Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (3528718 L. Cpl. W. P. Rodan. Manch. R.) officially re-impressed naming, nearly extremely fine £140-£180

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Robert Barltrop Collection of Medals to the Manchester Regiment.

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William Percy Rodan was born in Wigan on 30 May 1911 and attested for service in the Manchester Regiment at Strensall, Yorkshire, on 30 December 1936. He served in Palestine, and during the Second World War served in Singapore and the Malayan Peninsula. He was taken Prisoner of War after the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942 and was held at the infamous Changi P.O.W. camp. He was a part of the Force ‘F’ P.O.W. party which was forced to march some 300 kilometres to Thailand with completely inadequate supplies of food and water.

Rodan died of cholera and amoebic dysentery on 29 May 1943 at Songkrai camp. His remains were originally interred at Songkrai camp (the camp which featured in the Hollywood film The Bridge over the River Kwai), but were later re-interred at Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery. He was the son of Lily Rodan of 2 Primrose Lane, Standish, Lancashire. His service papers confirm his additional entitlement to the 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star and Defence and War Medals 1939-45.