PWRR & Queen's Museum

31/08/2026

Keep up to date with what's on at PWRR & Queen's Museum Dover Castle by visiting the website 👇https://pwrrqueensmuseum.co.uk/event/

🐯😁

27/08/2026

19/08/2026

May 2027 will mark the 40th anniversary of the museums opening. And in line with we would love to see some of your images from your visits to the museum over the years. Please share in the comments below …

We have started with an image of the late Queen Mother visiting shortly after we opened our doors to the public in 1987.
PWRR & Queen's Museum Dover Castle

16/08/2026

John Wyatts story continues …
Mid-June 1944, the remaining POWs had been packed onto cattle trains and moved between camps before finally arriving back in Singapore, ready to board the hell ship Asaka Maru.

The Asaka offered little comfort; prisoners were packed into dark, cramped holds with few supplies and no provision for sanitation. John and Mark would call it home, along with several hundred other POWs, until the ship ran aground in mid-August 1944. A nearby Japanese destroyer picked them up, offering brief respite from the harsh conditions. The crew provided food and water and cared for the sick.

The Hakusan Maru was transporting Japanese civilians, soldiers and other POWs when it stopped to collect John and his fellow POWs. Space, like before, was scarce; the heat in the hold was almost unbearable; however, some food was given. They reached Japan on the 28th August, where the soldiers were disinfected, fed and clothed,

John and the men were transported to yet another camp where they were expected to work in the factories every day with no breaks; those who could not work would not be fed. Japan was to experience the coldest winter since records began, and the men had few clothes or blankets; keeping warm was impossible. To make matters worse, an outbreak of bedbugs and lice, followed by pneumonia (due to the damp, cold conditions), made sleep impossible.

Christmas came and went, the freezing cold winter, bug infestations, disease and illness led to the death of many POWs. John caught pneumonia, just as a delivery of Red Cross parcels arrived, containing life-saving medicines. He recovered and continued to work, but before the end of the war, he would face an earthquake, bombs destroying the factories and camp, and another camp move separating John and Mark (he had fallen ill and remained at the destroyed camp with others who could not work).

August 15th arrived, and it was almost over. John had endured the most horrific conditions for almost 4 years. He made it home in December 1945, 6 years after saying farewell to family. John shares his epic story in the book ‘No Mercy from the Japanese’.

15/08/2026

Today, on , we remember the story of a soldier who survived incredible hardship as a Prisoner of War forced to work on the 'Death Railway.' This is the story of Lance Corporal John Wyatt from the 2nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment.

John’s story begins for us in Malaya, with the allies trying to defend against the fast-advancing Japanese forces pushing them into Singapore. During the battle John was injured and sent to Alexander Hospital, it was here his unbelievable tale unravels. Lying in a hospital bed he witnessed a massacre of staff and fellow patients. John has been placed on the top floor and this was one reason he survived until the Allies surrendered on February 15th, 1942.
John, along with many other POWs, was moved from camp to camp to work on the infamous ‘Death Railway’. The railway was important for the Japanese allowing the movement of supplies and troops between Burma and Thailand. The work was back breaking, punishments were brutal, food and clean water were scarce and the climate allowed disease to spread through the weakened men. John saw the monsoon rains sweep rubbish and animal carcasses into the camps, which with out adequate medicines lead to an increase in cholera cases. Within 1 year, 15,000 POWs and 80,000 civilians had died.

By Christmas 1943, the railway was complete, and John and his comrade Mark had survived but this was just the first chapter of their epic tale.

John Wyatts story will continue tomorrow .…

For more information on the Death Railway click the link

https://apple.news/A5Amt_c2iTKeomwb3B5iPZw

13/08/2026

Regimental badges are an important aspect of a regiments history and identity.
We will explore this over the next few weeks by sharing the origin story of each aspect of our cap badge.

The first element is the plume of ostrich feathers and crown which sit above the dragon (see image).

On 26th August 1346 the English army led by King Edward III were at war once again with the French army led by King Philip VI at the Battle of Crecy in northern France (part of the Hundred years War).
The French were loosing heavily and King John of Bohemia fighting for France had already lost his sight but wished to die in battle. His loyal men tied their horses to his and fought until the last man fell.
Edward The Black Prince (son of The King of England) took the plumes of ostrich feathers from the helmet of John of Bohemia to remind him of the brave and chivalrous event he had witnessed.
How does this link to the regiment?…. The Black Prince became the first Prince of Wales and is buried in Canterbury Cathedral (take a look next time you are there). In 1810 the 15th Prince of Wales, George Augustus Frederick deemed our forebear regiment the 77th (East Middlesex) of Foot worthy of his plume and coronet (crown).
Upon amalgamation of regiments the plume was included in the Queen’s Regimental badge (1966), and the PWRR badge (1992).

11/08/2026

Between the 5th- 28th August 2004 whilst in serving in Iraq Y Company, 1st Battalion, The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment successfully defended CIMIC house against the Mahdi Army. A small contingent of men successfully held firm against over 500 Mahdi militia.

The film ‘Battle of CIMIC House: Surrounded on all sides’ on BFBS includes interviews from four veterans of Y Company, 1st Battalion, The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment. They were:

Justin Featherstone MC
Nick Thasarathar
Ben Powell
Adam Somers

https://www.youtube.com/


*trigger warning - the film covers clips from the actual battle which may be distressing.

the picture is part of a painting by David Rowlands, The Battle of CIMIC House.

10/08/2026

Sgt Thomas James Harris VC, MM
Tom a Kentish born man enlisted in August 1914 with 6th Queen’s Own Royal West Kent regiment aged 22.
He went with the regiment to serve in France where he was wounded on 3 separate occasions, each time he returned to duty. Early in 1918 Tom was awarded the Military Medal for his actions on the Ancre in the Anthuille area between 25th-28th March.

Tom continued his acts of selflessness bravery and on the 9th August 1918 during the Battle of Amiens he attacked concealed enemy machine guns 3 times. The final 2 attacks he performed single handedly capturing one gun but falling at the second one.

The London Gazette citation on 2nd October 1918 notes the example he set to all ranks, a disregard for his own personal safety , along with his bravery and devotion to duty on multiple occasions.

His parents received the posthumous Victoria Cross from HM King George V at Buckingham Palace on November 23rd 1918- Tom’s medals are held at the QORWK regimental museum Maidstone.

05/08/2026

Today is

"As Playday is celebrated across the UK today (6 August), national play organisations are calling for more inclusive and welcoming spaces where children and young people of all ages and abilities can play freely and feel part of their communities." https://www.playday.org.uk/

PWRR & Queen's Museum we want everyone to enjoy the space and activities provided.

What’s on this August -

10th Bookmark Characters
17th Camo Helmets
8th and 24th Medal making
31st victory bunting
Family trail Lotta & Lola

Kids in Museums &lola Dover Castle Visit White Cliffs Country - Dover, Deal and Sandwich