Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Signalman T. Copley, Royal Corps of Signals, who was captured by the Japanese in Java in March 1942 and who as a Prisoner at Fukuoka-25B-Shinkai camp in 1945 would have been witness to the detonation of the Atomic Bomb over Nagasaki in August of that year

1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45; Imperial Service Medal, E.II.R., 2nd issue (Thomas Copley) mounted as worn, good very fine (4) £180-£220

Thomas Copley was born in Bradford on 16 April 1910. On the outbreak of the Second World War he enlisted into the Royal Corps of Signals (T.A.) and was posted to the 18th Divisional Signals. Sent to Malaya as part of 53rd Infantry Brigade HQ and was wounded during the Japanese attack on Singapore; a Captain W. Greenwood reporting;
‘His wound was bomb splinter (right ?) forearm. I was an eyewitness. Occurred on 13 February in Singapore City.’

Copley was evacuated to Java but was taken prisoner of war when the Japanese captured that Island. In 1945, he was reported to be a prisoner at Fukuoka-6D-Tanourar camp, and finally Fukuoka-25B-Shinkai, when finally released from captivity on 2 September 1942. This camp was located on the bay east of Nagasaki and the proximity of this camp to this city would have meant that Copley would have witnessed the detonation of the Atomic Bomb over that city on 9 August 1945. Post War Copley went back to his civilian job as a Postman and retired in 1970, being awarded the Imperial Service Medal, as Senior Technician, General Post Office, Bradford (London Gazette 12 June 1970). He died in December 2004, aged 94 years.

Sold with copied research.