Frederick Claude Pollington

Frederick Claude served with the 1/5 Battalion Sherwood Foresters. It is not known when he joined the Army, but the Battalion landed in Singapore on 31 January 1942 and Frederick was taken prisoner by the Japanese on 17 February a few days after Lieutenant General Arthur Percival signed the surrender of Singapore on 15 February.

‘Singapore 1941. In 1941 the Japanese began to attack British locations in the Far East and the Pacific, this included Singapore.  The American port of Pearl Habour was attacked by the Japanese in a sign of aggression.  America and their ally Britain declared War on Japan & Nazi Germany.   The 1/5th Battalion The Sherwood Foresters landed 31 January 1942. British forces surrendered on 15th February. All the Sherwood Foresters taken as Prisoners.’ (www.stand-firm-strike-hard.org.uk/the-sherwood-foresters-in-ww2)

The families of Far East prisoners of war had little information about the fate of their relatives and this is reflected in the notices placed in the Nottingham Evening Post by Frederick's family in the years between 1942 and 1945 and for this reason all those that have been traced have been included in 'Extra information'.

From that information, it appears that by May 1943 it was known that Frederick was a prisoner of war. In January 1944 the family received a postcard from him confirming that he was a prisoner of the Japanese. A report in the local paper in July the same year gave the information that he was a prisoner in Thailand and in January 1945 his family heard that Frederick, who was at No. 4 Camp Siam (sic), was 'in good health and receiving mail'. However, by March 1945 Frederick was reported to be 'missing at sea' although it was not until November 1945, several months after the Japanese surrender (announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15 August, surrender formally signed 2 September), that his widow received official confirmation of her husband's death at sea on 12 September 1944.

Frederick had died when the transport ship he was onboard transferring him from Siam was sunk by submarine. Source, Prisoners of War Great Britain: 'Frederick Claude Pollington 4981264 Private, British POWs missing owing to transport ships being sunk in the Far East 1944-1945.'

Frederick Claude Pollington's body was not recovered for burial and he is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial.

CWGC History of the Singapore Memorial (extact). The Memorial stands within Kranji War Cemetery. 'Before 1939 the Kranji area was a military camp and at the time of the Japanese invasion of Malaya, it was the site of a large ammunition magazine. On 8 February 1942, the Japanese crossed the Johore Straits in strength, landing at the mouth of the Kranji River within two miles of the place where the war cemetery now stands. On the evening of 9 February, they launched an attack between the river and the causeway. During the next few days fierce fighting ensued, in many cases hand to hand, until their greatly superior numbers and air strength necessitated a withdrawal … The Japanese established a prisoner of war camp at Kranji and eventually a hospital was organised nearby at Woodlands' … Many of those commemorated on the Memorial ‘have no known date of death and are accorded within our records the date or period from when they were known to be missing or captured. The land forces commemorated by the memorial died during the campaigns in Malaya and Indonesia or in subsequent captivity, many of them during the construction of the Burma-Thailand railway, or at sea while being transported into imprisonment elsewhere.’ The names also include airmen who died during operations in the area.' (www.cwgc.org)

CWGC Additional information: Son of Percy Claude and Celia Pollington; husband of Constance Sarah Pollington, of Nottingham.

WW2 Allied Prisoners of War [original Japanese record]. 'Pollington Frederick Claude. DOB 13 November 1914. Place of Origin Stapleford. Father's name Claude. Mother's name Celia. Occupation driver salesman. Nationality British. Destination of report Mrs Pollington 2 Fairham Terrace Storer Street Nottingham. Rank Private, 4981264 Army 1/5th Bn The Sherwood Foresters. Place of Capture Singapore. Date of Capture 17 February.'

