Ronald Shaw (1920 – 9 August 1945) was a British pilot who was captured by the Japanese during World War II, and was killed by the atomic bombing of Nagasaki while in Japanese captivity.
Shaw was from Edmonton, London, and served as a corporal in the Royal Air Force. He initially served in Egypt before being transferred to the Far East. His plane was shot down by Japanese forces near the island of Java, and he was captured and taken to Japan as a prisoner of war. On 9 August 1945, the US atomic bombing of Nagasaki took place, and the bomb is believed to have exploded close to the area where Shaw was being held prisoner. He was killed when a wall fell on him.[1][2][3]
Shaw was the first prisoner of war to be listed at the Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims and the second non-Japanese (the first being a Chinese civilian).[2]
References
- ^ Ryall, Harriet Alexander and Julian (11 August 2013). "British POWs who survived Nagasaki bomb sought for compensation offer" – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ a b "Nagasaki memorial adds British POW as A-bomb victim". Japan Times. 25 June 2005. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
- ^ "UK atom bomb victim is remembered". 16 May 2005 – via news.bbc.co.uk.