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

Read about Omuta sub-Camp 17

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
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