ALBERT WILLIAM WATCHAM
From May through to September 2026, Andrew will be fulfilling his dream to hike the iconic Land’s End to John O’Groats! You are all warmly invited to follow Andrew’s epic journey on his Facebook page, “Andrew Beal LEJOG” https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577588795730
As Andrew hikes the 1,300+ miles, he will raise funds for the Ipswich War Memorial Project to help finance our future exhibitions and research of the brave Ipswich men and women who lost their lives in conflict. If you would like to make a small donation, please click on the link: https://gofund.me/5d4a50570
Thank you for your love and support. Andrew & Helen – I.W.M.P.
Image from the Evening Star – 15th April 1942.
Born: 30th July 1919, Great Bentley, Essex.
Died: 12th September 1944; age: 25; Japanese PoW – lost at sea.
Captured: 15th February 1942 – Fall of Singapore.
Residence: Dairy House Farm, Belstead Road, Stoke Park, Ipswich.
Occupation: Carpenter Messrs. Fox and Son’s shipyard for over 4 years.
Rank: Private; Service Number: 5527809.
Regiment: Cambridgeshire Regiment, 2nd Battalion.
Final resting place unknown.
Memorial Reference:
Column 61.
Kranji,
Singapore.
Father: Albert Watcham, born January 1878, Great Bentley, Essex.
Mother Emmie Louisa Watcham (nee Martin), born September 1893.
ENGLAND & WALES REGISTER 1939.
Albert lived with his parents and brothers at their family home – Dairy House Farm, Belstead Road, Stoke Park, Ipswich.
Albert, a Cowman.
Emmie, unpaid Domestic Duties.
Alfred Watcham, born March 1921, Great Bentley.
Edward Watcham, born 1923, Ipswich.
The Battalion was attached to the 18th East Anglian Division (including 4/5th Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment).
15th February 1942: After the fall of Singapore, approximately 620 of the Battalions were taken POW and later mostly died on the Burma-Thailand Railway.
He was likely being transported to Japan to be used as slave labour when he died, the ship could have sunk either in a storm or many cases by the British or US forces, as the ship would have been a cargo ship. Many men died on such ships, in inhumane conditions, through heat, and lack of food and water.
Ipswich men who died on the same day onboard the Hell ships:
One Comment
Thank you for this information. This was my late Grandads brother and we only knew that he had lost him during the war. Very sad.