Felix Hugh Gwilliam

A Signalman, with the Signal Section 21 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Felix died on 19th of January 1945 aged 34.

Felix was born at Lowestoft on 7 July 1910, a son of James George and Amelia Bond Gwilliam. In 1921 his family lived at Harbour House, Lowestoft, as his father was the Harbour Master. 

In 1934 Felix married Hilda Florence Setterfield, this was registered in the Mutford district. In 1939 they lived at 48 Salisbury Road and Felix was a wholesale grocery and provision salesman. After the war Hilda lived at Limes Cottage, Forncett Saint Peter, Norfolk. 

Felix served with the Signal Section of 21 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment. His unit was sent from England to the Far East in December 1941. The Royal Artillery batteries in the regiment arrived at Java in early February 1942. However, it appears that the Signal Section were sent to Singapore and Felix is shown as missing at the Fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942. The evidence for this comes for the official casualty lists. Japanese records suggest that he may not have been captured until 8 March 1942. 

Felix was then taken to Java, arriving there on 26 September 1942. He left Java in October 1942, by sea, and was again reported missing in the ‘Netherland East Indies’ on 1 February 1943. It is possible that he was on board a ship that was bound for Japan which was sunk en route. Felix was then taken to Sandakan, Malaysia, where he died, from malaria, on 19 January 1945. 

Felix was buried a No 1 Prisoner of War Cemetery, Sandakan, and later reburied at Labuan War Cemetery.