Too Far Away Your Grave To See.
Fusilier Myles McManus Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
The Man Myles McManus was born at 2.00am on Sunday 2nd November 1913 at 11 West Campbell Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. He was the oldest child of John, a Labourer and Sarah nee Timlin both from Country Fermanagh in Ireland. Myles was one of four children, Margaret Mary born in 1915, James 1925 and Joseph 1927.
The 1921 census shows the family living at the same address, but by 1925 they were living in Mohill, County Leitrim, Ireland where James and Joseph were born.
Following his education Myles became a motor driver, living with his parents at 116 Ferguslie, Paisley and enlisted into the Territorial Army, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's) with service number 2980548 during the 1930s.
At some time after this he was transferred to the 9th Battalion Royal Northumberland Fusiliers although it is not known exactly when. However, the 9th Bn was formed as a duplicate of the 7th on 27th July 1939 and organised as a machine gun battalion. On the outbreak of World War II, it was in Northumbrian Area, Northern Command and on 2nd October 1939 attached to the 23rd Northumbrian Division, proceeding to France with them in April 1940.
After Dunkirk, the battalion was part of Home Forces until January 1942 when it was transferred to Malaya Command, landing at Singapore a few days before the fall of the island, thus it possible Myles saw action in France in 1940, being evacuated from Dunkirk, only to then face the horrors of the Japanese.
Myles was taken as a Prisoner of War on 15th February 1942 and marched to Changi, then on 7th November taken by truck to Kanchanaburi in Thailand, a journey that took until 1st December! He worked at Tarsau Base Camp, Group no 4, ‘D’ force which worked in the vicinity of Hellfire Pass and engaged in laying sleepers, rails and hammering in the spikes for the notorious Burma Railway.
Myles succumbed to the hardships of his imprisonment and sadly died on 1st August 1943 aged 29. His cause of death given as indigestion, dysentery and debility. He was buried at Tarsao No 2 Cemetery (St Luke’s) in plot number 82. In 1946, however, his body was moved to the larger site in the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery at Don Rak, Kanchanaburi, Thailand. Plot 4.A.56.
Myles was posthumously awarded the 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star, War Medal 1939-45 and in Army Order 69 of 1946 his Efficiency Medal.
The 1921 census shows the family living at the same address, but by 1925 they were living in Mohill, County Leitrim, Ireland where James and Joseph were born.
Following his education Myles became a motor driver, living with his parents at 116 Ferguslie, Paisley and enlisted into the Territorial Army, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's) with service number 2980548 during the 1930s.
At some time after this he was transferred to the 9th Battalion Royal Northumberland Fusiliers although it is not known exactly when. However, the 9th Bn was formed as a duplicate of the 7th on 27th July 1939 and organised as a machine gun battalion. On the outbreak of World War II, it was in Northumbrian Area, Northern Command and on 2nd October 1939 attached to the 23rd Northumbrian Division, proceeding to France with them in April 1940.
After Dunkirk, the battalion was part of Home Forces until January 1942 when it was transferred to Malaya Command, landing at Singapore a few days before the fall of the island, thus it possible Myles saw action in France in 1940, being evacuated from Dunkirk, only to then face the horrors of the Japanese.
Myles was taken as a Prisoner of War on 15th February 1942 and marched to Changi, then on 7th November taken by truck to Kanchanaburi in Thailand, a journey that took until 1st December! He worked at Tarsau Base Camp, Group no 4, ‘D’ force which worked in the vicinity of Hellfire Pass and engaged in laying sleepers, rails and hammering in the spikes for the notorious Burma Railway.
Myles succumbed to the hardships of his imprisonment and sadly died on 1st August 1943 aged 29. His cause of death given as indigestion, dysentery and debility. He was buried at Tarsao No 2 Cemetery (St Luke’s) in plot number 82. In 1946, however, his body was moved to the larger site in the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery at Don Rak, Kanchanaburi, Thailand. Plot 4.A.56.
Myles was posthumously awarded the 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star, War Medal 1939-45 and in Army Order 69 of 1946 his Efficiency Medal.
The Story The medals awarded to Myles McManus were acquired from E-Bay in 2009. They were the first group in this collection, awarded to a man who had so sadly passed away working on the Burma Railway in Thailand.
The initial interest was following a visit to Kanchanaburi War Cemetery in Thailand in 2008, when poppies were laid on the grave of a relative of a work colleague, who had also died working on the railway. Having visited the cemetery and subsequently seeing Myles McManus’ medals on offer, gave an opportunity to conduct research and a raison dêtre to visit the cemetery whenever possible.
Having won the medals a visit was made to Myles’ grave in January 2010 and on numerous occasions since. 2010 highly likely being the first specific visit to his grave for many years, if not at all.
Little additional details could be found at the time and despite contact from a relative of Myles, no picture could be located. During a VJ Day Commemoration Service organised by the Dutch Embassy on 15th August 2023, Ancestry.UK and Scotland’s People were checked again revealing much further detail enabling Myles’ biography to be expanded significantly.
Myles is now one of a growing number of Burma Railway casualties in this collection and his grave visited several times a year, a poppy laid on each occasion.
As Myles was the ‘first’ Burma Railway casualty in this collection, he will always hold a very special significance amongst his peers.
The initial interest was following a visit to Kanchanaburi War Cemetery in Thailand in 2008, when poppies were laid on the grave of a relative of a work colleague, who had also died working on the railway. Having visited the cemetery and subsequently seeing Myles McManus’ medals on offer, gave an opportunity to conduct research and a raison dêtre to visit the cemetery whenever possible.
Having won the medals a visit was made to Myles’ grave in January 2010 and on numerous occasions since. 2010 highly likely being the first specific visit to his grave for many years, if not at all.
Little additional details could be found at the time and despite contact from a relative of Myles, no picture could be located. During a VJ Day Commemoration Service organised by the Dutch Embassy on 15th August 2023, Ancestry.UK and Scotland’s People were checked again revealing much further detail enabling Myles’ biography to be expanded significantly.
Myles is now one of a growing number of Burma Railway casualties in this collection and his grave visited several times a year, a poppy laid on each occasion.
As Myles was the ‘first’ Burma Railway casualty in this collection, he will always hold a very special significance amongst his peers.
Myles McMANUS 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:
- John AXON
- Thomas BURNS
- William James Johnstone BYERS
- Walter Richard COLBERT
- Percy Denis CORNWELL
- Kenneth Robert EYLAND
- Charles Nevil Worton FOX
- Denys John HYDE
- George Sidney JOHNSON
- Stanley Richard LOVEDAY
- Raymond Ernest MADGETT
- Horace Edgar MAXWELL
- Edward John PHILLIPS
- George Edward RUDDICK
- Henry Garnsey VEITCH
Medal Details:
- 1939-45 Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Pacific Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
- Efficiency Medal 'Territorial' 22980548. FUS.M.McMANUS .N.F.
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This page last updated 16 Aug 23
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