Finding an x RAF pow

thanx kev sorry still a bit new on here forgot i repeated the thread lol thanx for doing that

Si.

I copy here some of the posting i made on your other thread in the General Discussion thread.

Firstly, as he was from Devon, I would trace the local newspaper of the time for the area in which he lived. The tragedy of surviving imprisonment by the Japanese, returning home safely only to be killed in an accident would have probably been a big local human interest story. You may well find an article relating to his death or at the very least a death notice in the births, marriages and deaths column.

I don’t know whether you are aware of the National Archives at Kew in London. These hold a number of records of documents filled in by the Japanese upon capture and imprisonment and by Military Intelligence upon liberation. There are no guarantees that documentation concerning Reginald Bellamy will have survived but the references under which these documents are held are as follows:

Liberated Prisoner of War Questionnaire: WO344 364/2

Japanese index Cards of Allied POW’s: WO345/4

The records listed above would be a useful place to start and may give you the information you need without going to the RAF.

I wish you luck. If I can help any further please don’t hesitate to ask.

Regards,

kev35

wow i really thank you for the info so he was one of the lucky ones to have survived?-till he got home.

so is there no way of finding if he was attached to any squadron? i am going to try and contact the RAF but i am not his direct next of kin so i assume they will not allow me.

there was a rumor that he was a leading aircrafts man other members of the family were engineers? including his father so would make sence so not in the planes but maintaning them?

From his service number it looks like he enlisted between March 1938 and October 1939.
If it helps the City of Canterbury carried to Java about 1000 ground crew who were unattached to any Squadron or Unit.
On or around the 8th March 1942 some four and a half thousand went into captivity in Java. Bellamy may well have been amung them.

Via Alex Smart. rafcommands.

Yes that is his service number. I suggest you apply for his service record which can be obtained from the following………

From Family Members and Other Authorised Individuals
A Certificate of Kinship form needs to be completed and sent to:

RAF Disclosures Section
Room 221b
Trenchard Hall
RAF Cranwell
Sleaford
LINCS
NG34 8HB

01400 261201
Ext 6711
Ext 8161/8159 (Officers)
Ext 8163/8168/8170 (Other ranks)

http://www.veterans-uk.info/pdfs/service_records/raf_kinship.pdf

Regards
Peter

wow nice one how did you find this?

so would that be his service number then?

what would you suggest i do know? will i be able to find his unit rank?

I have the following ……

BELLAMY. Reginald Henry – 652017 – Unit unknown – Held Java, Moluccas (Ambon), Java.

Hope this is a help.

Regards
Peter.

Si.

No experience in tracing POW records but some experience which might prove helpful to you.

Firstly, as he was from Devon, I would trace the local newspaper of the time for the area in which he lived. The tragedy of surviving imprisonment by the Japanese, returning home safely only to be killed in an accident would have probably been a big local human interest story. You may well find an article relating to his death or at the very least a death notice in the births, marriages and deaths column.

I don’t know whether you are aware of the National Archives at Kew in London. These hold a number of records of documents filled in by the Japanese upon capture and imprisonment and by Military Intelligence upon liberation. There are no guarantees that documentation concerning Reginald Bellamy will have survived but the references under which these documents are held are as follows:

Liberated Prisoner of War Questionnaire: WO344 364/2

Japanese index Cards of Allied POW’s: WO345/4

If his records survived amongst those listed above you should then get his Service Number which would allow you to contact the RAF Personnel Management Agency and obtain his Service records as closest surviving next of kin.

I would start local, you may just drop lucky with a newspaper article. Conversely, the search may be long and difficult, but when you get into it it’s enjoyable and rewarding.

I wish you luck. If I can help any further please don’t hesitate to ask.

Regards,

kev35