Some Time We Will Understand
Craftsman Henry Garnsey Veitch Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers
Henry Garnsey Veitch
The Man Henry Garnsey Veitch was born on Friday 27th June 1913 in Snodland, Kent, son of Henry John and Cecilia nee Terry. He was one of three children, Louisa Alice born on 31st May 1905 and Cecilia Florence 7th September 1907. The 1911 census shows the family living at 6 Mount Pleasant, Holborough Road, Snodland.
Henry senior was later a Private No 4962 in the East Kent Regiment during World War I and killed in action on 3rd May 1916 aged 34 and commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial. Cecilia was left with bringing up her three children.
Following his education Henry became a Carpenter and at the outbreak of World War II on 3rd September 1939, called up into the Royal Army Ordnance Corps with service number 763905 and posted to the Far East to defend Singapore in 1941, but taken as Prisoner of War upon its fall on 15th February 1942. He was transferred to the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers upon it formation in October 1942.
Henry was shipped to Burma to work on the northern stretch of the infamous Burma Railway and succumbed to the harsh treatment under the Japanese dying of illness on 26th November 1943 aged 30. Cecilia, his mother, had now lost her husband and only son at about the same age in two different conflicts.
Henry was buried in Thanbyuzayat Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery, Burma in plot C2.C.1. He was posthumously awarded the 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star and War Medal 1939-45. He was also commemorated on the Snodland War Memorial, rather poignantly together with his father.
Lily remarried to Frederick H Harris in 1948 and Cecilia lived until early 1950 when she died aged 72.
Henry senior was later a Private No 4962 in the East Kent Regiment during World War I and killed in action on 3rd May 1916 aged 34 and commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial. Cecilia was left with bringing up her three children.
Following his education Henry became a Carpenter and at the outbreak of World War II on 3rd September 1939, called up into the Royal Army Ordnance Corps with service number 763905 and posted to the Far East to defend Singapore in 1941, but taken as Prisoner of War upon its fall on 15th February 1942. He was transferred to the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers upon it formation in October 1942.
Henry was shipped to Burma to work on the northern stretch of the infamous Burma Railway and succumbed to the harsh treatment under the Japanese dying of illness on 26th November 1943 aged 30. Cecilia, his mother, had now lost her husband and only son at about the same age in two different conflicts.
Henry was buried in Thanbyuzayat Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery, Burma in plot C2.C.1. He was posthumously awarded the 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star and War Medal 1939-45. He was also commemorated on the Snodland War Memorial, rather poignantly together with his father.
Lily remarried to Frederick H Harris in 1948 and Cecilia lived until early 1950 when she died aged 72.
1939-45 Star. Pacific Star. War Medal 1939-45.
The Story The medals awarded to Henry Garnsey Veitch were acquired from Brian Woodcraft at the Britannia Medal Fair in London on 19th November 2023.
They were initially ignored, as Thanbyuzayat Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery was confused with Taukkyan, which is north of Yangon and not directly linked to the Burma Railway casualties. However, an hour or so later following a double check on the internet, it was realised that Thanbyuzayat is in fact the cemetery in Moulmein, south of Yangon and at northern end of the Burma Railway, thus Henry Veitch was indeed a Burma Railway casualty.
A rapid re-visit to Brian’s stand ensured the medals were acquired and joined the others in this collection who perished working on the infamous railway.
Especially pleasing was the inclusion of a photograph of Henry and his memorial certificate. Ancestry.UK enabled a brief biography to be completed and another victim of the Burma Railway to be remembered. Sadly however, it may be some time before his grave can be visited due to the current situation in Myanmar (2023).
They were initially ignored, as Thanbyuzayat Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery was confused with Taukkyan, which is north of Yangon and not directly linked to the Burma Railway casualties. However, an hour or so later following a double check on the internet, it was realised that Thanbyuzayat is in fact the cemetery in Moulmein, south of Yangon and at northern end of the Burma Railway, thus Henry Veitch was indeed a Burma Railway casualty.
A rapid re-visit to Brian’s stand ensured the medals were acquired and joined the others in this collection who perished working on the infamous railway.
Especially pleasing was the inclusion of a photograph of Henry and his memorial certificate. Ancestry.UK enabled a brief biography to be completed and another victim of the Burma Railway to be remembered. Sadly however, it may be some time before his grave can be visited due to the current situation in Myanmar (2023).
Henry's grave Thanbyuzayat Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery, Myanmar.
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Snodland War Memorial poignantly bearing the names of Henry John and Henry Garnsey Veitch.
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Thanbyuzayat Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery, Moulmein, Myanmar, 9th February 2015. (Percy Denis Cornwell collection).
Henry John Veitch's World War I pension card
Henry Garnsey VEITCH 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
- 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
- Walter Leonard TAYLOR
- George Edward RUDDICK
- Kenneth William SHIPP
- Harold Norman SPALDING
- Alfred Henry STEVENS
Medal Details:
- 1939-45 Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Pacific Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
This page last updated 24 Nov 23
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