Nottingham Evening Post, 29 May 1943: ‘Local War Casualties. Pte. Claud Pollington, Sherwood Foresters, youngest son of Mr and Mrs C Pollington of 3, Robin Hood-terrace, Nottingham, is a prisoner of war.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Personal’, 31 May 1943: Mrs C Pollington, 66 Spalding-road, wishes to thank relatives and friends for inquiries regarding her husband, Claud, who is now known to be a prisoner of war. Deo Gratis.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Nottingham Evening Post, 4 January 1944: ‘Prisoners of the Japs. Postcards have been received from the following prisoners of war in Japanese hands: Pte Claud Pollington, Sherwood Foresters, of 66, Spalding-road.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Nottingham Evening Post, 22 July 1944. ‘Murdered Prisoners [Germany] ... Local Casualties. Pte. Claud Pollington, of 66 Spalding-road, Nottingham is a prisoner in Thailand.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Nottingham Evening Post, 1 January 1945: ‘News From Far East Prisoners. Private Claud Pollington, Sherwood Foresters, 66, Spalding-road, Carlton-road, Nottingham (No. 4 Camp, Siam), says he is good health and receiving mail.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Nottingham Evening Post, 16 March 1945: ‘Local War Casualties. Private Claud Pollington, 1/5 Sherwood Foresters, of 66, Spalding-road, Carlton-road, Nottingham, is reported missing at sea. He was a prisoner-of-war in Thaliand.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Missing’, 17 March 1945: ‘Pollington. Claud, missing at sea (POW Thailand), loving husband of Connie (née Smeeton), darling daddy of David, youngest son of Mr and Mrs Pollington, dear brother of Walter and Beattie. Hoping, praying you have been saved.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Nottingham Evening Post, 26 November 1945: ‘Nottm. Forester’s Death. Official news has been received by Mrs C Pollington, of 66, Spalding-road, Carlton-road, Nottingham, of the death of her husband, Private Claude Pollington (1/5 Sherwood Foresters), which took place at sea September 12th, 1944.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 27 November 1945: ‘Pollington. September 12th, 1944. Pte. Claud, 1/5th Sherwood Foresters, died at sea, loving husband of Connie (née Smeeton), darling daddy of David, beloved youngest son of Mr and Mrs Pollington, dear brother of Walter and Beattie. Shattered hopes.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 28 November 1945: ‘Pollington. Claud (1-5th Foresrs) died September 12th, 1944 (at sea), beloved son-in-law f Mrs Smeeton, and brother-in-law of Florrie, Walter, Nancy, Les and Mary. He gave the greatest gift of all, his own unfinished life.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Nottingham Evening Post, 29 November 1945. Photograph with caption: ‘Pte. Claud Pillington, 1/5th Batt. Sherwood Foresters, 66 Spalding-road, Carlton-road, Nottingham who died at sea on September 12th, last year.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 13 September 1946: ‘Pollington. Claude, at sea, September 12th, 1944. Treasured memories. Mam, dad, Walter, Beatie.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Probate: Pollington. Frederick Claude-sic of 66 Spalding-road Nottingham died 12 September 1944 on war service Administration Nottingham 30 March to Constance Sarah Pollington widow. Effects £232 6s. 10d.

Additional information (family):

Percy Claude Pollington, Frederick's father, probably served in the First World War: Tr16620 Corporal. Training Reserve. Discharged 16 October 1917. No other records traced to date.

Percy Claude's younger brother, Arthur Bertie Pollington (b. 4 May 1895), joined the Royal Navy on 11 December 1914 on a 12 year engagement (5 years RN, 7 years Royal Fleet Reserve). His next of kin was his mother Harriet, 100 Sneinton Road, Nottingham. Arthur was rated 1st Class Stoker at the time of his death on 2 July 1919 when he was serving in HMS Glory in North Russia. A note on his service document shows that he died accidentally: 'NP24022/19 Court of Enquiry held on 4 July 1919. Found that no blame could be attributed to any person and that there was no evidence to suggest that Pollington met his death otherwise that by accidental drowning, probably caused by cramp.' He was buried in Murmansk New British Cemetery. (See record on this Roll of Honour)

Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Births’, 19 July 1941: ‘Pollington. On July 18th, at 50 Denstone-road, to Claud and Connie (née Smeeton), a son, David Claud.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths', 16 & 18 November 1991: ‘Dykes. Constance Sarah (Connie). Beloved wife of Ernest and mother of Stephen and Kevin. Passed away Thursday 14th November. Rest in peace Kid. Funeral arrangements later.’ (www.britishnewspaperarachive.cok) Also notices 16 and 19 November from families and friends.

Nottingham Evening Post, 20 November 1991: ‘Wife found dead in bath. A Carlton man found his wife dead in the bath, a Nottingham inquest heard. Ernest Dykes, of Spalding Road, told Notts Coroner Peter Jenkin-Jones he had tried to revive his wife Constance, 76. The inquest was adjourned.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) The coroner recorded an open verdict (Nottingham Evening Post, 4 December 1991)

Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 4 December 1991 (abridged): ‘Dykes. Constance Sarah (Connie). Passed away November 14th 1991. The beloved wife of Ernest and Mother of David and Janet, Nanna of Stephen and Kevin … Service and cremation at Wilford Hill on Monday 9th December at 12.15pm.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Canon Eddie Neale, Nottingham St Mary, gave the address (Nottingham Evening Post, 'Acknowledgements', 11 December 1991).

Additional research/record updated, RF (March 2026)