Sketch by Jack Chalker

Prisoner Under the Rising Sun

This story is not Public Domain. Permission must be obtained before any part of this story is copied or used.

Harold Evans started to write down his war time experiences after a stroke in 1984. To help his memory he used a Poem he had written during his days as a Japanese POW.

Eary1939-RAF-Cpl-2tnHarold, sometimes known as “Bill”, “Chota”, and “The Best Leggi Man in the Business”, was born in Bootle, Merseyside on 11th August 1908 of Walter and Margaret Evans. He had two sisters, Margaret and Dorothy. He married the seven years younger Joyce Marty Johnston Hall on 5th August 1939, during RAF leave. They took a short weekend break as a token Honeymoon before he returned to his duties as an RAF Corporal and was posted to the Far East.

Thanks to Haroldīs `never give inī approach to life we can now all share this remarkable story.

This is Haroldīs story - The Best Leggi Man in the Business.

* Leggi means more, as in Oliver Twist, it was a name given by the prisoners for an extra helping of food, i.e. as in Leggie Queue.

Prisoner Under the Rising Sun

By Harold “Bill” Evans

I, along with two to three hundred other Royal Air Force personnel should never have become prisoners of war under the Japanese. We were not captured after an heroic battle, but handed over by the Dutch. There was no glory - not even a fight to preserve our freedom - we were delivered on a plate to them and the Japanese thought us feeble not to have fought to the last man.

Our capture was ignominious.

 

Preface Preface by Stephen P. Evans

Singapore to Java Singapore to Java

The Airfield at Yogyakarta The Airfield at Yogyakarta

    Arrival at Surabaya Arrival at Surabaya

    We Go To College We Go To College

Surabaya to Seram - Via Ambon Surabaya to Seram - Via Ambon

The Island of Haruku The Island of Haruku

    Ikan Men Ikan Men

    Trading with Natives Trading with Natives

Ambon Again Ambon Again

Camp on Moena Camp on Moena

Once More in Batavia Once More in Batavia

By Dakota To Singapore By Dakota To Singapore

Prologue Prologue

 

Appendix

Banknote Autographed by Gracie Fields - 27/09/45 Banknote Autographed by Gracie Fields - 27/09/45

Poem Poem

Sword Sword

 

Acknowledgements

A special thank you must go to Haroldīs son Stephen for letting us share his dadīs story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sharing information with others is rewarding in itself, the pieces from the jigsaw begin to fit together and a picture begins to appear. Improve your knowledge and help make the Fepow Story an everlasting memorial to their memory.

Any material  to add to the Fepow Story please send to:

Ron.Taylor@fepow-community.org.uk

and their story will live on.

 

 

 

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