The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Ward
- First Name:
- Frederick Thomas
- Nick Name:
- Fred
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX7913
- Classification:
- Driver
- Company:
- ‘B’ Company
- Enlisted:
- 13.08.1940
- Discharged:
- 25.01.1946
- DOB:
- 20.07.1917
- Place of Birth:
- Maylands, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- Frederick Ward
- Mothers's Name:
- Kathleen Eileen Ward
- Religion:
- Roman Catholic
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Truck Driver and Mechanic
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp Changi, Adam Park, River Valley Road Camp, Selarang Barracks Changi.
- Force:
- ‘ D ’ Force Thailand, S Battalion
- Camps Thailand:
- Kanu II, Kanu I, Hintok Road Camp, Kinsaiyok, Tamarkan.
- Camps Japan:
- Fukuoka sub~Camp No. 13, Saganoseki, Fukuoka sub-Camp No. 17, Omuta.
- POW#:
- 8859
- Japan:
- Rashin Maru Party
- Return Details 1945:
- Soldier made his own way to a U.S.A.A.C. base and was flown to Manila, Manila‐Sydney, HMS Formidable.
General Description
Ward enlisted AIF Aug 1940 and joined 2/4th MGB’s ‘B’ Coy 9 Platoon as a driver. 9 Platoon’s CO was Lt Don Lee.
He left Singapore to work on the Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force Thailand S Battalion. He worked at Kanu II, Kanu I, Hintok Road Campo, Kinsaiyok and then sent to Tamarkan. He was selected by the Japanese as being fit to work in Japan.
He sailed to Japan with the ‘Rashin’ Maru taking 70 days. Ward was initially sent to work at Fukjuoka sub-Camp No. 13, Saganoeski
Height 5′ 5″
The men at Omuta camp was not rescued until 15 September 1945, four weeks after Japan’s surrender. (This was the case for many POW Camps.) . POWs were ordered not to leave Camps – mostly for their own safety. Some POWs thought they would never be rescued – Fred Ward decided he had had enough of being a POW of Japan and made his way to a USA A.A.C. base near Nagasaki and hitched a ride directly to Manila.
Fred’s father Frederick (Snr) who was born NSW 1873 married 1915 at Northam to Kathleen Eileen Jones (Kate or Katie) who was born 1890 Victoria. Fred and Katie had three sons and two daughters and continued to live at Northam for some time.
Above: The tragic announcement of the Ward’s son Sydney Raymond who died aged 5 1/2 years.
Following his return from war Fred (Jnr) married in 1952 to Edna Lila Mary Martin.
Fred died 28 August 1985 at Hilton Park. Edna Ward died in 2003.
Camp Locations:
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- Johore Bahru, - Malaysia
- River Valley Road Camp - Singapore
- Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
- Hintok, 154k - Thailand
- Kanu 1 151.00k - Thailand
- Kanu II, 152.30k - Thailand
- Kinsaiyok Main, 170.2k - Thailand
- Tamarkan, Tha Makham 56k - Thailand
- Omuta Miike, Fukuoka #17-B - Japan
- Saganoseki, Fukuoka #13-D - Japan