Thomas Frank Jones was born to Federick Alex and Lilian Jones in Camberley on 6th December 1914

He enlisted into 1st Middlesex Regiment on 15th August 1933 and was working as HQ (headquarters) Company Clerk at the time of the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong possibly as an acting Corporal. He also boxed for the Regiment.

Thomas was captured on 26th December 1941 at Stanley and was subsequently embarked on the Lisbon Maru.

Although he revealed little to his family about his wartime experience he did recall being shot at by the Japanese when swimming to the island and hiding for days. He was fed by the Chinese fisherman but he had to surrender, as the Japanese had threatened them for hiding the POWs.

He had a broken front tooth which he said was broken in the POW camp by a Japanese rifle butt to the mouth.

He was eternally grateful to the Americans for liberating them from the POW camp. I believe it was Kobi House, Osaka as he said he worked at the docks. He kept in touch with the liberators who were from San Diego.

He was a RSPCA Officer for a while, then a greengrocer, in Tulse Hill, then had a cafe and a guest house in High Wycombe.

He played golf, usually off a 4 handicap, sometimes scratch. He was a a happy person but quite quiet.