| Surname: | Collins |
| Initials: | R J |
| Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Army Number: | 838581 |
| Notes: | CMP. Singapore Fortress Pro Coy. POW. Formerly Royal Artillery (Field, Coast & AA). 23/9/1940 he transferred to CMP. Captured 15/2/42 Singapore. Missing from Changi POW camp thought to have escaped 10 March 1942, Cutts papers. Spoke Malay and walked out of camp in uniform in March 1942 and after various adventures On the 5 Sept 1942 he was arrested by the Kempitai (Japanese Military Police), he was kept for 11 days in a cell and interviewed constantly. He was then transferred to a Civilian Internment Camp in Singapore. He was released in August 1945. He was from Boston Lincolnshire. See Corps Journal 2nd Quarter 1954 page 9. Born 22/6/16, enlisted 26/6/34 home address: 21 Hessle Drive Boston Lincolnshire. POW Camp: Changi Goal 18/2/43 to 8/3/42 Capt Boxhall MM, CMP. Central Police Station Civil Internment Camp 27/5/42 to 1/6/42, Changi No1 camp and Simes Road Singapore, 1/6/42 to 15/9/45. Escapes or attempted escapes: On the 8/3/42 I escaped from Changi POW camp by climbing he barbed wire fence on the north side of Changi Road and proceeded to Singapore where I changed into Malay dress and swam the Johore Straits and proceeded North. Reached Malacca and stayed for 162 weeks attempting to get out of Malaya. Found it impossible and retraced steps to Johore Bahru were I stayed for 2 weeks, received pass to proceed to Singapore and went by car where I negotiated with a Chinese Tonkan owner for a passage to Sumatra in one of his Tonkan. There are two reports written by L/Cpl Collins attached to MI 9/JAP/ No. 6341 A describing his adventures a note states that one sheet is missing. No Japanese POW Index Card of other paperwork found. Casualty List 766/12, Malaya, Missing, 15/2/1942. Casualty List 1290/3 Malaya, previously reported Missing now posted Missing believed POW, previous List 766, 15/2/1942. Casualty List 1900/1, previously reported Missing believed POW now reported not missing, previous List 1290, 15/2/1942. Medal card not found. Shown on RMP Nominal Roll 12/1952 Sgt. Reginald John Collins. |
Prisoner of War Record: | |
| Imprisonment: | Singapore SINGAPORE 🇸🇬 |