Henry Ernest Brady

Henry was born at Lowestoft on 11 February 1905, a son of Samuel George and Lucy Ann Brady. In 1911 his family lived at 1 Bishop’s Buildings, Mariners Street, and later at 21 Chapel Street. In 1921 his family lived at 94 Seago Street. 

On 5 September 1931 Henry married Florence Kathleen Saunder at Saint Margaret’s Church, Lowestoft. Henry was a barman living at 94 Seago Street and Florence lived at 43 Norwich Road. In 1939 they lived at 94 Seago Street and Herny was a casual Post Office worker. Later Florence lived at 5 Payne Street. 

Henry enlisted in the Royal Artillery in 1941. On 13 November 1941 his battery embarked on the ‘Empress of Japan’ and they arrived at Durban on 8 December 1941. They left Durban, on the ship Narkunda, on 24 December and arrived at Singapore on 13 January 1942. The battery were then taken to Nee-Soon, Malaya, and used their Bofors guns to combat the aerial attacks, particularly the Zero aircraft being used to bomb and strafe the British and Indian troops. The battery withdrew to Singapore. Henry was captured at the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942 and spent the rest of the war as a prisoner in Japanese hands. 

Henry was held at Camp 4, Kanburi (Kanchanburi), Thailand, and would have worked on the Burma Railway.  

Henry died at the India Base General Hospital, India, on 25 October 1945, from pulmonary tuberculosis. It is possible that he had been admitted to the hospital on 2 September 1945. 

Henry's brother Charles served in the Royal Naval Reserve and died in 1916. Henry's sister-in-law Daisy and his nephew Ivan died in an air raid in 1941.