Pacific Star 1941-45 awarded to Gunner John West, 80th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery

West was one of the 85,000 Commonwealth troops taken prisoner by the Japanese at the fall of Singapore in 1942. He was forced to work on the infamous Burma-Siam railway, known as the 'Death Railway' because of its high cost in lives. West died in Burma while working on its construction in October 1943, aged 28 and was awarded this medal in recognition of his service.