National War Archives, Kew, Q. Front

National War Archives, Kew, Q Front

Taken from the above Interrogation Record, Des was in the following POW camps in Singapore:

CAMP

DATES

CAMP LEADER

Singapore

15th Feb 1942

Col Holmes GB. MC.

Towner Road

May – Sept 1942

Lt. Col. S. C D’Aubuz

Serangon Road

Sept – Dec 1942

Lt Col Prallity

Changi Jail

Dec 1942 – Aug 1945

Lt Col Newey & Lt Col Dillan

Note: Des has painted a cartoon of his Camp Leader from Towner Road, Lt. Col. S. C D’Aubuz, see ‘Caricatures & Portraits’.

‘In July, General Percival appointed Lt Colonel EB Holmes of the Manchester Regiment to command British and Australian troops in Changi, while General  Callaghan appointed Lt Colonel ‘Black Jack’ Gelleghan to command the AIF and ac as Holme’s deputy.’

Source: The Battle for Singapore by Peter Thompson, pg 389