How to Start
Researching
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How to Start Researching

I am often asked how to start researching a loved one, I hope this helps

 

Step 1

The first step to to find his service number and regiment, there are various ways to do this.

Look up his name in the British FEPOWS, this is a complete list taken from all Japanese Index Cards added to the FEPOW Family. be aware over the years some could have been lost.

     British FEPOWs British FEPOWs

 

Step 2

Check to see if he has information in my web sites by inserting his name in the ‘Search’ at the top of the FEPOW Family home page. This searches all seven of my sites. If you do not find anything try the Christian name initials then full surname.

    FEPOW Family Home Page FEPOW Family Home Page

     

Step 3

Next step find if he has a Liberation Questionnaire

    Liberation Questionnaire Liberation Questionnaire - COFEPOW

Because of the age most of the LQs are written in pencil so are not, with age, easy to read.

 

Step 4

The next step is to pay subscription to obtain his KEW records. These are government records which contain information of service personnel. I use the following.

    FindMyPast FindMyPast

    Forces War Records Forces War Records

    Fold3 Fold3

 

Step 5

I find a good place to to get started is with his Japanese Index Card, which are obtained from a subscription service as in ‘Step 4’.

Taylor-Frederick-Noel-1

This is my fathers, I can check it is his by his parents names and home address. This then gives me his service number, rank, regiment and unit. Also where he was captured by the date:-

    17/02/15 = 1942/02/15 - Singapore surrender

    17/03/08 = 1942/03/08 - Java surrender

    16/12/25 = 1941/12/25 - Hong Kong surrender

There are variations but these are the main dates to look for.

The first number is the year of the emperor:-

      16 = 1941

      17 = 1942

      18 = 1943

      19 = 1944

      20 = 1945

The reverse of the card:-

Taylor-Frederick-Noel-02

This tells me a date at the top of the card 20/01.

In this case I know he was transported January 1945 to Saigon, French Indo-China. Another hint is the date 1945/09/12, this date was used for those liberated from French Indo-China.

 

Step 6

This step is the most painful

    Commonwealth War Grave Commission Commonwealth War Grave Commission

If the person died in World War II, use the Commonwealth War Grave Commission to obtain information. Using the persons name could take a while, the service number is a lot quicker. The Cemetery is a good clue to where the person was buried and therefore the place of death, memorials are different as there was no grave (no body was found).

 

Conclusion

I hope this is of help in your research. There are many websites which offer information, use them, it all helps find the missing pieces of the jigsaw.

I did start adding a site to help unite and find these sites, as below, which has some excellent sketches by Des Bettany.

    Far East at War Far East at War

Being a member of the FEPOW Family Facebook group is also a big help as the members care and share.

‘Keeping their Candle Burning’

[British Repatriation Rolls] [How to Start Researching] [FEPOW Family]
 


 

FEPOW Family

Keeping The Candle Burning

In Memory of FEPOW Family Loved Ones

Who Suffered in the Far East

Thanks for all the support

 

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anbird1

Ronnie.Taylor@fepow.family

 

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