Robert was serving in Singapore in the RAF when shortly before its fall in February 1942 he was evacuated to Java. Taking to the hills to make a final resistance with a mixed detachment of troops he was taken prisoner on 5^th March 1942 at the time of the capitulation of Java.

Captured by the Japanese he was moved from camp to camp and died through illness, probably bacterial dysentery, in a labour camp on Harokoe Island [aka Haruku POW camp]. The conditions were particularly appalling where the prisoners, consisting mainly of Australians and British, were tasked with building airstrips using hand tools to crush coral. Prisoners who died were buried locally at Kario Village, Cape Marakee on Harokoe Island. In February 1947 his body was exhumed, along with scores of other servicemen and reburied with full military honours at the newly created cemetery on Ambon Island, Indonesia. Robert was 27 years old at his death which was officially recorded as having taken place on Sunday 30^th May 1943.

Only son of Sidney Thomas Glaze & Eliza Glaze of Ashton-on-Mersey, Cheshire.

A copy of Robert's story can be downloaded here.

See also the Commonwealth War Graves Commission permanent digital memorial, ‘Evermore: Stories of the fallen’ relating to:-
Leading Aircraftman Robert George GLAZE