The Soldier's Details

Surname:
Draper
First Name:
Arthur Montague
Rank:
Corporal (Promoted 24.1.1942)
Regimental #:
WX7777
Awards:
Mentioned in Despatches
Company:
‘B’ Company, No 8 Platoon
Enlisted:
10.08.1940
Discharged:
4.02.1946
DOB:
6.07.1903
Place of Birth:
Perth, Western Australia
Father's Name:
Thomas Percy Draper
Mothers's Name:
Mabel Constance Draper (nee Parker)
Religion:
Church of England
Pre-war Occupation:
Station Manager
Singapore:
Selarang Camp Changi; Thomson Road (Caldecot Hill Estate Camp); Selarang Barracks Changi
Force:
‘J’ Force Japan, Wales Maru Party
Camps Japan:
Kobe (Showa-Denkj), Nagoya, Toyama
POW#:
3/6309 Kobe 600 and Toyama 59
Return Details 1945:
Yokohama‐Okinawa‐Manila by aircraft; Manila-Sydney, HMS Formidable; Sydney-Fremantle, HMT Dominion Monarch

General Description

Arthur was a member of ‘J’ Force transported from Singapore to Japan to a POW Camp at Kobe mid 1943. Some of the details of Kobe House are found at the story Kobe House, Japan.

Read about Showa-Denki, Kobe.

Arthur Draper and Norm Harris were moved to Nagoya Camp from Showa-Denki factory at Kobe whilst the group moved north to Toyama.  Following 3 months at Nagoya, and in May 1945 they were both moved to Toyama where they remained until war’s end.

Please read further.

Read about ‘J’ Force and ‘Wales’ Maru

—————–

Arthur was the fourth of six children born to Thomas Percy Draper and Mabel Constance Parker. Mabel died in 1930.  Thomas Percy Draper remarried.  He died in 1946.
Electoral Rolls:
1931 & 1936 Arthur was stockman ‘Woodstock’ Station, South Pilbara (and possibly other stations).
We believe Arthur may have enlisted AIF at Carnarvon August 1940, later joining 2/4th MGB’s ‘B’ Company No 8 Platoon.
1943 – Dirk Hartog Island, Station Manager.
1949 – Yoweragabbie Station, Mt Magnet, Manager with Molly.
About 1950-1952 – Lyons River Station, Gascoyne Junction Manager with Molly.
1963, 1968, 1972 – Eneabba, Three Springs, Farmer with Molly.
Arthur married Molly Xanthorina Wickens  (nee Manning) 1946.  The couple had two sons, John and Geoffrey.

Arthur and Molly’s son John died in 1968 aged 19 years.  Arthur died Hollywood 22 Sep 1974 aged 71 years.  Molly died in 2003.

 

Nag #9 Main Home Camp List
Source: NARA, RG 331, Box 942; prepared and certified by Roger Mansell, Director, Center For Research, Allied POWS Under The Japanese. All of these men came from the Osaka area. All arrived on 21 May 1945. Most likely prior camp was Narumi.
Name, Ser, Rank, ASN, Unit, POW #, Prior POW #
Anderson, Mervyn William,AIF,Pte,NX47308, 2 of 30th,2766,8850
Brown, Arthur Douglas,AIF,CPL,QX15300, 2 of 26th Tng Coy,2762,8921
Brown, George Andrew,AIF,Pte,VX56222,2 of 29th, 2767,8924
Draper, Arthur Montague,AIF,CPL,WX7777,2 of 4th Machine Gun,2763,9035
Dunn, William Thomas,AIF,Pte,VX2192,2 of 29th,2768,9038
Edwards, Stanley Joseph,AIF,Pte,QX21386,2 of 26th Bn,2769,9046
Giles, Frank William,AIF,Pte,VX63776,2 of 29th,2770,9093
Giles, Thomas James,AIF,Pte,VX62211,2 of 29th,2771,9094
Grey, John Ernest,AIF,Pte,NX48199,8th Sig Corps, 2772,9103
Harris, Norman Joseph,AIF,SGT,WX4985,2 of 4th Machine Gun,2761,9122
Jones, Alfred James,AIF,Pte,WX7510,2 of 4th Machine Gun,2773,9179
Lucas, Robert George,AIF,Pte,QX17202,1 Coy AASC,2774,9226
Lutz, Edward Herman,AIF,LCPL,NX26919,2 of 30th, 2765,9227
Lymn, Ronald Ruben,AIF,Pte,WX17515,unk,2775,9228
McClymont, William James,AIF,CPL,NX49231,Aust Pay Corps,2764,9237
McColl, Allan,AIF,Pte,VX21767,2 of 2nd Aust Mtr Ambulance,2776,9238
McFarlane, Cyril Keith,AIF,Pte,NX46443,2 of 30th, 2777,9247
Winepress, Frederick Joseph,AIF,Pte,QX21088,2 of 26th,2778,9513
Yeats, Charles Thomas,AIF,Pte,QX11453,2 Coy AASC,2779,9518

Camp Locations:

  • Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
  • Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
  • Thomson Road (Caldecot Hill Estate Camp) - Singapore
  • Kobe, Osaka #2-B - Japan ***
  • Nagoya - Japan
  • Toyama, Nagoya #7-B - Japan
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