lt-Col. A.A.Johnson, 4th Suffolk Regt.
He arrived at the Work Group 2 Camp on 7/11/42, which would have been via Ban Pong.
He was transferred to the second annex of the POW Camp in Thailand. He was handed over to the Allied Powers in Bangkok, Lt-Col.C.A.McEachern, Royal Australian Artillery, he was the Australian Senior Officer on the Thai-Burma Railway.

Colin Colclough

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Pte. William Douglas Haylock 1st Btn. Cambridgeshire Regiment

William Haylock arrived in Singapore days before it fell. He was taken prisoner. Camps included Ban Pong, Chungkai, Kinsayo, Kanburi, Nong Pladuk, Singapore and Saigon, working on the death railway throughout his capture.

Pte. Cecil Alfred Garrould 6th Btn. Royal Norfolk Regiment

My father, Cecil Garrould enlisted on the 13th of June 1940 and was posted to Singapore. Documents show that he and thousands of others there were ordered to surrender when Singapore fell to the Japanese. As a POW he was assigned to No. 1 Railway Battalion, which worked on constructing the Thai-Burma Railway, from 4th of December 1942 to 11th of February 1944. During this time he was held in work camps at Ban Pong, Nong Pladuk, Tahlua, Kanburi (Kanchanaburi), Ban Kau, Wampo (Wang Po), Tan Yen, Conchon, Nam Pei, Kinsaiyok, Pran Kiash, Tomajo, and Hindato. From 12th of February 1944 to 2nd of February 1945 he was involved with camp construction (Nong Pladuk), then dock and general work (Singapore), and was ultimately sent to Saigon on 8th of February 1945, remaining there until 13th of August 1945.
Like all POWs held by the Japanese, he endured horrendous conditions and hardship. His medical history during this time included bouts of malaria, colitis, fever, and dysentery. I cannot read the name but the designation on one of the documents is by a major with the Gordon Highlanders, and he wrote "A man who endured the hardships of this period without being evacuated has something to be proud of". His military release certificate, issued at the Warwick Record Office, is signed and dated 26 March 1946. My father did not talk of his time as a POW. There is a letter awarding him medals but I understood from my mother that he refused them. We believe this was to do with the circumstances around the surrender. Strangely enough, having lived on little except rice during his captivity, it was still one of his favourite dishes. Sadly, my father died far too early, in 1982.

Pte. James Reginald Colclough 4th Battalion Norfolk Regiment

James was in the following camps:
1. Changi - the POW Camp.
2. Ban Pong - first transit camp on the Railway.
3. Chungkai - Group 2 main base camp and Hospital
4. Jungle Springs - possibly Tonchan Springs
5. Tha Khannun
6. Nakhon Pathom - main Hospital in Thailand.
7. Harbour Camp - Bangkok Docks

POW Numbers
4257 - his number in Singapore.
3890 - his original number in Thailand.
4697 - a new number given to him in Thailand.

He left Changi, Singapore on 31/10/42. This would have been as part of R Party (18th Div) under the command of Lt-Col. A.A.Johnson, 4th Suffolk Regt.
He arrived at the Work Group 2 Camp on 7/11/42, which would have been via Ban Pong.
He was transferred to the second annex of the POW Camp in Thailand. He was handed over to the Allied Powers in Bangkok, Lt-Col.C.A.McEachern, Royal Australian Artillery, he was the Australian Senior Officer on the Thai-Burma Railway.

Colin Colclough

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The Wartime Memories Project
- Ban Pong POW Camp during the Second World War -

Ban Pong POW Camp

Those known to have been held in or employed at
Ban Pong POW Camp
during the Second World War 1939-1945.

The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.

Announcements

Want to know more about Ban Pong POW Camp?

Recomended Reading.

Links

The Wartime Memories Project - Ban Pong POW Camp during the Second World War -

Ban Pong POW Camp

Those known to have been held in or employed at Ban Pong POW Campduring the Second World War 1939-1945.

The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.

Announcements

Want to know more about Ban Pong POW Camp?

Recomended Reading.

Links

The Wartime Memories Project
- Ban Pong POW Camp during the Second World War -

Those known to have been held in or employed at
Ban Pong POW Camp
during the Second World War 1939-1945.