PRIVATE (LATER LANCE-SERGEANT) F.J. ROBERTS, 1STH BATTALION THE LOYAL REGIMENT (NORTH LANCASHIRE), WOUNDED IN ACTION 22/1/1942 AND TAKEN PRISONER OF WAR AT SINGAPORE ON 15/2/1942. Four: General Service Medal 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (officially impressed: 3854940 PTE. F.J. ROBERTS. LOYAL. R.) 1939-45 Star Burma Star 1939-45 War Medal. Generally Extremely Fine.
Group accompanied by biographical details, extract 1911 census and 1939 Register, extracts Loyal Regiment Casualty Lists for January and February 1942, which confirm that Roberts, then a Lance-Sergeant, was wounded in action and taken prisoner of war on 22/1/1942, WW2 Japanese prisoner of war and camp transfer records and General Service Medal roll extract confirming medal with Palestine clasp.
Frank Roberts was born 4/3/1909 in Leigh, Lancashire, the son of Thomas and Ellen Roberts. He is recorded in the 1911 census as a 2 year old boy living in Leigh with his parents, his father being employed as a colliery engine winder. P.O.W. records record Roberts as having enlisted on 29/5/1933, which indicates that he was probably a pre-war territorial. He married Jessie Gregory at Astley, Lancashire, on 4/7/1936. In the 1939 Register he is recorded as a married man living in Leigh and employed as a cable repairer. Roberts, then a Lance-Sergeant serving with the Loyal Regiment, was wounded in action on 22/1/1942 and taken prisoner of war on 15/2/1942, following the surrender of Singapore to the Japanese on that date. He was initially held at Changi Prison, Singapore, from 15/2/1942 to 15/8/1942, Camp Commandant Lieutenant Okazaki. From Changi he was transferred first to Japan and subsequently to Korea, in August 1942. In Korea Roberts was initially imprisoned at "Kyan" (modern day Kiejo) from 26/9/1942, which was the base for Colonel Noguchi, Superintendent of all POW camps in Korea. His next transfer was to Konan (Hungnan in present day North Korea), from 5/3/1943, andthen to Chosen (probably Jinsen). Roberts died in Leigh on 6/1/1993 aged 83.
P.O.W. debriefing interview records that, whilst in Formosa, Roberts and other prisoners were involved in sabotage attempts, placing sand and rubbish in the working parts of any guns that they could find, and although he himself did not attempt to escape, he witnessed an escape by two men who were recaptured after 4 days, sentenced to 5 years in prison and never seen again.
Lieutenant Okazaki was Commandant of Changi POW Camp until September 1942.
Colonel Noguchi, Superintendent of POW camps in Korea, was sentenced to 22 years imprisonment at the Japanese War Crimes Tribunal.
