A positively attributed 'Battle for Singapore' & 'Death Railway' Far East Prisoner of War miniature medal group of 5: Private Francis Stanley McElroy, 1st (Singapore Volunteer Corps) Battalion Straits Settlement Volunteer Force

- The 1939-45 Star. No clasp
- The Pacific Star. No clasp
- Defence Medal
- War Medal
- Special Constabulary Long Service Medal. GVI 1st issue

Far East Prisoner of War: Confirmed captured at the surrender of Singapore Colony on 15 February 1942

Medals verification: Although the campaign medal rolls for the Second World War are not yet in the public domain, the recipients entitlement to the Pacific Star quartet is confirmed basis his residency and being a member of the Straits Settlements Volunteer Force since 1940. The award of the Special Constabulary Medal was in respect of the recipients service as a Special Constable in the United Kingdom circa 1937-1940

During his more then three and half years incarceration as a Prisoner of War in South East Asia, apart from just over 4 x months captivity in Singapore, Francis spent most of his captivity in Thailand, where he worked on the notorious Thailand-Burma Railway, or 'Death-Railway' between 30 June 1942 until his liberation in Thailand on, 3 September 1945. His record of camp locations where he was interred was

- Changi (Singapore): 15/02/42-26/06/42. Detachment Leader, Col. Newey., S.S.V.F.
- Banpong: 30/06/42-30/11/42. Camp Leader, Col. Williamson., R.A.
- Chungkai: 01/12/42-13/11/44. Camp Leader, Col. Outram., R.A.
- Kenyu No.3: 14/11/44-18/12/44. Camp Leader, Major. Dutton., Recce Corps (this was one of the camps that provided labour for work on the notorious 'Hell-Fire Pass'
- Tamarkan: 19/12/44- 25/01/45. Detachment Leader, Col. Johnston., Suffolk Regiment.
- Kanburi: 26/01/45-03/09/45. Camp Leader, Col. Toosey., R.A.

Uncommonly, the recipients extant Liberation Questionnaire Report (held and accessible at The National Archives) that Francis submitted includes a number of reports of acts of bravery and or distinguished actis of humanity, that he witnessed performed by fellow FEPOW's at the Death Railway POW camps, and which we are here quoting below. When asked: Did you witness any courageous acts performed by allied personnel (give names, places, etc.), he replied:

Quote,

Yes. Operation of Wireless Set by two brothers, Captain Webber M.V.C. and Lt. Webber Malay Regt. At Chungkai and officers camp Kanburi.

Unquote.

When asked: Have you any other matter of any kind which you wish to bring to notice, he replied:

Quote,

Yes. Of the action of the R.C. Priest (believed to be Italian) at Banpong, who, at considerable risk to himself, smuggled medical supplies and food into hospital at that camp. Major Reid, R.A.M.C. was S.M.O. I hope that the very fine behaviour of this priest will be brought o the notice of the proper authorities.

Unquote.

Francis Stanley McElroy, fourth and youngest son of John Alexander Donald McElroy (a Stockbroker's Clerk) and Jean Isabella McElroy (nee Ross), was a native Of the parish of Rhu, Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire (now Argyll & Bute), Scotland, where he was born on, 7 October 1905. Francis accepted an overseas appointment in Singapore Colony in 1940, in which year he is recorded as embarking at Southampton, aboard the P & O Liner, S.S. 'Strathmore', that was scheduled for sailing departure to Singapore, on, 26 April 1940 - barely two week before the end of the 'Phoney War' marked by the Nazi Blitzkreig on Belgium and France on 10 May 1940. The 'Strathmore's' passenger manifest shows that the future place of permanent residence for Francis was shown as the 'Straits Settlements'. Shortly after his arrival in Singapore Francis was under the 'Compulsory Service Ordinance' enrolled as a 'Volunteer' in the Singapore Volunteer Corps of the Straits Settlements Volunteer Force, and posted to the 1st Battalion of the S.V.C., and given the regimental number 13584. His unit was an infantry battalion that was comprised entirely of Singapore Colony residents. The local Singapore Newspapers of September 1940, record that Francis was one of several residents who had lodged appeals on 3 September 1940 with the Appellate Tribunal to be exempted from joining a continuous training camp in October-November for the S.V.C. Recruits. The articles variously refer Francis being an employee of a company called Martin Milton / Martin Hilton. In the event the tribunal found:

Quote (Straits Times issue of, 4 September 1939),

McElroy's application for exemption from continuous training with the S.V.C. depot recruits from October to November, was refused on the grounds that his work was not of a technical nature. He was stated to be the only European assistant, in the firm, whose business had increased considerably.

Unquote.

Notwithstanding, the dual tasks of juggling the responsibilities of his civilian work, together with his volunteer soldiering, Francis was ultimately able to find a balance, befitting a former volunteer member of the Special Constabulary, and a man who evidently had a keen sense of patriotic duty. His military service was further reported on in the Straits Times issue of 1940, which contained a lengthy report of a 'One Month' continuous training camp that Francis attended at Siglap, October-November 1940. The articles include several illustrations of named S.V.C. volunteers, two of which include Francis. A large group photograph of volunteers, referred to as Infantrymen and Machine Gunners of the S.V.C. Depot, together with a smaller group photograph showing Francis wearing his colonial military issue 'Sun Helmet' or 'Topi' while training on a Vickers Machin Gun with regulars of the Manchester Regiment.

Japanese Prisoner of War index cards held at the National Archives, record that in 1942 Francis cited his father as his notified next of kin. His parents address at the time was, Bellevue Bank, Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, Scotland. After surviving the ordeals of captivity as a Far East Prisoner of War, Francis returned to his native Scotland, where in 1946, he married Irene Louise Norrie, at, Hillhead, Glasgow. Francis Stanley McElroy is recorded to have died on, 1 June 1983, with his body laid to rest at, New Kilpatrick Cemetery, Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire, Scotland, in a plot that includes his wife and sister-in-law (Marjorie Norrie) whom succeeded him in, 1991 & 2011. respectively

The item here being sold is the 5 x miniature medals only. The full-size medals are not included in the sale, and are only here included as supporting images for illustrative / provenance purposes. We will however supply the buyer with gratis soft copy images of all the images included in the website listing

See item code for the recipients full-size medals that are being sold separately elsewhere on the website.

A rare and desirable campaign and long service medal group of considerable Singapore interest - containing an officially named medal - to a Machine-Gunner of the 1st (S.V.C.) Battalion Straits Settlements Volunteer Force

The medals professionally mounted in the swing-style. The reverse of the white metal mounting bar retaining its original long hinged pin and clasp fittings

Condition: EF

Code: 24431