Orders, Decorations and Medals

Five: Corporal T. W. Toms, Leicestershire Regiment, a prisoner-of-war of the Japanese

India General Service 1936-39, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1937-39 (4856829 Pte., Leic. R.) slack suspension, slight edge bruise; 1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; Defence and War Medals, good very fine (5) £200-240

Thomas William Toms was born in Nottinghamshire on 5 February 1913 and joined the Leicestershire Regiment on 15 December 1932. In December 1933 he went to India where between December 1937 and January 1940 he took art in the North West Frontier Campaign. In February 1941 the 1st battalion Leicestershire Regiment sailed for Malaya and were stationed in Penang. When Japan declared war on 7 December 1941 the battalion was in position at Jitra. On the night of 10/11 December contact was made with the enemy and from then on the battalion was continually in action. Early in the campaign the 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment amalgamated with the 2nd Battalion East Surrey Regiment to form the ‘British Battalion’ which fought at Jitra, Kampar, Batu-Pahat and the Gurun Road. In February 1941 the British forces surrendered in Singapore and Corporal Toms was reported ‘Missing’. Eventually confirmed as a prisoner-of-war, he remianed so until released on 11 October 1945. Sold with copied service details.