Looking for information on a relative.

[Dow79]

Hi,

I’m looking for more information about my great uncle.
His name was William Dow, he was a POW captured in Singapore in 1942!
He was company Quarter Master Sergeant.
Many Thanks

[mack]

hiya dow79
CQMS 3519322 William dow
14 shakespear st,liverpool
born 27-11-1904
died Liverpool 1977 aged 72

sorry that's all I have

mack

[Dow79]

Thanks Mack.

I’ve managed to find the attached aswell.

Any info on his time in Singapore or as a pow would be great.

He didn’t talk about his time their so not much to go on.

Thanks

[charlie]

Its a bit faint -his liberation questionaire
https://lq-cofepow.org/collections/dixon-downey/products/dow-william

https://lq-cofepow.org/collections/dixon-downey/products/dow-w-3519332

Charlie

[Bob.NB]

The list of Manchester Regiment PoWs at The National Archives records him as a colour sergeant and has his address as the Riviera Hotel, Margate (I think - the record is very hard to read - see below).
Also it seems to show that he left Changi on 27 October 1942 - this would be with the main group that went to Thailand to work on the Burma Railway (see History of The Manchester Regiment by Lt Cdr A C Bell).
The only confusing bit is that it would normally say "OVL" which stands for "overland", but Dow's entry has "OVS" which I thought stood for "overseas" - so he may have been with another group of PoWs.
Bob B

[Dow79]

That’s hugely helpful Thankyou for your help.

[Dow79]

Its a bit faint -his liberation questionaire
https://lq-cofepow.org/collections/dixon-downey/products/dow-william

https://lq-cofepow.org/collections/dixon-downey/products/dow-w-3519332

Charlie

Thanks Charlie, I’ve managed to get the same document from the Thailand / Burma railway association aswell so can read it abit better.

Thanks so much for your help

[charlie]

As far as I can tell there is only a 3161 Sgt William M Gittins, Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, who was held by the Japanese. Born 10.12.1897 to Henry and Dorothy.

There is however a 111524 Pte W J Gittins RASC who was captured in Italy.

Charlie

[rafboy]

Dow79
Only too pleased to help.

POW Record Cards and Liberation Questionaires (QE Cards) are held in the National Archive at Kew, at the moment you can get free access and download from there.
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/news/digital-downloads/

If your great uncles survived there should be QE cards for them as well as Record Cards. Best of luck finding them, maybe someone else can help you. The attached may help.
Cliff