Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Gunner G. Bareham, Royal Artillery, who was taken Prisoner of War in Batavia, 9 March 1942, and died in captivity on 14 January 1943

1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45, with named Army Council enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mrs. L. D. Bareham, Harringay, Oakleigh Road, Great Clacton, Essex’, extremely fine (3) £100-140

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Second World War Casualties.

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George Bareham was born on 23 October 1903 and served during the Second World War as a Gunner with 95th Battery, 48th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery. On 6 December 1941 the Regiment sailed from the Clyde for the Middle East. By the time the convoy had reached Durban in early January 1942, their destination had been changed to Singapore. On departing Durban their destination was changed yet again to Batavia in Java which was under imminent enemy threat. They arrived in Batavia on 4 February 1942 aboard the Empress of Australia and were deployed around the various Dutch ‘secret’ airfields. 95th Battery were posted to Andir airfield, near Bangdun. The exact location of these airfields were disguised on maps and some contained multiple strips to confuse the enemy. To maintain levels of secrecy for as long as possible only the minimum of ground facilities were provided- in the majority of cases there were little more than grass strips with small dispersals and a stock of fuel and ammunition. Some of the airfields had a radio beacon but these were dismantled when the Japanese began their invasion. Despite all these precautions one by one the secret bases fell to the Japanese and on 9 March 1942 the 95th Battery capitulated. Taken Prisoner of War, Bareham left Batavia on 22 September, and arrived in Singapore on 26 September. After being held briefly at Changi prison, he was transferred to the infamous Jesselton Camp in North Borneo in October 1942, as part of Java Party 2. Conditions at the camp were hard; the prisoners were badly treated; and disease was rife. Bareham contracted amoebic dysentery on 15 November 1942, and died in captivity on 14 January 1943.

Bareham was aged 39 at the time of his death. He is buried in Labuan War Cemetery, Malaysia. His medals were sent to his widow Louisa Daisy Bareham.