Gunner Stanley Richard Loveday Royal Artillery
The Man Stanley Richard Loveday was born on 24th September 1915 at Beulah Road, Walthamstow, London. Son of George a serving soldier in World war I and Ellen Susan, nee Clark. He was the youngest of eight children, Helena Victoria born on 22nd January 1901, Alice Olivia - 25th November 1902, Doris Ivy - 22nd June 1905, Alfred James - 21st November 1907, John - 27th May 1909, Ellen Ivy - 14th August 1911 and Violet Muriel - 2nd June 1913.
By 1933 aged 18 and following his education, Stanley had become a Butcher and living at 86 Elspeth Road, Clapham Common. On 30th March 1937 he enlisted into the Territorial Army 85th Field Regiment Royal Artillery with service number 867052.
During the first quarter of 1939 Stanley married Josephine Phyllis Marshallsay, a Mica Ganger, in Essex and they lived at 33 Ash Road, West Ham and later 164 Murchinson Road, Leyton.
Stanley was embodied on 26th January 1941and embarked for India on 20th March joining the 5 Field Regiment Royal Artillery. His subsequent Prisoner of War records show him as part of the 11th Indian Infantry Division, which was an infantry division of the Indian Army during World War II. It formed part of Indian III Corps in the Malaya Command during the Battle of Malaya.
It was originally commanded by Major-General Murray-Lyon until 24 December 1941. Under Murray-Lyon the 11th Indian Division was defeated at the Battle of Jitra and suffered some of its worst casualties during the retreat from Jitra and at the Battle of Gurun.
Murray-Lyon was fired by Lieut. Gen. Arthur Percival and replaced by Brig. A.C.M. Paris and then Maj. Gen. Billy Key. This division suffered such heavy casualties during the early stages of the campaign, that the 1st Leicesters and the 2nd East Surreys were forced to amalgamate, becoming the British Battalion and the 1/8th Punjab and the 2/9th Jats were also amalgamated, becoming the Jat-Punjab Battalion. The 6th and 15th Infantry Brigades were also amalgamated becoming the 6th/15th Indian Infantry Brigade.
After the Battle of Jitra the 11th Division, under Major-General Paris, inflicted heavy casualties on the Japanese at the Battle of Kampar, but was almost completely destroyed at the Battle of Slim River. The division was reformed in Singapore with the remains of the 9th Indian Division.
The 11th Indian Division surrendered to the Japanese on 15 February 1942, along with about 130,000 other British and Commonwealth soldiers, when Singapore was surrendered. Stanley was included in the list of soldiers taken prisoner.
Stanley endured the hardships of being a Japanese Prisoner of War for over two years and working on the notorious Burma Railway in Thailand. He eventually succumbed to the cruelty passing away on 9th August 1944 aged just 28 suffering from dysentery. He was buried at Kanchanaburi Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery, Thailand in plot 8.A.62.
Josephine re-married in early 1945 becoming Josephine Piller and died in late 2003 aged 87 at Epping Forest.
By 1933 aged 18 and following his education, Stanley had become a Butcher and living at 86 Elspeth Road, Clapham Common. On 30th March 1937 he enlisted into the Territorial Army 85th Field Regiment Royal Artillery with service number 867052.
During the first quarter of 1939 Stanley married Josephine Phyllis Marshallsay, a Mica Ganger, in Essex and they lived at 33 Ash Road, West Ham and later 164 Murchinson Road, Leyton.
Stanley was embodied on 26th January 1941and embarked for India on 20th March joining the 5 Field Regiment Royal Artillery. His subsequent Prisoner of War records show him as part of the 11th Indian Infantry Division, which was an infantry division of the Indian Army during World War II. It formed part of Indian III Corps in the Malaya Command during the Battle of Malaya.
It was originally commanded by Major-General Murray-Lyon until 24 December 1941. Under Murray-Lyon the 11th Indian Division was defeated at the Battle of Jitra and suffered some of its worst casualties during the retreat from Jitra and at the Battle of Gurun.
