Death Railway POW Group to RSM 77th (Welsh) H.A.A. Regt. RA
1939-45 Star, Pacific Star, War Medal 1939-45, Territorial Efficiency Medal GVI (1454235 WO Cl 1 W.A. Evans, RA). First three unnamed as issued. Medals in boxes of issue with Army Council medal slip for WW2 medals and award letter for Efficiency Medal. EF+
RSM William Arthur Evans was born in Tredegar, Monmouthshire on 27th Sept 1907 the son of a Law Clerk at the County Court. Evans followed his father's footsteps as he is also recorded as a Law Clerk at the County Court on his marriage to Violet Alsop in 1930. He served in the 239 Bty, 77th (Welsh) H.A.A. Regt. RA. (TA) having enlisted in 1938. The Regiment was formed on 1st November 1938 as the 82nd (Welsh) Field Brigade RA (TA). It was later converted to the 77th (Welsh) A.A. Brigade comprising 239, 240 and 242 Batteries. On the 1st January 1939, the regiment was redesignated the 77th (Welsh) H.A.A. Regt. Regimental Headquarters was located at the Drill Hall, Dumfries Place, Cardiff. On mobilisation the regiment was dispersed in the Cardiff area where they provided the air defence for that City.
During August 1941 the regiment moved to the South coast where it was installed at Blandford Camp in Dorset. After a short stay at Headingly, Leeds, the Welsh Gunners moved in October 1941 to Cheshire where RHQ was located at Winsford with 239 Battery at the busy rail centre at Crew, 240 Battery to Harwarden, whilst 241 battery took the air defence of the Ordnance Depot at Donnington in Shropshire. The regiment which was equipped with the 3.7 inch A.A. gun, received orders on 29th October 1941, to proceed to Glasgow to prepare for overseas service. On 7th December 1941, the 77th H.A.A. regiment sailed from Gourock, Glasgow to the Middle East, but by the time the had arrived in Durban theirs destination changed to Singapore and then Batavia in Java, Dutch East Indies where they arrived on 4th February 1942 aboard the Empress of Australia. 239 Bty provided air defence to the city.
Evans was taken prisoner by the Japanese at Java on 8th March 1942 in Batavia. Initially held POW in Java he was later transferred to Changi Camp and then with H Force to Thailand to work on Burma Railway. He is on the H Force Roll at Canu Jungle Camp June 1943. H Force returned to Changi Nov/Dec 1943. Together with a copy of the POW Debrief Form showing his POW camps in Thailand and other info. Evans is recorded as being liberated on 9th Sept 1945 in Malaya. He discharged on reaching the agent limit in 1954.
WW2 medal box has address label removed. 77th (Welsh) H.A.A. Regt. were not entitled to the Defence Medal. Sold with relevant research in digital form and hard copy of POW Debrief form.