This is a letter from the Royal Engineer's office in Brighton, notifying my grandmother that her son, Sapper Alfred Tropp, no. 2194505, was a prisoner of war in Japanese hands.
He was stationed in Hong Kong during the 2nd World War and was captured when the garrison capitulated on the 25th December 1941.
The british were defeated by a Japanese much smaller than them. The British were poorly led and probably too complacent.
He was a prisoner of war for 3.5 years and everyday he was in danger of losing his life from Japanese cruelty or disease.
The lower ranks were separated from the officers who were treated completely differently.
Alf is now 92 years old and still remembers every detail of his experience.
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