Experience Barnsley
PRISONER OF WAR MESS TIN, 1942
Frank Hadfield was a gunner in the Royal Artillery and was taken prisoner of war on 15th February 1942 in Singapore where he entered a Japanese camp for three years. He was treated very badly; beaten, tortured and starved. He was seventeen stone when he left and six and half when he returned. Frank never should have gone to the Far East, he was destined for Iceland but their ship from Liverpool was given the wrong orders. As they arrived they were ordered to surrender and taken in cattle trucks to camps. He was made to work on the railways and kept a diary of events throughout the war. Some entries are very brief, as being caught writing his diary was almost certain death. This mess tin was carved by Frank with a nail during his time as a prisoner of war. You can see his name, number and regiment. He was released on 16th August 1945 and put on the first ship back to Southampton, arriving in October. He spent nine months recovering in hospital and suffered all his life with the terrible memories. He lived until 76 years old and worked at brickworks at Monk Bretton Colliery when he returned to Barnsley. Photo © Norman Taylor
