K Best . British Army Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment K Best served with the Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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LAC. Leonard Francis Best . Royal Air Force 104 Sq. As a family we never knew where dad, Leonard Best had been during the war, only that he was wounded and sent to a Malta hospital and also that he had been in the far east. We have managed to obtain a copy of his records through the RAF but we don't know how he was shot etc. It would be lovely if someone could help as dad never spoke of the war. My two sons now march with pride wearing his medals on Anzac day in Sydney Australia.
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LAC. Maurice Sydney Best . Royal New Zealand Air Force from Bombay, Auckland. (d.6th December 1940) Maurice Best was the son of Aaron and Alice Best of Bombay, Auckland.
He was killed being struck by an aeroplane at the Royal New Zealand Air Force station at New Plymouth.
He was 27 when he died and is buried in the Bombay Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Franklin District, New Zealand.
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R Best . British Army R Best served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Robert "Bob" Best . RAF 48 Squadron
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Sgt. William Best . Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 302 F.T.U. from Sheffield (d.4th June 1944) Sergeant (Air Gunner) William Best was the son of James and Elizabeth Best, husband of Ida Vera Best of Sheffield.
He was 26 when he died and is buried in the Protestant Section of the Malabo Cemetery, Bioko, Equatorial Guinea.
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Spr. Jean "Frenchy" Bestel . British Army Royal Engineers from Mauritius My late grandfather Jean Bestel was in the Royal Engineers in WW2. We have his Certificate of Service but don't know much else. His Regiment number was 1928556. He'd talk about North Africa and Italy and mentioned transferring to the Free French forces (he was Franco-Mauritian).
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GHA Beston . British Army GHA Beston served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Cpl. Arthur Bestwick . British Army Reconnaissance Corps Royal Armoured Corps from Nottingham My dad Arthur Bestwick was POW in Stalag IV-A, camp location Hehenstein, Hesse. I am not sure how long he was held in the camp, but he was a POW from 18 March 1941 to to June 1945. His unit was the Royal Armoured Corps, Reconnaissance Corps. I believe he was a Cook or Chef and may have therefore been put to work in a kitchen, not sure. If he had been used as a chef, he may have come into contact with all camp POW's. I am waiting for the International Committee of the Red Cross to provide me with more information.
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Telegraphist Eric Coyne Bestwick . Royal Navy HMS Albrighton from Ordsall Nottinghamshire (d.28th of April 1943) Eric Bestwick served with the Royal Navy aboard HMS Albrighton in WW2. He died 28th of April 1943.
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J Bestwick . British Army J Bestwick served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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J Bestwick . British Army J Bestwick served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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C Beswick . British Army Reconnaissance Corps C Beswick served with the Reconnaissance Corps British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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F Beswick . British Army Northamptonshire Regiment F Beswick served with the Northamptonshire Regiment British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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HW Beswick . British Army Royal Armoured Corps HW Beswick served with the Royal Armoured Corps British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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F/O Bruce Ervin Betcher DFC. RCAF 419 (Moose) Squadron F/O Bruce Ervin Betcher DFC was a pilot based at Middleton St George now Teeside airport and flew Halifax`s from this base for 419 RCAF Moose Squadron.
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Pte. Robert Henry Bethell . British Army 2/4 HRC Workshops Royal Army Service Corps from Hereford My Dad, Bob Bethell joined the R A S C as a vehicle electrician did basic training at Bulford camp and later was transferred to Paddington Tec College for an update course before going to Bradford for embarkation allocation. He embarked from Liverpool to Port Suez via Durban and worked in 2/4 HRC workshops and transferred to R E M E in 1942. He went up the desert with the lines of communication company on vehicle repair and recovery. He also served in Cairo, Alexandria, Tabuk, Tel-al-kahabier, Derna, Benghazi, Tripoly. He was detached from duty to undergo minor surgery in the 4th General Hospital Barce. After discharge from hospital he was attached to the British Army Administration as a general electrician working on the Barce wheat scheme. He later returned to AD Bramley and after De-mob joined the army fire service and ended a 50 year career as a divisional officer.
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Betke . US Army 759th Tank Btn. (Light) from USA
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H Betson . British Army Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry H Betson served with the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Pte. Stephen Albert Betsworth . British Army 5th Btn. Northamptonshire Regiment from Farlington, Portsmouth Stephen Betsworth signed on with the British army in December 1942, following the death of friends in Farlington during a German bombing raid. Private Betsworth, serial number 14396516, was stationed with the Northamptonshire Regiment 5th Battalion 78th Division.
In June 1944, during active service, he was captured in Central Italy while in action connected with the Monte Cassino campaign.
According to the POW records, he was moved to Moosburg an der Isar, Bavaria, Germany where, listed as POW number 133317, he was held at Stalag 7 A (VII A) until the 23 Jul 1944. On the 2nd August 1944 he was billeted out to Wilhelm Mozer family household (delicatessen owner) and detailed to assist with the "demolition of bombed areas".
He used to speak of "how lucky he was, compared to some of the others, because as an British soldier he was respected and, given the circumstances, treated quite well" by the family he was billeted with.
