His Memory Grows Sweeter With Each Passing Year
Gunner William James Johnstone Byers 155th Lanarkshire Yeomanry Royal Artillery
1939-45 Star. Pacific Star. War Medal 1939-45.
The Man William James Johnstone Byers was born on Tuesday 8th October 1912 at 2340h, at Park House Cottages, Canonbie, Dumfriesshire, Scotland. Son of James William, a Ploughman and Mary Beatrice nee Johnstone.
The family later lived at Watchill Cottage, Canonbie.
Following his education, William became a Groom and at the outbreak of World War II on 3rd September 1939, enlisted into the 155th (Lanark Yeomanry) Field Regiment Royal Artillery, 11th Division as a Gunner, service number 325657 later being promoted to Bombardier.
In March 1941, the 155th sailed from the River Clyde bound for India in preparation for a spell in the North African Desert against Rommel's Afrika Corps. However, in August, due to the increasingly warlike belligerence of the Japanese, they were instead sent to Malaya where the humid conditions came as a shock after the dry, searing heat of the Indian plains. Worse was to come when the Japanese invaded the Malayan Peninsula with landings at Kota Bahru and an attack through neutral Siam (Thailand).
The 155th were thereafter continually in action until the fall of Singapore, first at Jitra in the northwest of the peninsula and then at Kampar in the Highlands of Central Malaya where the guns of the 155th drew fear and respect from the enemy. At Slim River, the Regiment achieved fame and admiration when they halted the tanks leading the Japanese attack. Sadly, their respected CO, Lt Col Alan Murdoch was killed in the battle.
Singapore fell on 15th February 1942 and William captured on 17th. The men of the 155th were to suffer dreadfully as POWs of a cruel and ruthless enemy. Whether on the Death Railway built between Thailand and Burma by the slave labour of the POWs; in the bowels of the deadly Kinkaseki Copper Mine on Taiwan; on the Borneo Death Marches or in the coal mines of Japan, the men of the 155th were to suffer and die. Many more men of the Regiment died as POWs than fell in action.
The family later lived at Watchill Cottage, Canonbie.
Following his education, William became a Groom and at the outbreak of World War II on 3rd September 1939, enlisted into the 155th (Lanark Yeomanry) Field Regiment Royal Artillery, 11th Division as a Gunner, service number 325657 later being promoted to Bombardier.
In March 1941, the 155th sailed from the River Clyde bound for India in preparation for a spell in the North African Desert against Rommel's Afrika Corps. However, in August, due to the increasingly warlike belligerence of the Japanese, they were instead sent to Malaya where the humid conditions came as a shock after the dry, searing heat of the Indian plains. Worse was to come when the Japanese invaded the Malayan Peninsula with landings at Kota Bahru and an attack through neutral Siam (Thailand).
The 155th were thereafter continually in action until the fall of Singapore, first at Jitra in the northwest of the peninsula and then at Kampar in the Highlands of Central Malaya where the guns of the 155th drew fear and respect from the enemy. At Slim River, the Regiment achieved fame and admiration when they halted the tanks leading the Japanese attack. Sadly, their respected CO, Lt Col Alan Murdoch was killed in the battle.
Singapore fell on 15th February 1942 and William captured on 17th. The men of the 155th were to suffer dreadfully as POWs of a cruel and ruthless enemy. Whether on the Death Railway built between Thailand and Burma by the slave labour of the POWs; in the bowels of the deadly Kinkaseki Copper Mine on Taiwan; on the Borneo Death Marches or in the coal mines of Japan, the men of the 155th were to suffer and die. Many more men of the Regiment died as POWs than fell in action.
William's Japanese Prisoner of War Record Card
Following his capture William was set to work on the infamous Burma Railway and held at the Chungkai Prisoner of War Camp in Thailand. He later died of Avitaminosis, a disease resulting from a deficiency of one or more vitamins, on 5th of October 1943 aged 30 and buried in Chungkai War Cemetery. Plot 2.H.6.
