Beds + Herts 5th Batt 1942

[Susan McEwen]

Hi
I am trying to fill in some information on  Sgt W A Pyke, 5th Batt Beds + Herts Regiment
what I know so far:
Walter Alfred PYKE (known as Bill) b Nov 1907, d May 1991.
PoW at Singapore, sent in Party Q to Thailand 1/11/42
the illustration attached, posted to him June 1942 shows him as a Sargent, he was 34 years old then.

I believe the 5th was a Territorial Battalion.

but I don't know:  when he joined up?, when he was discharged from the Army?, or what happened to him after the war.  He was 84 when he died.  I can't find him on the 1939 Register but his wife is  on the register at the home address.
www.find-my-past has PoW records for him 1924 - 1945 but no enlistment or discharge papers.

any thoughts or ideas???
many thanks

[Alan Baker]

Susan

Sorry for the delay in posting. We have been away

There is as you say limited info on Sgt Pyke on FWR or Ancestry, beyond what you have. On FWR he is listed as captured on 15th Feb 1942, I believe the day Singapore surrendered and was interred in Malai 1 camp (Changi?) He was later transferred to Thailand but not specific detail as to where. He was described as a hospital orderly

On Ancestry, there is similar info but no date for signing up or discharge.

[Susan McEwen]

Alan
many thanks, yes Singapore was surrendered on the 15th Feb and the surviving troops were classified as PoW from then.
Mail to him went through Changi, the mail forwarding group had him as Party Q to Thailand.
will re-check the inwards mail for camp nos.
many thanks