No.5828663, Private, Frederick CHISNELL
Aged 31
Aged 24 according to Japanese records
|
Frederick CHISNALL was born on 9th June 1919 (Yarmouth Q2-1919 4B:26), son of George D and Kathleen E
CHISNALL (née AYRES).
A farm labourer, he is variously recorded as CHISNALL, CHISNELL and CHISMALL. Registered at birth as CHISNALL, the Army has him as CHISNELL and the Japanese as CHISNALL Both Frederick's father and his grandfather, Henry, served in the army spending time in India during their army careers. George and Kate were obviously used to moving regularly for daughter Florance was born in Wisbech in 1904, Mark in Grimsby in 1908 and Charles in Newmarket in 1912. When George left the army in 1914, the family address was given as Two Brewers Cottage, Albion Passage Newmarket. He found work here as a general labourer and during the next few years the family moved around probably in search of employment. George was born in Grimsby in 1915, Frederick in Great Yarmouth in 1919 and Thomas in Haverhill in 1923. The Chisnall family seems to have finally settled in Haverhill, initially living at 2 Weavers Arms Yard where Thomas was born and later making their home at 4 Eden Place. The 1939 register has his father George [17-2-1870] general labourer, and his mother Kate [14-3-1885] at 4 Eden Place, Haverhill. No closed records. |
|
Frederick joined the Suffolk Regiment on 20th June 1939, aged just 19. Allocated the army number 5828663 he was posted to "D" Coy, 5th Battalion. The 4th and 5th Battalions, Suffolk Regiment were attached to the 18th East Anglian Division which following Pearl Harbour, was to find itself in the Far East. After the fall of Singapore on 15th February 1942, about 620 'Suffolks' became POWs. Many, like Frederick, were transported to work on the Burma-Thailand Railway. The Echo of 8th January 1944, reported that: 'Mr & Mrs Geo Chisnall, 4 Eden Place, have received a post-card from their son, Pte F. Chisnall, 5th Suffolk Regiment, saying that he is in No1 POW Camp, Thailand, and is in good health. No previous news of him had been received since the fall of Singapore. Mr and Mrs Chisnall have four other sons serving. Driver Chas and Driver George, both serving in the RASC, one of whom is overseas. L Cpl Mark Chisnall is with the Pioneer Corps and Lc Bdr Thomas Chisnall, serving with the Canadian Army has just returned to this country from Canada where he has been for the past eight years.'
|
The reverse side of the index card. The transcript of this record is as follows: "He left Singapore Station in order to be transferred to the Thai POW camp on October 17, 1942. He fell ill on September 30, 1943. He died on November 5, 1943. He died of Miocardic Beri-Beri on November 5, 1943. Place of death: At the 1st detachment of the 1st branch of the Thai POW camp in Nong Pladuk village, in Ban Pong county, Kanchanaburi county in Thailand. Burial: We buried him at the cemetery of Nong Pladuk."
|
He was originally buried at Wat Koke Mor., Nong Pladuk (the southern end of the railway) and moved to Chungkai in April 1947 |
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details