Murray-Lyon was fired by Lieut. Gen. Arthur Percival and replaced by Brig. A.C.M. Paris and then Maj. Gen. Billy Key. This division suffered such heavy casualties during the early stages of the campaign, that the 1st Leicesters and the 2nd East Surreys were forced to amalgamate, becoming the British Battalion and the 1/8th Punjab and the 2/9th Jats were also amalgamated, becoming the Jat-Punjab Battalion. The 6th and 15th Infantry Brigades were also amalgamated becoming the 6th/15th Indian Infantry Brigade.
After the Battle of Jitra the 11th Division, under Major-General Paris, inflicted heavy casualties on the Japanese at the Battle of Kampar, but was almost completely destroyed at the Battle of Slim River. The division was reformed in Singapore with the remains of the 9th Indian Division.
The 11th Indian Division surrendered to the Japanese on 15 February 1942, along with about 130,000 other British and Commonwealth soldiers, when Singapore was surrendered. Stanley was included in the list of soldiers taken prisoner.
Stanley endured the hardships of being a Japanese Prisoner of War for over two years and working on the notorious Burma Railway in Thailand. He eventually succumbed to the cruelty passing away on 9th August 1944 aged just 28 suffering from dysentery. He was buried at Kanchanaburi Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery, Thailand in plot 8.A.62.
Josephine re-married in early 1945 becoming Josephine Piller and died in late 2003 aged 87 at Epping Forest.
The Story The medals awarded to Stanley Richard Loveday were acquired from E-Bay on 20th March 2023 and of interest because of the fact Stanley was a casualty buried at Kanchanaburi Commonwealth War Graves in Thailand, a sub-theme of this collection and scarce to have a named medal.
It appears the vendor may not have researched the medals, as no mention of the fact that Stanley was a FEPOW casualty was made, nor indeed even his first names were given and it was only the specific Pacific Star combination that led to a checking of the CWG web site, confirming the details.
It was of interest to see the vendor did make note that the three World War II medals were a late award, as initially no trace could be found of the Efficiency Medal on Forces War Records. However the OMRS database located the Army Order, List 152 of 1987, showing the award of the EM(T), proving the entire group to be a late award, some 42 years.
It may be that as Stanley’s wife re-married so soon after the end of the war, the original medals were never delivered and returned, only to be claimed by ‘someone’ so many years after.
As all medals to casualties are generally a ‘late award’ and posthumous, this has no bearing on the group, which is original and presented in recognition of Stanley’s service and suffering, he will now be remembered for posterity.
The medals were acquired whilst in Thailand, sadly too late to be able to arrange a visit to his grave. But this was rectified on Thursday 6th July 2023, when his grave was visited and a poppy laid at his headstone.
It appears the vendor may not have researched the medals, as no mention of the fact that Stanley was a FEPOW casualty was made, nor indeed even his first names were given and it was only the specific Pacific Star combination that led to a checking of the CWG web site, confirming the details.
It was of interest to see the vendor did make note that the three World War II medals were a late award, as initially no trace could be found of the Efficiency Medal on Forces War Records. However the OMRS database located the Army Order, List 152 of 1987, showing the award of the EM(T), proving the entire group to be a late award, some 42 years.
It may be that as Stanley’s wife re-married so soon after the end of the war, the original medals were never delivered and returned, only to be claimed by ‘someone’ so many years after.
As all medals to casualties are generally a ‘late award’ and posthumous, this has no bearing on the group, which is original and presented in recognition of Stanley’s service and suffering, he will now be remembered for posterity.
The medals were acquired whilst in Thailand, sadly too late to be able to arrange a visit to his grave. But this was rectified on Thursday 6th July 2023, when his grave was visited and a poppy laid at his headstone.
Stanley Richard LOVEDAY is one of 16 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:
Medal Details:
- 1939-45 Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Pacific Star: Unnamed as awarded
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded
- Efficiency Medal: 2867052 GNR S R LOVEDAY RA
This page last updated 6 Jul 23
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