Children at Stanley Camp

5B - Peter Hall in beret and best friend 4E-Gerald Rose ( son of Harry Rose and and Eurasian mother Rachel Grace who died at Stanley) From "In The Web" page 65. Caption reads "taken by a member of HMS Swiftsure".  This photo was the basis of the upper portion of the Memorial Window at St. Stephen's Chapel, Stanley.

Memorial window, by David

Thanks Annelise, I hadn't made the connection between the photo and the stained window, so that's good to know. I've added the names above.

Regards, David

I recognise Annette Brown, bottom row, extreme left.

Thanks Barbara, I've added Annette's name at 2A.

Regards, David

We have another candidate for 2A. Robert Millar writes:

Just to confirm that we think that 2A is my sister Gill Woolley nee Millar. Gill and her husband Mo attended the reunion back in December and had a great time,

Where I was when the photo was taken, who knows - probably gallivanting off some where as I also missed another photo where we think Gill is seen with mum Doris!

Tony Banham has confirmed the date:

About the date, I can quote from my diary of 14 October 2012:

14 Today, Sunday, my wife and I and our younger son (who is almost 11) went to Stanley to meet Gerald Rose and his wife at St Stephen’s College. We visited the chapel, by permission of the ever-helpful Dean, where there is a stained glass window above the door. At the top of that window is a pane based on a photo taken at Stanley Camp on the last day of August 1945. Gerald told me how a naval photographer had arrived with Harcourt’s fleet and asked him to assemble the other kids on the steps for a photo. By chance a few days later that photographer saw Gerald again and gave him a copy of the photo that he still has. He is the little chap at top right with his fist clenched by his face. At that time he was exactly the same age as our younger son. 

I think 2A is my sister, Patricia Irene Braudé, as I have a photo of her in the same outfit and 2F is Jean Addis (née Martin) also in a similar outfit. I have a photo of them both together.

I have a couple more names for you.  

• The second row, far left, 4A, girl looking sideways, is Maureen Forster (married, Coleman).  
• Far right, 3D, is Brooke Himsworth (he attended the 2011 Reunion). 

I'm just guessing but the girl at 5c, next to Peter Hall, appears to resemble his sister Sheila who I remember from my KGV years. I also knew Peter very well during his HK Land years.

3B in the photo (3rd row left of girl with raised arm) is Douglas James Ward (myself) brother of Gerald Gwynne Ward 1A in napkin.

The Ward family Reginald Gwynne Ward (father), Elfrida Maria Ward (mother) and their 3 children, Douglas, Gerald and Reginald Francis Ward were interned in Stanley Camp during the Japanese occupation. All survived the war and settled permanently in Australia in 1950 where a daughter Christine Ward was born. Reginald Gwynne was killed in a motor cycle accident in Wynnum, Queensland in 1957. His wife Elfrida passed away at age 93. Reginald Francis passed away in 2003. Surviving members of the family are Douglas James Ward, Gerald Gwynne Ward and Christine Ward.

I am finding it difficult to find my brother Reginald Francis in the above photo.  Any information would be appreciated.

I have been correctly identified, but my sister Sheila Mabel Hall is 3C and not 5C.  She is looking at me to see if she should also wave.

Thanks Peter, I've updated the key.

I think I can help in identifying a few more of the children. I was checking out some old Stanley files yesterday and came across a copy of this photo with some hand written notes alongside 7 of the children, recording their names:

    5C Gloria Mejia born 09/09/1936
    5F Callum McLeod born 16/08/1934
    6B Sheila Hall born 01/05/1936
    6E Anna Mejia born 28/08/1935
    6G John Valentine born 17/07/1930
    6H Stuart Valentine born 08/02/1932
    6I John Keates born 22/11/1931

I am afraid that I do not recall who it was who gave me the list but it is possible that I obtained it at the 1995 Stanley Camp reunion celebrating the 50th anniversary of VJ Day which I had attended. Anyhow I am sure the names are all correct except perhaps one lass, Sheila Hall, who I have listed as 6B whereas she shows up in David's list as 5C. I am not sure who is correct on this one.

Also, I was on the phone recently with Annette Williams ( nee Brown) in Melbourne who is the girl seated at the start of Row 2 on the left (2A) and we are both now agreed that the child to her immediate left is myself. She had thought for many years that his name was Kevin but it appears that she was confusing him/me for my brother who was in fact the only child bearing that name in camp. All a bit confusing I am afraid but I think we can say with a fair degree of certainty that I am number 2B.  2A Annette has been identified by Barbara Anslow as you know though 2 others are suggesting that she is their sister.

Best regards,  Conner

Thanks Conner, we're getting there!

(I had an email from Peter Hall confirming 6B isn't his sister, so I've left that one unchanged.)

Child 6I: Walter John Butler Keates goes to my school (King George V school) He is on the KGV roll of honor along with others who died in World War 2 and the Korean War.

I believe that the girl who is standing at the top right in the photograph (7G) is Miss Dolores Matilda Bonner,  daughter of Raquel and Cpl Horace ('Tom') Bonner. Tom was a member of the HKVDC and was killed by the Japanese at or near the house called "Overbays", Repulse Bay during the defence of Hong Kong. Dolores's married surname is Ware. She is still alive and living in Caboolture, Queensland, Australia.

Thanks Dick, good to have another person identified. I've added Dolores to the key at the top of the page.

Child 4B is my mother Nadia Elizabeth Seraphina, passed away 26/02/2017 aged 82 years. 

Parents William & Nadia Seraphina

I've added your mother to the photo's key, and also made a page for her at: https://gwulo.com/node/51687

You'll see there is some doubt about her mother's travel in 1945, see https://gwulo.com/node/27794. If you know the details, please could you add a comment to that page?

Thanks & regards, David