Five: Fusilier A. Wilson, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, a prisoner-of-war of the Japanese

1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45, these unnamed; Korea 1950-53, 1st issue (21013067 Fus., R.N.F.); U.N. Korea 1950-54, unnamed, mounted court style for wear, good very fine and better (5) £260-300

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Small Collection of Medals Relating to the Battle of the River Imjin.

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Fusilier A. Wilson was a member of one of the most unfortunate battalions in W.W.2  – the 9th Battalion Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. The Battalion was formed in 1939 with HQ at Alnwick, Northumberland and went to France in April 1940 but escaped back to England in May 1940. On 24 October 1941 they sailed on the Warwick Castle, stopping at Trinidad and Madras and arrived in Singapore on 5 February 1941. For eleven days they fought the Japanese suffering bombing, shelling and machine gun fire and were gradually pushed back from the Causeway to Nee Soon and finally Swiss Cottage Estate. At 1600hrs on 16 February, to their dismay, they were ordered to line up along the Bukit Timah Road and surrender. On 7 November the Battalion was transported by train to Thailand to work on ‘Railway of Death’. After four and half years subjected to disgraceful starvation and cruelty the survivors were liberated and arrived back in Liverpool on 23 October 1945 where the Battalion was disbanded. Over 70 members of the Battalion died in captivity. Fusilier Wilson survived his captivity but was recalled as reservist to re-join the R.N.F. and fight in Korea.