The cemetery at Chungkai hosts the graves of 1,426 British and 313 Dutch servicemen who died during World War II. The majority of the interred died building the sections of the nearby Burma Railway. The cemetery is built on the site of a prisoner of war camp used by the Japanese army to house Allied POWs during the conflict. In 1946, it was decided to re-bury the Burma Railway deaths which were buried in many graveyards along the line in three large cemeteries. The current Chungkai cemetery is an extension of the existing camp cemetery
Williams name also appears with others of the 155th and 156th Lanark Yeomanry who made the ultimate sacrifice on a Memorial at Old St. Bride's Church in Douglas, South Lanarkshire.
The cemetery at Chungkai hosts the graves of 1,426 British and 313 Dutch servicemen who died during World War II. The majority of the interred died building the sections of the nearby Burma Railway. The cemetery is built on the site of a prisoner of war camp used by the Japanese army to house Allied POWs during the conflict. In 1946, it was decided to re-bury the Burma Railway deaths which were buried in many graveyards along the line in three large cemeteries. The current Chungkai cemetery is an extension of the existing camp cemetery
Williams name also appears with others of the 155th and 156th Lanark Yeomanry who made the ultimate sacrifice on a Memorial at Old St. Bride's Church in Douglas, South Lanarkshire.
The Story The medals awarded to William James Johnstone Byers were acquired from McCarthy’s Medals on 5th September 2022 and of immediate interest because the recipient had died, whilst working on the Burma Railway and was buried in Thailand. They also came with his condolence slip, always very pleasing to possess.
This group were the first such to a casualty buried in Chungkai Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery and by coincidence a trip to Kanchanaburi was planned only four days later, when his grave could be visited, possibly for the first time since his death.
On Wednesday 7th September 2022, after a particularly heavy rainfall, his grave was visited and a poppy cross placed on it.
Ancestry.UK and Scotland’s People helped provide additional detail to piece William’s brief biography together.
This group were the first such to a casualty buried in Chungkai Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery and by coincidence a trip to Kanchanaburi was planned only four days later, when his grave could be visited, possibly for the first time since his death.
On Wednesday 7th September 2022, after a particularly heavy rainfall, his grave was visited and a poppy cross placed on it.
Ancestry.UK and Scotland’s People helped provide additional detail to piece William’s brief biography together.
Medal Award Certificate
Old St Bride's Church, South Lanark, Scotland.
|
Memorial Table inside old St Brides.
|
Box of Issue for Willaim Byer's medals addressed to his mother, Mrs (James) Byers.
Family Grave at Canonbie United Parish Church.
Chungkai Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery Wednesday 7th September 2022
|
|
William James Johnstone BYERS is one of 26 soldiers in this collection who perished whilst working on the Burma Railaway and whose final resting place is Kanchanaburi or Chungkai Commonwealth War Cemeteries in Thailand or Thanbyuzayat in Myanmar. May their souls rest in eternal peace. Click on each name to read about:
- John AXON
- Thomas BURNS
- Walter Richard COLBERT
- Percy Denis CORNWELL
- Joseph DUCKWORTH
- Harold Edward EKE
- Kenneth Robert EYLAND
- Charles Nevil Worton FOX
- Denys John HYDE
- George Sidney JOHNSON
- Charles Roger LLOYD
- Stanley Richard LOVEDAY
- Myles McMANUS
- Raymond Ernest MADGETT
- Alfred Arthur MANNING
- John MARKS
- Horace Edgar MAXWELL
- James Gordon MITCHELL
- Edward John PHILLIPS
- George Edward RUDDICK
- Kenneth William SHIPP
- Harold Norman SPALDING
- Alfred Henry STEVENS
- Walter Leonard TAYLOR
- Henry Garnsey VEITCH
Medal Details:
- 1939-45 Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Pacific Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded
This page last updated 22 Sep 22
205
