This photo was kindly scanned by Wilf’s grand daughter, Sally, and a copy sent to the Bettany family for inclusion on this site. Wilf served in France during ww1 and was 46 at the out-break of ww2. He passed away in 1970 in his beloved country of  Wales.

This drawing was kindly scanned by Wilf’s grand daughter, Sally, and a copy sent to the Bettany family for inclusion on this site in 2012. Wilf served in France during ww1 and was 46 at the out-break of ww2. He passed away in 1970 in his beloved country of Wales. (Des’ family knew their father gave a lot of his art work away to his mates and it is so good to see scanned copies coming back for inclusion on the site).

‘Wilf is standing in a corridor of Changi Prison, and that the angry looking man is in a cell (Changi had very distinctive toilet cisterns which you can see in the background: they were actually located outside the cells in the corridor)’. Wilf seems to be holding some fruit or leaves.’

Source: Robin Blackburn, Director, The Changi Museum

‘5,000 POWs were moved into the prison, built to hold 800 prisoners. It was cold, foul smelling. Each cell, crawling with bugs, was approx 6ft x 8 ft and had a concrete block in the centre which served as a bed for one prisoner. Two more prisoners slept on the floor on either side. One small window approx. a foot square gave a little light and the much needed fresh air while a hole in the floor in one corner served as a toilet.
A further 12,000 POWs were concentrated in the surrounding area of the jail, living in camps made up of attap huts and rough accommodation. The Outram Road Jail was used as a punishment camp.

For over sixty years the name Changi has remained synonymous with hardship and cruelty, borne during this horrific chapter in British military history, a name that will not easily be forgotten. It will remain a lasting bitter memory to all those who were unfortunate enough to have been interned in the miserable foulness within its formidable stone walls or in the surrounding camps within its shadows.’

Source:  http://www.cofepow.org.uk/pages/asia_singapore_changi_story.htm

This drawing was kindly scanned by Wilf’s grand daughter, Sally, and a copy sent to the Bettany family for inclusion on this site in February 2012. Wilf served in France during ww1 and was 46 at the out-break of ww2. He passed away in 1970 in his beloved country of  Wales. (Des’ family knew their father gave a lot of his art work away to his mates and it is so good to see scanned copies coming back for inclusion on the site).

‘5,000 POWs were moved into the prison, built to hold 800 prisoners. It was cold, foul smelling. Each cell, crawling with bugs, was approx 6ft x 8 ft and had a concrete block in the centre which served as a bed for one prisoner. Two more prisoners slept on the floor on either side. One small window approx. a foot square gave a little light and the much needed fresh air while a hole in the floor in one corner served as a toilet.
A further 12,000 POWs were concentrated in the surrounding area of the jail, living in camps made up of attap huts and rough accommodation. The Outram Road Jail was used as a punishment camp.

For over sixty years the name Changi has remained synonymous with hardship and cruelty, borne during this horrific chapter in British military history, a name that will not easily be forgotten. It will remain a lasting bitter memory to all those who were unfortunate enough to have been interned in the miserable foulness within its formidable stone walls or in the surrounding camps within its shadows.’

Source:  http://www.cofepow.org.uk/pages/asia_singapore_changi_story.htm

This watercolour of the Burma Railway is owned by former Captain E.C.(Teddy) Dickson, and was painted in Changi by Des from a detailed description by Captain Dickson on his return to Changi after working on the railway. It was painted on the back of an old Changi prison duty roster sheet. Captain Dickson asked Des to paint it in order that there would be a record of the enormous effort and danger involved in the construction of the railway. Mr. Dickson, now (in 2012) 93 years old and living near Preston, England, has provided the following caption:

 ’The pillars supporting the Burma Railway were tree trunks which had been dragged into position by elephants. You will notice that the sleepers were of varying length and different distances apart, making it perilous for those pushing the buggy wheels. If the terrain was uphill or downhill, this represented even greater danger as there were no brakes. Imagine doing that in the rain and in the dark.’