| Surname: | Birch |
| Initials: | C |
| Rank: | Sergeant |
| Army Number: | 2611483 |
| Notes: | CMP. POW. Formerly Grenadier Guards, transferred to CMP. 11/5/46 to discharge Captured 15/2/1942 Singapore. Southern Area Pro Coy Feb 1942, Cutts papers. Changi 1/9/1945 Cutts papers. Info from Japanese POW index card. Cecil Birch, Born 1/4/1913 at Gloucester, occupation Civil Policeman, home address: 47 Deans Walk, Gloucester, mother Rose. Info from MI 9/JAP/No. 14200A: 2611483 Sgt Cecil Birch, Singapore Fortress Pro Coy, born 1/4/1913, enlisted 12/10/1928, address:47 Deans Walk, Gloucester. POW camps and officers: Changi 17/2/1942 to 13/5/1943, Col Holmes, Tongnam (south) Thailand 13/5/1943 to 30/7/1943 Col Newey, Hintock River 10/1943 to 11/1943, Col Newey, Canton Buri 11/1943 to 6/1943, Col Newey, Simes Road 11/1943 to 8/1944, Col Newey, Changi Goal 6/1943 to 8/1945, Col Holmes. He is listed in Nominal Roll of Changi Prison dated 5/9/1945. named on British POW held in Japan or Japanese occupied territory: 4229, Birch, Cecil. Sgt, 2611483, Army, captured 15/2/1942, liberated 2/9/9145, camp MA Malaya. Listed on Malaya POW Camp, 1/11/1944: Birch, Cecil, Army, Sgt, new POW No. 2009, old POW No. i/1422, 2611483. Casualty List 765/12 Malaya, Missing, 15/2/1942. Casualty List 973/18, Malaya POW previously reported missing on casualty list 769 as missing, 15/2/1942. rank Sgt. Casualty List 1921/5, previously reported POW now not POW, previous List 973, Malaya. 3/1/49 He was awarded the 1939-1945 Star, Pacific Star, War Medal. Address:- Police Station, Minsterworth, Gloucestershire. Cecil Birch. Extract from the Gloucester Citizen, 18/3/41. Sergt. Cecil Birch of the Corps of Military Police whose wife living at 47, Deans Walk, Gloucester has been informed that he was taken prisoner while serving at Singapore. Before the war Sergt Birch was for eight years in the Gloucester Constabulary. (article has small photograph of Sgt Birch.) Extract from the Tewkesbury Register - 3 Nov. 1945. Mrs. Gladys Key, of 46 Church Street has received the sad news that her husband, Cpl Frederick Leonard Key, who was in February 1942 reported a prisoner of war in Japanese hands, died of cholera at Sonraki, Thailand (Siam) June 34rd 1943. The news was first conveyed to Mrs. Wyatt (Chairman of the POW Relatives Association) by Sergt. Cecil Birch, of the CMP of Gloucester, formerly of Tewkesbury, who became friendly with the deceased soldier in Singapore where they were both taken prisoner and sent to Thailand. Sergt. Birch received information of the Corporal's death from a comrade and verified it at the office of British Records in Singapore. |
Prisoner of War Record: | |
| Imprisonment: | Changi MALAYSIA 🇲🇾 |