A 'Jock's' North West Frontier of India & Far East Prisoner of War campaign medal group of 5: Corporal William Telfer attached 35th Line of Communications Brigade Company Royal Army Service Corps late 2nd Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

- IGS 1936. 'North West Frontier 1936-37' (4913901 Pte W. Telfer. A.& S. H.)
- The 1939-1945 Star
- The Pacific Star
- The Defence Medal
- The War Medal

Far East Prisoner of War: Confirmed captured at the surrender of Singapore Colony by the Imperial Japanese Army on 15 February 1942 (ref WO 345/51). William Telfer had been serving in Singapore Colony with 2nd Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, prior to the start of the 'Pacific War' on, 8 December 1942. The regimental history of 2/A&SH records him - together with 16 x other-ranks 'Jocks' - attached to the Royal Army Service Corps for the Malaya Campaign. He appears to have served as a 'Despatch Rider' during the Battle for Singapore, as his Prisoner of War 'Liberation Questionnaire' held and accessible at The National Archives, has the entry under 'State if wounded, sick or injured prior to capture and nature of disability:

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Motor Cycle accident 13/2/1942. Injuries left arm and head injury

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William had the misfortune, some months after his capture to be transported to the notorious POW labour camps locate in Taiwan, where he worked in the 'Mines'. Amongst the very worst POW conditions experienced by British FEPOW's during the War against Japan, 1941-1945

A note on the cover page of the recipient's extant POW Liberation reports states:

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No War Crimes Sheet

Refused to sign a.........

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Note: We have only read & seen the first cover page of the questionnaire, and do not know exactly why he refused to sign the document - albeit experience usually tends to indicate the former FEPOW's refusal to agree to keep silent on incidents witnessed or endured during their years of captivity

India General Service Medal 1936 & clasp verification: The award of the IGS 1936 and clasp is verified on the respective campaign medal roll of 2nd Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (reference WO 100/498) compiled and signed at Trimulgherry, India, on 3 December 1938

William Telfer son Marian Telfer was born in Wishaw, Lanarkshire, Scotland, on, 2 June 1909. The Telfer family relocated to Stenhousemuir, Stirlingshire, Scotland, where his notified next-of-kin, his mother, was resident at, 6 Church Street, Stenhousemuir. Prior to joining the British Army, William was employed as a 'Brass Finisher'. William enlisted in the British Army circa 1930, at which time he was posted to the South Staffordshire Regiment, his unique army number being in the block 4904001 - 4960000 that had been allocated to the South Staffordshire Regiment in 1920. Sometime after joining the British Army, William obtained a transfer to his 'local' infantry regiment, 2nd Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders - the descendent unit of the famous 'Thin Red Line' of Balaklava, Crimean War fame. William subsequently served with the Argylls on the North West Frontier of India during the Waziristan Campaign of 1936-37, and later deployed with the Argylls to Singapore Colony in 1939, in which year they became one of the 'Fortress Singapore' garrison. At the time of the outbreak of the Pacific War, William was one of 16 x Argylls 'Other-Ranks' transferred to the, 35th LOC Brigade Company, Royal Army Service Corps, with which unit he appears to have served as a 'Despatch Rider'. Captured in Singapore Colony on, 15 February 1942, he was later transported to Taiwan for work on the mines there. Fortunately, William survived his internment in the Far East, and was liberated from Taiwan shortly after the end of the Pacific War. Although captured on 15 February 1942, it was some considerable time after his capture that his prisoner status was notified to his mother in Scotland, the below following notice appearing in the local Falkirk Herald newspaper issue of, 28 March 1942:

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Mrs. Telfer, 10 Church Street, Stenhousemuir, has been informed that her son, Corpl. William Telfer, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, is missing from the operations at Singapore. Mrs. Telfer has two other sons in the Army

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The IGS 1936 medal mounted as worn by the recipient in the swing style. The original stitched silk riband suspended from a brass mounting bar that retains it's hinged pin & clasp fittings. The WW2 campaign medal all Royal Mint strikes and all fitted with silk ribands

A most desirable campaign medal group to a Far East Prisoner of War

Condition: About EF

Code: 22503