WEBB, George Thomas


No.5778554, Private, George Thomas WEBB
Aged 24


5th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
Died of Illness in Captivity on Monday, 31st January 1944


George Thomas WEBB was born on 10th January 1920 in Haverhill (Risbridge Q1-1920 4A:2157 ), son of George Cater and Theresa WEBB (née WHYBROW).


George attended the Cangle School and also the Methodist Church where he was a member of the choir and the church tennis club. He had several employments with various local firms, the last being with the Co-op in the grocery department.

He was enlisted in 1939, joining the Norfolk Regiment. During September 1941 he was given embarkation leave prior to being sent overseas. His brother Roy, who was at the time 14 years old and still at school, recalled helping George to carry his kit to Haverhill Railway Station.

In the 1939 register, at 74 Primrose Hill, Haverhill were his father George C WEBB [12-9-1886] clothing packer, his mother Theresa [17-8-1893] clothing machinist and widowed Ethel BASHAM [31-3-1872]. There are two closed records.


The 5th and 6th battalions, Royal Norfolk Regiment embarked on the 'Duchess of Atholl' at Gourock on 9th October 1941 and sailed for Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, in convoy with other ships carrying the rest of the 18th Division. In Canada they left the Duchess of Atholl to join the USS Mount Vernon, formerly the luxury liner SS Washington, which took them via Trinidad to Cape Town where they arrived on 9th December.
The convoy, with the rest of the 18th Division, sailed for Bombay on 13 December but the USS Mount Vernon proceeded to Mombasa, arriving on Christmas Day when shore leave was granted. On 28th December they set sail again for their final destination, Singapore where the 40 Officers and 917 Other Ranks comprising the 5th Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment disembarked on 13th January 1942. On arrival, lectures in Japanese tactics were given to all ranks.
On 15th February 1942, with no naval or air support the Allied Forces surrendered to the Japanese Imperial Army and those captured spent the next three and a half years as POWs. At this time the strength of the 5th Battalion Norfolk Regiment was 30 Officers and approximately 600 Other Ranks. They had lost 10 Officers and approximately 300 Other Ranks during the intense fighting of the previous four weeks.
For many of the POWs the time was spent in Thailand constructing a railway which the Japanese hoped to use in their advancement to India. Conditions were extremely harsh, food was scarce, malnutrition was widespread and many died of disease.

The Haverhill Echo reported on 17 July 1943 that Mr and Mrs Webb, of 74 Primrose Hill, received a postcard from their son saying he was a Prisoner of War. This was the first news they had received from him since January 1942. On 1st January 1944, the Haverhill Echo reported that they had received further news from their son. The postcard was dated 21st February 1943 and stated that he was safe and well. They were to receive 2 more postcards by July 1944, both undated, saying that he was interned in Thailand. In truth, George had died from Beri Beri and Malaria on 31st January 1944, before the last postcards were received by his parents.






photo from asiawargraves.com


photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission



George Webb is buried in Chungkai War Cemetery, grave 3:E:13

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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