A Mitcham / Surrey interest 'Fascinating' World Wars 'Escape from Singapore' campaign medal group of 46: Major John Henry Childe Shakespear, Indian Engineers, late Reserve of Air Force Officers and Royal Engineers

- British War Medal. Silver issue (2-Lieut. J. H. C. Shakespear.)
- Interallied Victory Medals (2-Lieut. J. H. C. Shakespear.)
- The 1939-45 Star. No clasp
- The Pacific Star. No clasp
- Defence Medal
- War Medal

Medals Verification: Second World War medals to the British Armed Forces are not in the public domain as of 2026. The Great War medals confirmed as entitled per the below referenced medal rolls

- British War Medal. Silver issue: WO 329/2176. Medals issued 24/04/1939
- Interallied Victory Medals: WO 329/2176. Medals issued 24/04/1939
- The 1939-45 Star. No clasp: Awarded for 1 days service in Malaya theatre 08/12/41-15/02/42. Recipient confirmed in theatre
- The Pacific Star. No clasp: Awarded for 1 days service in Malaya theatre 08/12/41-15/02/42. Recipient confirmed in theatre
- Defence Medal: Enitled either for 6 months service in Malaya prior to 08/12/41 or 1 year aggregate overseas service 1939-45
- War Medal: Entitled for 28 days service in the Armed Forces WWII 

John Henry Childe Shakespear son of Francis 'Frank' James Shakespear (born Rathfarnham, Dublin, Ireland, later Captain 4th Cavalry Indian Army died at Allahabad, India. 1905) & Violet Constance Shakespear (nee Watney) was a native of Mitcham, Surrey, England where he was born on 7 August 1898, and where he was baptized on 24 October 1898. He was educated at Holland House School, Sussex, and the City and Guilds College, London University. John, a serving member of his college Officer Training Corps, broke his studies and enlisted in the British Army on 25 April 1917, and posted to the Royal Fusiliers and given the regimentl number 244275, on enlistment he was 18 years & 9 months of age. , of when he was posted to the Royal Fusiliers. Subsequently selected  for officer training, and as a Cadet commissioned as a temporary 2nd-Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers on 18 August 1917. A few months later and was embarked for France, which theatre of war he entered on 18 January 1918, and where he joined 83 Field Company, R.E. where he quickly saw action at St. Quentin during the German Spring Offensive

On being demobilised in February 1919, Shakespear pursued a career in civil engineering, his appointments taking him to India (where he married Florence Henrietta Spence, at Bombay on, 11 December 1921), Sierra Leone and Northern Rhodesia, in addition to service as a Civilian Garrison Engineer at Aldershot and Tidworth. Then in June 1939, he accepted an overseas appointment in the Air Ministry's 'Works Directorate' - an entirely 'Civilian' cadre of skilled engineers, surveyors, technicians, architects etc' - and posted to Singapore and Malaya, where he was charged with airfield maintenance. While in Malaya, he is reported to have been based for a time at R.A.F. Alor Star, in Kedah - less than 50kms from the land border with Thailand, and where he worked in conjunction with elements of the 9th Indian Division, which latter were the first British Empire troops to engage the Imperial Japanese Army during the Malaya Campaign 1941-42

Whether John was ever a serving local volunteer is not known, but what is certain is that in December 1941, he was granted a commission to serve as a Squadron Leader in the Reserve of Air Force Officers this appointment was in the so called 'CC' class of commissions. RAF officers in Class CC (Close Control/Civilian Component) who served in Malaya during the 1941-42 Malaya Campaign faced a grim fate. Many were civilian specialists or administrators militarized for operational requirements. During the fall of Singapore in February 1942, some were killed during the chaotic evacuation, or for most they became prisoners of war subjected to years of at best indifferent but most usually harsh treatment during 3 years and more of captivity under the guard of the Imperial Japanese Army. When Japanese forces drove RAF units and station staff back to Singapore by mid-January 1942, most Class CC personnel were ordered to evacuate Singapore Colony to the neighbouring allied territories in Netherlands East Indes, mainly to Java or Sumatra on whatever aircraft or ships remained. However, most of those who ended up in the Dutch East Indies were eventually captured when the Netherlands East Indies capitulated in March 1942. Having by whatever means escaped the Japanese in early 1942, he subsequently relinquished his RAF 'CC' commission and shortly after arrival in British India, was appointed a Captain in the Indian Army Engineers in July 1942. And he remained employed there until returning to the U.K. in January 1945. He subsequently served at the War Office and in Wiltshire, up until his release in August 1946

The death of John Henry Childe Shakespear was registered at Bexhill, Sussex, England during the second quarter of 1969

A most interesting medal recipient, whose considerable colonial services, not least his successful escape from Malaya / Singapore in 1942, is worthy of further research

Condition: Mostly about GVF

Code: 26102