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D Bett . British Army Royal Armoured Corps D Bett served with the Royal Armoured Corps British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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L/Bdr. Desmond Bettany . British Army 88th Field Regiment Royal Artillery from Burnleigh, Lancashire Taken from Dad's website of his art work: www.changipowart.com
Life as a Prisoner of War (POW) from Feb 1942 to Sept 1945
As a response to a request from the Singapore Tourism Promotion Board,
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Battle for Singapore
Re-typed from the original manuscript written by Des Bettany in 1991
On our arrival in Singapore, in November 1941, we entrained up country to Mantin. The unit, the 88th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery became part of the 9th Indian Division, and the three batteries were sent to Ipoh, Alor Star and Kuantan, where the Repulse and Prince of Wales were sunk. Eventually the Battery was moved back over Fraser’s Gap to the West Coast, north of Kuala Lumpur and took part in the fights, skirmishes and battles down the Peninsular to Singapore. After capitulation we were all marched to Changi, after disabling and destroying our guns.
The passage of 50 years has reduced the mass of incidents and memories as P.O.W.’s to general feelings, impressions and attitudes. Between February 15th 1942 and September 1945, the completely alien existence we led has become blurred. What is left is a lasting profound distrust and dislike of the Japanese and Koreans.
What remains clear is that throughout the period of privation, starvation and slavery, hope, faith and confidence in our eventual release remained optimistically constant. Rumours abounded but I particularly remember the night of the ‘D’ Day landings in Normandy. When the report reached us, the whole camp within and without the jail began to stir and murmur, to the consternation of the Japanese. This was accepted as fact, but the stories of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with atomic bombs, were met with disbelief.
Some things remain clear however – the never ending struggle for means to bolster woefully insufficient rations; the treatment of working parties by third class Japanese and Korean privates, some of whom had never seen a European before; the road side display of severed heads; the lashings and tortures of Chinese and Indian labourers as well as P.O.W.’s; and complete disregard of the sick and injured by the Japanese. But there was also the ingenious use of material and primitive resourcefulness shown in building accommodation, chapels, theatres and essentials. The concerts, shows and plays were quite excellent as were talks and lectures by experts. Many miracles of surgery occurred under very trying conditions.
At an early date, working parties left Changi for camps in Towner Road and Sarangoon Road, etc. We worked at clearing up the damage in Singapore and the Dock area. For a while we collected abandoned military and private transport. What could not be repaired was broken up and shipped to Japan as scrap. Ingenious methods of sabotage were used both here and other working parties, such as transit camps for the Japanese troops from the Islands and the War Memorial to Japanese dead on Bukit Timiah Hill.
At this time the Selarang Square incident occurred in Changi and parties began leaving there to work on the Burma Railway. After returning to Changi we were moved to the jail and surrounds, and from there until repatriation went daily to work, clearing a corner of the Changi area and creating a fighter strip. This still exists, but has grown into Changi International Airport.
My personal worst moments came when I had to appear before the Japanese Commandant and an assortment of interpreters, to try and explain away, to humourless Japanese officers a book of political cartoons I had drawn. I had lent the book to a careless person who allowed it to fall into the hands of Japanese guards. This was at a time when the war was going badly for Germany and Japan and this was reflected in the cartoons. I was extremely lucky to get away with a whole skin. The Japanese did not approve. I never saw the book again. I am now retired from a life of tertiary art education, and enjoy the benefits of family and eight grandchildren.
Signed: Desmond Bettany, Royal Artillery, 1991
70th Anniversary of the Fall of Singapore 15th February 2012 ‘Lest We Forget’ The Triumph of the Human Spirit in the Face of Adversity
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A.B. Stanley Horace Bettany . Royal Navy HMS Victory from Portsmouth Stanley Bettany enlisted in the Royal Navy on 17th of December 1941 after learning of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour.
He enlisted at Coventry, where he lived, and was transferred to Portsmouth. He served on HMS Victory on several occasions. His first was from 25th Feb 1942 to 9th April 1942. His second was 14th June 1945 to 25th August 1945 after returning from Trincomalee on HMS Renown. His third posting on HMS Victory was from 16th February to 3rd June 1946 after which he was demobbed.
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DW Betteridge . British Army Royal Armoured Corps DW Betteridge served with the Royal Armoured Corps British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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LW Betteridge . British Army Royal Armoured Corps LW Betteridge served with the Royal Armoured Corps British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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FA Bettin . British Army FA Bettin served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Jeff Cleve "Runt" Bettis . United States Army Engineers from Marblle, NC Jeff Bettis served as a toxic gas handler. He died in January 1984
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Sergeant L E Bettis . RAF 59 Squadron
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Cpl. Enoch "Jock" Bettley . Britsh Army Cameron Highlanders from Airdrie Corporal Enoch Bettley was captured at St Valery, escaped and then recaptured in Belgium on 18th of August 1941. He was taken to St Gilles prison before being sent to Stalag 8A.
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Pte. R. A. Betton . British Army King's Shrophire Light Infantry Stalag 8b
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