Name
George Dudley Coles
Conflict
Second World War
Date of Death / Age
19/08/1943
44
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Warrant Officer Class I
733511
Royal Artillery
135 (The Hertfordshire Yeomanry) Field Regt.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CHUNGKAI WAR CEMETERY
5. N. 4.
Thailand
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St. Mark’s Church Memorial, Hitchin, Royal British Legion Plaque, Payne’s Park, Hitchin, Hitchin Roll of Honour 1939 – 1945 (Book) St Mary’s Church, Hitchin
Biography
He was born in Hertfordshire and resided there at the time of his enlistment. His Service Number was 733511 and he was another of the ill-fated 135th (Herts Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.
He was a Territorial in the 135th (Herts Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery and probably in 344 Battery which was equipped with 8 x 4.5 howitzers and he was a Regimental Serjeant Major. The Regiment sailed from Gourloch at the end of October 1941 for Halifax, Nova Scotia. They were transferred to the S.S. ‘Mount Vernon’ and went to Cape Town heading for the Middle East. On the way they were diverted to Singapore and arrived during an air attack on the 13th January 1942. After disembarking they were despatched to the west coast of Johore and were in action before withdrawing to Singapore Island by the 31st January 1942. They fought vigorously on the island until ordered to destroy their equipment and surrender on the 15 February 1942.
Following the surrender they were moved to Changi and in May 1942 moved to Bukit Timah, both on the Island of Singapore Island. Late in 1942 about 500 of the Regiment were at Tamarkan building the bridge on the River Kwai which was completed in April 1943. They then continued in various work camps in Thailand and Malaya where they were starved and ill-treated.
A card from him was received by his wife in 1943. After the war his wife received a letter from his Commanding Officer, Lieut Colonel P.D. Toosey R.A. , stating that during the battle of Singapore he was an example to them all and that none of the trials in captivity made the slightest difference to him.
He was buried in Plot 5, Row N, Grave 4 in the Chungkai War Cemetery, Thailand. His home was at 3, Redhill Rd, Hitchin.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines – ‘Hitchin’s Century of Sacrifice’, Paul Johnson - local historian, ‘History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery - Far Eat Theatre 1941-1946’ by M. Farndale, Herts Pictorial dated 27th July 1943 & 4th Dec 1945
