Researching relatives of WW2 for Mother-in-law

[Gordon Robbins]

I live in Devon, UK
I'm aiming to find out a lot more about Jabez Peters (AKA Sonny) who survived the
sinking of Gloucester Castle 15/7/1942
I would like to know more about, his experiences

Sonny died alone in Kings Lynn in 1978 having lost touch with all family. He was only 61.
He was a broken man it seems. I never meet him.
Hope I can help to find out more for his niece (my Mother-in law) who remembers him when she was
young and he spoke very little about his past.

Regards
Gordon

[Captain Kong]

Hi Gordon
One of our members on here is Lou Barron who now lives in New Zealand. who also survived the sinking and was a POW of the Japanese in Singapore.
Quite possible he knew him
Keep looking in and be patient.
Cheers
Brian

[Gordon Robbins]

Thanks Brian. Great resource. I've PM'd him

[Lou Barron]

I have already sent a em to you Gordon but just on the off chance you might miss it
I cannot recall Sonny i think he might have been one of the deck boys
He was not one of us to was passed over to the Japs in Singapore
He would have gone on to Japan with the rest of the survivors off the G/Castle

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Gordon
Welcome to the site hope you can get a lot of info here on what you want!
Don't know if this may be the same person,but with a rather unique first name could possibly be!??
Cheers
Capture Peters.JPG

Capture Peters 1.JPG

Seems as though they had thought he was first killed in action in 42 but later found different and cancelled that in 43

[Lou Barron]

Thats right Vernon we was all suppose to be all dead but sometimes i feel i have been resurrected

[Doc Vernon]

I wonder if this could be any relation at all! Possibly the Father!?
Cheers
Capture JP.jpg

[Gordon Robbins]

Thanks Vernon
- Yes I have all the 'death' at sea records of the GC. I'm very new at researching, so trying to piece together where the 61 survivors all went and how the returns eventually got back to UK from the POW camps. Lou Barron has already replied and he went to Singapore. What a great find. I have discovered 2 older persons from GC died in Osaka POW camp, (Arthur Ernest Andrews 1884 1942 Age 58 and John Mc Mahon 1884 1944 Age 60 )
Yet another 'victim' of the sinking was Donald M(a)cdonald 1913 1945 Storekeeper Aged 32 , Died in Singapore after being released awaiting repatriation. 16/9/45. Buried Kranji War Cemetery. Son of Norman and Harriet Macdonald, of Lochmaddy, Isle of Uist.

However I need to confirm where Jabez (Sonny ) Peters ended up, early days with my research. Jabez returned home, albeit, severely mentally scared (I assume from the Japanese POW treatment rather than the sinking, as he never to our knowledge mentioned the GC) He was 'AA' / DEMS, Age 24, contingent on ship.
He died alone in 1978 aged just 61.

[Gordon Robbins]

Hi
No, I've not seen this image, however know about this fellow. 'our' Jabez Peters was a Fenman and no relation to these Peters at all. He was born in Woodwalton and his family around March / Chatteris. IIRC his forename came from his Grandfather.

[Frederick Lacey]

Hi Gordon, I presume you have found these in your search,

Jabez Peters. mmn. Rowell. Qrt. Jul-Aug-Sep. 1917. District. Huntingdon. Vol.3b. Page.332.

Jabez Peters. Born. 17th August. 1917. Died September 1978. age at death. 61years. District. Kings Lynn. Vol.10. Page.1179.

Question. has Leicester in Leicestershire come up in the info re your searching.

Fred.