Kaorin

Thailand

47	368		Kaorin
Burma			*Also Named:*	*Kao Din*





		Workforce	Unit	Date

		Japanese:-	9th Railway Regiment

		PoWs:-	IV Group	Sep 44 - May 45
			II Group	May 45 - Aug 45

Kaorin by Dutch Artist

Kaorin Camp by Hoen Ernst 1945/08/21

‘We Will Remember Them’

Kaorin PoW Camp

Copyright David Howlett

This was a Commission by David Howlett for a watercolour based on a pen and ink sketch drawn of the Kaorin Prisoner of War Camp in Thailand during the Second World War.

Several sketches were hastily made by a Japanese P.O.W. onto handkerchiefs that were part of an aid drop made prior to their liberation. The handkerchiefs were given to some of the PoW's to serve as a reminder of their time there.

Kao Din Camp-Martyn Fryer-th

This is a photo of the site as taken by Martyn Fryer in 2017, and with the help of his daughter Elle super imposed the sketch by Hoen Ernst (1945/08/21) on it. Distinctly showing the hills in the background as on the hankies. Thanks Martyn and Elle.

Hankie 1 (from Lady in Warminster)

The handkerchief above was made by Arthur.S. Newcombe of KAORIN POW camp dated 1945. Below are close ups:-

A big thank you to the lady from Warminster and to Keith Rattray of the Royal British Legion.

Kaorin list These are the names on the handkerchief.

Arthur Sydney Newcombe (author of hanky) L/Bdr 944700, ovl 30/10/42
Arthur B. Clark - USA
Bill J. Mallard - USA
John C. Hensley - USA
D. W. Egeleston - USN
R. J. Purdy WOII - Sydney
Wade H. Webb - USA
Jack Cellumm - USA
"Buck " Jones - US Army
John L. Smith - RCOS
F. D. Devonport - 135. 7. PRA
James Collier - Sergeant 2568216 RCOS
C. L. Pryor Jnr - USMC
D. L. Lacey - 122 RA
"Paddy " C. Docherty - RCOS
Taffy Blackwell - 29 CMTD RASC
S. Silk - RASC
Thomas Clark Davies - Private 5950609, 5th Btn Beds & Herts,
George Marshal - RA
R.J. Potter - 1/5 Foresters
R. Fannon - RAOC
R.F. Salsbury - 1/5 Foresters
R.L. Cundell - 2nd Cambs
R.C. Hammerton - 2nd Cambs
D.E. Curtis - 2nd Cambs
J.W. Lee - USA
K.A. Fowdington - 122 Field Regt RA
A.T. Jury - 118 RA
D.R. Clark - USN

As there are Americans listed, their names most likely were added to Newcombe’s handkerchief when the camp was liberated in August 1945

Also:-

This meant liberation and hope for those who survived, the fallen were never to be forgotten in the memories of those who survived.

Hankie 2 (from Gemma)

A big coincidence on writing a school project Gemma Glover used a photo of a hankie her grandfather Arthur Barker brought back from the Kaorin Camp. She shared her photo with the FEPOW Family Facebook group in 2017. Gemma has given me permission to use her photo on this page.

These are the names on the handkerchief.

Beckitt, Royal Artillery, 61st Field

Arthur William Bigg, Signalman, 2587078, R.C.O.S, att, 148 Field Regiment, born 1921/02/15

Selwyn Charles Blatherwick, Signalman, 2345861, R.C.O.S, Malaya Command Signals, born 1916/03/06

Norman Herbert Thomas Bowles, Lance Corporal, T/116 9675, R.A.S.C., born 1917/11/01

George Cutts, Gunner, 1103947, Royal Artillery, 48 Field Regiment, born 1914/04/04

Walter Charles Henry Ellis, Signalman, 2347161, R.C.O.S. att, 35 LAA R.A., born 1919/03/30

Leslie Elms, Bombardier (Artillery Clerk), 842428, Royal Artillery, born 1916/12/09

George Foster - Gunner, 1605134, Royal Artillery, 30/3 Heavy Anti-Aircarft Regiment, born 1911/04/15

Thomas Henry Grace, T/168527, Driver, R.A.S.C, 54th Brigade, born 1917/05/15

George Henry Hawkwood, Bombardier, 923529, Royal Artillery, 135 Field Regiment, born 1920/05/25

J Higgins, Royal Artillery, 135 Field

D.H. Moore

S. Morris, Royal Air Force

William Page, Sergeant, 5774935, Royal Norfolk Regiment, 6th Battalion, enlisted 1939/05/19

Leslie Ronald Pearson - Private, 4976727, 1/5 Sherwood Forester, born 1919/10/03

Ronald John Potter, Private, 4977892, 1/5 Sherwood Forester, born 1912/08/14

Raymond Frederick Salsbury, Sergeant, 4978030, 1/5 Sherwood Forester, born 1918/06/04

Ronald Mark Turner, Sapper, 2074366, Royal Engineer, 288 Field, born 1921/06/06

Hankie 3 (from Debbie Edwards)

Debbie Edwards has supplied another photo of a hankie from her Great Gramps as seen below

Kaorin3

List of Names:-

Albert Leonard Louis, Sergeant, 148693, R.A.O.C (Expeditionary Forces Institute, born 1913/04/08

Medler, Royal Artillery

W. Newman (Hunky),

Hankie 4 (from Shane Hughes)

Shane’s late father in law,Wilfred Baxter was a POW in Kaorin camp during WW2. He survived the ordeal to return to Wales and reached the age of 83 when he passed away. Pictured is a handkerchief signed by his fellow men in the camp and his medals from the conflict.