COMMEMORATED IN PERPETUITY BY THE

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

As events were developing in Singapore in December 1941 it was decided to send reinforcements and the 118th were told that they were to head for Singapore. Their equipment was camouflaged and set up for the wrong terrain and they had little or no experience of jungle warfare. In January 1942 the 118th Field Regiment joined 18th (East Anglian) Division, to reinforce the Singapore Garrison by about 20,000 at the 18th Division HQ, making the total strength of about 85,000. This was mistaken because unseen by the commanders Singapore was already beyond the point of reinforcement being able to save them. They arrived amidst the chaos of air raids on 29 January 1942. They were just in time to take part in the final week’s battle for Singapore [7-15 February 1942], but they were poorly prepared or equipped, so there very little they could do. During this time the Regiment lost 22 men.

Source: http://lewishamwarmemorials.wikidot.com

It was during this time that Gunner Harold Arthur Midwinter was taken prisoner by the Japanese. According to the WW2 Allied Prisoners of War List, he was killed on 8 Feb 1942 and buried at the Transit Camp, Seletar.

Seletar, Singapore was part of RAF operations in Asia until its evacuation on 31st January 1942, following the Japanese invasion of Singapore on 26th. It was held under Japanese control, serving as a Japanese Naval base and POW/Internment camp, until the end of the war in 1945. (The National Probate Calendar and CWGC index lists the date of his death as 10th February 1942.)

The Singapore Memorial stands in Kranji War Cemetery and is 22 kilometres north of the city of Singapore, on the north side of Singapore Island.

Harold Arthur was born in Steventon, Son of Harold Frank and Marion Midwinter of Mill Street, Steventon. The Midwinters had been farm labourers in Steventon since at least 1869. Arthur was possibly born at 23 Mill Street, as this was the house his parents initially lived at and his grandparents lived at until his grandfather died in 1945. Arthur's parents married in 1914 at St Michael's church. In 1918, they lived on the Green (west side). In the 1921 census Arthur's father is working as a Horse Transport Driver for the Didcot RAOC Depot. Mum Marion is also listed, along with Harold Arthur (aged 5yrs 11mths) and sister Marion Grace (aged 4yrs 2mths). The family lived at The Green until their father's death in 1923 and mother's death in 1935.