Lance Corporal Denys John Hyde Royal Army Service Corps
Denys John Hyde
The Man Denys John Hyde (Den), was born on Thursday 15th September 1910, in Lambeth, London, son of Frank and Ada Clarke nee Lovick. He had one brother, Geoffrey Frank born, in 1902 and was Baptised on 27th October at St Luke’s West Norwood, Southwark, London. The family lived at 106a Casewick Road, London.
By 1934 aged 24 Den was still living with his family at Casewick Road and following his education had become a Clerk. In 1935 he married Winifred Grace Johnson in Lambeth and moved to 31 Conyers Road, Streatham, sharing the house with the Vernum family. By 1938 they were living at 85 Salford Road, Streatham, sharing the property with four other families the Stegers, Mansfields, Acroyds and Wilkinsons, a year later they shared with just one Mansfield and the Parnells and by September 1939 were living in the property alone with their only son Michael John born in 1936.
Following the outbreak of World War II on 3rd September 1939, Den was called up to serve in the Royal Army Service Corps with service number S/227622, being promoted to Lance Corporal
He was posted to the Far East, probably Singapore and taken Prisoner by the Japanese, being transported to Thailand to work on the notorious Burma Railway being held sometime at Malai FEPOW Camp.
Sadly Den contracted Diptheria whilst working in the inhumane conditions imposed by the Japanese and died on 17th August 1943 aged 32. He is buried in Kanchanaburi War Cemetery in Thailand, plot 2.F.2. and was posthumously awarded the 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star and War Medal 1939-45.
By 1934 aged 24 Den was still living with his family at Casewick Road and following his education had become a Clerk. In 1935 he married Winifred Grace Johnson in Lambeth and moved to 31 Conyers Road, Streatham, sharing the house with the Vernum family. By 1938 they were living at 85 Salford Road, Streatham, sharing the property with four other families the Stegers, Mansfields, Acroyds and Wilkinsons, a year later they shared with just one Mansfield and the Parnells and by September 1939 were living in the property alone with their only son Michael John born in 1936.
Following the outbreak of World War II on 3rd September 1939, Den was called up to serve in the Royal Army Service Corps with service number S/227622, being promoted to Lance Corporal
He was posted to the Far East, probably Singapore and taken Prisoner by the Japanese, being transported to Thailand to work on the notorious Burma Railway being held sometime at Malai FEPOW Camp.
Sadly Den contracted Diptheria whilst working in the inhumane conditions imposed by the Japanese and died on 17th August 1943 aged 32. He is buried in Kanchanaburi War Cemetery in Thailand, plot 2.F.2. and was posthumously awarded the 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star and War Medal 1939-45.
1939-45 Star. Pacific Star. War Medal 1939-45.
The Story The medals awarded to Denys John Hyde were acquired in January 2022.
Initially Den’s photograph, a Royal British Legion memorial card and an unattributed Burma Star were seen on e-Bay, coincidentally just a few days after a visit to Kanchanaburi War Cemetery in Thailand, where he is buried.
The lot aroused interest because of the location of Den’s burial, linking in with three other men in this collection, Myles McManus, Horace Edgar Maxwell and Charles Nevil Worton Fox.
The memorial card, photograph and Burma Star according to the vendor were ‘’ Brought into my Surplus store in the 90's. I kept it as there is something about it that really interested me! The lady had been to visit the Kwai Bridge in 1983 and also the Cemetery as one of her relative's was buried in there. She told me she found it in Kanchanaburi Cemetery just lying on the ground. My assumption is that the Wife of this poor chap had put it on his grave at some point, and it was there for many years.’’
It was clear the card had probably been placed at the grave with a wreath at some time in the past and maybe not eventually removed by the gardeners because of the Burma Star. It shifted location probably due to the weather in the rainy season and found by another visitor who thankfully returned it to the UK.
Enquiries with the Ministry of Defence Medal Office confirmed Den had been posthumously awarded the 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star and War Medal 1939-45 on 22nd October 1949.
The poignancy of this story could not be ignored and whilst the photograph, memorial card and Burma Star will remain with his medals for posterity and as an important part of his story, a copy of them was placed at his grave with a poppy when it was visited on Thursday 10th February 2022.
Although Den’s wife and son are long since gone, he will now, thanks to the anonymous lady who had the foresight to pick up the card and photograph, be ‘personally’ remembered for a little longer.
Initially Den’s photograph, a Royal British Legion memorial card and an unattributed Burma Star were seen on e-Bay, coincidentally just a few days after a visit to Kanchanaburi War Cemetery in Thailand, where he is buried.
The lot aroused interest because of the location of Den’s burial, linking in with three other men in this collection, Myles McManus, Horace Edgar Maxwell and Charles Nevil Worton Fox.
The memorial card, photograph and Burma Star according to the vendor were ‘’ Brought into my Surplus store in the 90's. I kept it as there is something about it that really interested me! The lady had been to visit the Kwai Bridge in 1983 and also the Cemetery as one of her relative's was buried in there. She told me she found it in Kanchanaburi Cemetery just lying on the ground. My assumption is that the Wife of this poor chap had put it on his grave at some point, and it was there for many years.’’
It was clear the card had probably been placed at the grave with a wreath at some time in the past and maybe not eventually removed by the gardeners because of the Burma Star. It shifted location probably due to the weather in the rainy season and found by another visitor who thankfully returned it to the UK.
Enquiries with the Ministry of Defence Medal Office confirmed Den had been posthumously awarded the 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star and War Medal 1939-45 on 22nd October 1949.
The poignancy of this story could not be ignored and whilst the photograph, memorial card and Burma Star will remain with his medals for posterity and as an important part of his story, a copy of them was placed at his grave with a poppy when it was visited on Thursday 10th February 2022.
Although Den’s wife and son are long since gone, he will now, thanks to the anonymous lady who had the foresight to pick up the card and photograph, be ‘personally’ remembered for a little longer.
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As the card was found in Kanchanaburi.
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Kanchanburi Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery, Thailand. Thursday 10th February 2022.
March 2022
Confirmation of awards from the MoD Medal Office - 16th February 2022.
Denys John HYDE 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
- William James Johnstone BYERS
- Walter Richard COLBERT
- Percy Denis CORNWELL
- Joseph DUCKWORTH
- Kenneth Robert EYLAND
- Charles Nevil Worton FOX
- Harold Edward EKE
- 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.
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