NA WO 345, War Office: Japanese Index Cards of Allied Prisoners of War and Internees

[Mikkel Plannthin]

Anyone with experience in this/these file(s)?

I am researching three Danes who were captured by the Japanese in Singapore/Malaysia in 1942, and wondered about the likeliness of finding an index card.

Regards

Mikkel

[mhuxt]

Can't help with the cards themselves, but if you need any translation help give me a shout.

Can read "old" Japanese within reason, at a push can ask wifey but that means risking life and limb.

[Mikkel Plannthin]

thank you, Mark. I'll keep that in mind.

Mikkel

[Mark Hood]

Anyone with experience in this/these file(s)?

I am researching three Danes who were captured by the Japanese in Singapore/Malaysia in 1942, and wondered about the likeliness of finding an index card.

Regards

Mikkel

Mikkel
Have you tried "The Association of British Civilian Internees Far East Region" (ABCIFER) England. Ron, their Chairman has been looking at Japanese Civilian Internee and POW Cards and was awarded the MBE for his work and they might be able to point you in the right direction regarding how they are indexed?

Also try
http://www.redcross.org.uk/What-we-do/Finding-missing-family/Other-organisations/Missing-people-in-World-War-I-and-II

If you contact TNA, Kew, they ought to be able to post you out a help guide relating to searching certain document classes, if there is no information on their website. Although I would try one of the associations for general advice too.

Although with TNA, nobody can guarantee what you will find and the likelihood of finding information to specific individuals. If you visit TNA, Kew, make sure you have all the necessary formal recent identification and valid photographic proofs of your identification (usually photocard Driving Licence / Passport), plus several recent and dated with both name and current address documents - which must be current, to get a Readers Ticket to access files etc.

I recall a chap from abroad going ballistic at the British Library, because he was being refused a Readers Ticket, because he could not prove his current UK address and his permanent recent address either!

Mark

[Mikkel Plannthin]

Mark
Thank you. I have not tried any of the mentioned references, but it is great help!

Mikkel

[Mark Hood]

Mikkel

Try ABCIFER first. I know that Ron Bridge (ex post-war RAF Navigator on Valetta aircraft) has been through these Index Cards and hopefully they should be able to at least give you some pre-visit advice on how to search the cards.

However, I think you might need help with the translation? Although the English names should be recorded as spelt, I would have thought? I have not seen any myself.

Take your own camera (disable flash) to photograph any Cards you find, for research purposes.

All the best.

Regards Mark