A most desirable Warrant Officer's India & Second World War Sarawak & Borneo campaign service group of 7 to a 'Far East Prisoner of War': Sergeant Major Sidney Thomas Bayford, 2nd Bn Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

- IGS 1908. GV 'North West Frontier 1935' (2974004 Cpl. S. Bayford. A. & S. H.)
- IGS 1936. 'North West Frontier 1936-37' (2974004 Cpl. S. Bayford. A. & S. H.)
- The 1939-1945 Star. No clasp
- The Pacific Star. No clasp
- Defence Medal
- War Medal
- Military LS&GC. GVI 'Regular Army' bar: (2974004 Sjt. S. T. Bayford. A. & S. H.)

A Sarawak Defender: Sergeant Major Bayford was serving in Kuching, Sarawak, North West Borneo 1941-42, where he had been seconded on 'Instructional Duties, Sarawak', prior to the start of the Pacific War. Where, he subsequently served in defence of the protectorate of the 'White Rajah's. He was the only soldier of 2nd Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, to fight in the defence of Kuching, Sarawak, (reference The History of the 2nd Argylls Malayan Campaign 1941-42 (Stewart, 1947)

Far East Prisoner of War: Sergeant Major Bayford, served during the intial defence of 'Kuching' (Sarawak) and then joined the fighting retreat led by Lt-Colonel Lane M.C., 2nd Battalion 15th Punjab Regiment, across Borneo Island to the Netherlands East Indies, where on Java he was captured by the Japanese on, 8 March 1942 (the recipients Liberation Questionnaire held and accessible at The National Archives refers)

Netherlands East Indies & Japan Prisoner of War: During his period of internment Sergeant Major Bayford was held firstly in Netherlands East Indies and, until early in 1943, when he was transported in a Japanese 'Hell-Ship' to Japan. The camps he was interred at during his captivity were:

- Priok Camp (NEI): From 08/03/1942 (Camp leader was Lt-Colonel Lane. M.C., 2/15 Punjab Regiment, Indian Army)
- Hiroshima POW Camp 6-B Omine Yamaguchi : From 01/03/1943 (Camp leader was Major Busby, Royal Artillery)

Hiroshima Nuclear Bomb: Sergeant Major Bayford is confirmed being present in the Hiroshima prefecture, - and almost certainly a witness - to the explosion of the first ever nuclear bomb 'Little Boy' that was fatefully dropped on Hiroshima city on. 6 August, 1945. If evidence was at all required about the far-reaching effects of the nuclear bombs. amongst the many thousands of casualties were the lost lives of 20 allied (American, Dutch & British) Prisoners-of-War, who were killed at Hiroshima

Positively Identified FEPOW Photograph: With courtesy and thanks to Wes Injerd at the FEPOW website at Mansell.Com, we have attached a group photograph of Officers and Warrant Officers taken at Hiroshima POW Camp 6-B Omine Yamaguchi, Japan. In the photograph Warrant Officer Bayford is included - see standing in back row, wearing Argylls Glengarry with regimental cap badge, and with the ribands of both of his IGS medals 'up'. Company Sergeant Major Sidney Bayford appears to have been the only Argyll and Sutherland Highlander incarcerated at, Hiroshima POW Camp 6-B Omine Yamaguchi, Japan, and was certainly the only Warrant Officer from the regiment. A most uncommon group photograph of allied POW's in Japan, circa 1942-1945!

Medal verification: The IGS campaign medal verified per the respective campaign medal rolls cited below:

- IGS 1908 & clasp: Ref WO 100/497. Roll signed Rawalpindi, Punjab, India,11 December 1936
- IGS 1936 & clasp: Ref WO 100/498. Roll signed Trimulgherry, Madras, India, 3 December 1938

Sidney Thomas Bayford, son of Thomas Bayford, was a native of Ipswich, Norfolk, England, where he was born on, 5 June 1906. Sidney enlisted in the British Army on, 15 September 1924, on which date he was posted to the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, and given the British Army number that was from the unique regimental block 2966001 - 3044000 that had been allocated to the Argylls in 1920. After completion of his basic training, Sidney joined the 2nd Battalion of the regiment - the direct descendent unit of the famous 'Thin Red Line'. Sidney subsequently deployed to British India, where he fought in the North West Frontier campaigns of 1935-1937, and for which he was awarded a brace of campaign medals, and in 1937 was holding the rank of Corporal. In 1939, 2/Argylls deployed to Singapore Colony, and by December 1941, Sidney was holding the appointment of Warrant Officer II with rank of Company Sergeant Major. Evidently a highly thought of professional soldier, Sidney was serving on detachment in the British Protectorate of 'Sarawak' (on 'Instructional Duties') at the start of the Pacific War. Sergeant Major Bayford had most eventful war, that included: the defence of, and fighting retreat from Kuching, Sarawak , across Borneo to Netherlands East Indies; capture in Java; transport to Japan on a 'Hell-Ship', and was witness at Hiroshima to the first ever atomic bomb to be detonated in an act of war

The medals, all Royal Mint issues, are mounted on card in the court-style for display purpose

A superb combination of medals to a senior 'Jock' Non-Commissioned-Officer, who was captured by the Japanese in Sarawak - the British Protectorate in North West Borneo that was ruled by the 'White Rajah's - and uncommon thus

Condition: About EF

Code: 22799