SADLER, Bertie William


5835294, Private,Bertie William SADLER
Aged 32

4th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Died of Illness in Captivity on Wednesday, 15th September 1943


Bertie William Sadler was born on 28th July 1911 in Ixworth (Bury St.Edmunds Q3-1911 4A:1815), son of Claude and Ellen SADLER (née GARWOOD).

1911 census... His parents Claude SADLER [26] farm labourer born Stansted, Suffolk and Ellen SADLER [29] born Horringer, were living at Heath Road, Ixworth with his brother Kenneth [2] born Horringer.

He married Doris Alice Annie GRUBB, in September 1939 they were living at Cotton Hall Lane, Bertie a gardener/heavy worker. His PoW card has the address as Calford Green, Kedington.



With daughter Doreen



The 4th Suffolks left Liverpool on 29th October 1941 and went in a series of ships, via Canada, Trinidad, South Africa and Bombay and arrived on 29th January 1942 in Singapore. They were thrown immediately into the defence of the island, the mainland having been abandoned on the day they arrived in Singapore. By the time of the surrender they were near Mount Pleasant. Two and a half years of training and only 17 days fighting and it was all over for them.


Bertie was captured at the surrender of Singapore to the Japanese on 15th February 1942




photo: Commonwealth War Grave Commission




photo from asiawargraves.com

Bertie Sadler is buried in Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, grave 2:E:16
and commemorated in Horringer

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


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