The February 1942 diary and campaign medals of Albert Jenkin Thomas (1912-1976) - 1. The 2,400-

The February 1942 diary and campaign medals of Albert Jenkin Thomas (1912-1976) -

1. The 2,400-word diary runs from the 8th to the 25th of February 1942 and covers the Fall of Singapore and the diarist's escape to Colombo via Sumatra and Java. Pursued by the Japanese all the way, it ends 1,000 miles into the Indian Ocean, where Thomas finds himself saying his prayers onboard a rusty Yangtze riverboat and two Japanese torpedoes swiftly approaching.

2. The five-medal group comprises the Efficiency Medal named to 2052154 SJT. A.J. THOMAS R.A., the 1939-45 and Pacific Stars, and the Defence and War Medals, the latter four with corresponding Under-Secretary for War's compliments slip.
3. A carved wood and ivory elephant with silver-plated plaque engraved SGT. THOMAS A.J. - 315 S/C BTY. R.A. - SGT.S MESS CEYLON. (Ivory Registration: JLV5GYF2)
4. Digital transcript of the diary.

*Albert Jenkin Thomas enlisted into the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in March 1938. He was 25 and gave his trade as an electrical engineer and his religion as Baptist. In August 1939 he married Winifred Nellie Botell (1910-1965) and was posted to Malaya in August 1941. His service record states he served 172 days there, 6 days in Sumatra and 6 days in Java (February 1942) and 105 days in Ceylon before being transferred home in June 1945. He retired from the Army in 1954.