Carved badge

This memento was brought home by a soldier of the 4th, 5th or 6th Battalions, Royal Norfolk Regiment, which formed part of the 18th Eastern Division sent to defend Malaya from the Japanese. On 15th February 1942 they became Prisoners Of War when Singapore surrendered. At first they were held there in Changi Jail. Then they were formed into working parties and transferred to the mainland to build the Siam-Burma Railway. When this was completed they returned to Changi for further work postings or to wait out the war. Prisoners took their minds off the privations, terrible conditions and abuse, by organising sports, theatricals and making items such as this. The materials used were anything to hand, the value lay in the time and skill employed to create a reminder of normality.