The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Cooper
- First Name:
- Henry James
- Nick Name:
- Bluey
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX8822
- Classification:
- Equipment Repairer, A.A.O.C.
- Company:
- Headquarters Company, No. 3 Platoon.
- Enlisted:
- 23.10.1940
- Discharged:
- 11.01.1946
- DOB:
- 10.08.1911
- Place of Birth:
- Mandurah, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- Clarence Cleland Cooper
- Mothers's Name:
- Gertrude Laura Cooper (nee Morris)
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Miner and Timber Worker
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp Changi, Changi Hospital, River Valley Road Transit Camp.
- Force:
- ‘A’ Force Burma, Green Force No. 3 Battalion
- Camps Burma:
- Victoria Point, Tavoy, Kendau 4.8km, Thetkaw 14km, Meliloe 75km, Aungganaung 105km, Khonkan 55km, 114km Camp & 126km Camp/ Evacuated to Khonkan 55km with a tropical ulcer to his heel 4.7.1943. Information written on back of a photograph indicates this soldier was a member of Williams No. 1 Mobile Force and worked in the area of 114 km and 126 km points on the rail link in Thailand.
- Camps Japan:
- Fukuoka sub‐Camp No. 17, Omuta; Fukuoka sub-Camp No.22
- POW#:
- 2938 and 11033
- Japan:
- AWA Maru Party-Kumi No.41 (joined party at River Valley Road Camp ex-Changi Gaol Camp Hospital)
- Return Details 1945:
- Nagasaki-Manila, USS Lunga Point, Manila-Sydney, HMS Speaker, Sydney-Melbourne-Adelaide-Perth by troop train.
General Description
Cooper enlisted AIF Oct 1940. He trained with A.A.O.C. Equipment Repairer and attached to HQ Coy No. 3 Platoon.
From Singapore Cooper was selected to work on Burma end of the Railway, with ‘A’ Force Green Force No. 3 Battalion.
Please read further
He was at the following Camps: Victoria Point, Tavoy, Moulmein, Thanbyuzat, 4.8km, 14km, 50 km, 55km Hospital Camp (4 July 1943 ulcer on his heel and malaria), 75km, 105km, 114km & 126 km.
We believe Cooper then joined Williams No. 1 Mobile Force, working between 50km to 114km and 126km on the railway.
When the railway was completed Cooper was evacuated to Kanachanburi. He was selected on 6 April 1944 with Kumi 41 to sail to Japan on ‘Awa Maru’ to work. The Japanese selected those ‘fit’ – however in reality, the POWs were all unfit and unwell.
Please read further about ‘Awa Maru’
Cooper was sent with ‘Awa Maru’ Party by train via Bangkok to Phom Pehn, Saigon (15 April 1944 to 15 August 1944) then returning to Bangkok and onto Singapore.
Cooper had at some point in time been evacuated to Changi Hospital because he then joined ‘Awa Maru’ Party at River Valley Road Camp (Transit camp for Japan) arriving on 14 December 1944. He arrived in Singapore 22 August 1944.
‘Awa Maru’ sailed for Japan on 15 January 1945, arriving safely sailing thru the South China Sea where the American submarines were attacking Japanese shipping.
He was sent with several men from 2/4th to Omuta POW Camp in Japan. Please read further
Then to Fukuoka No. 22.
Cooper and Clarrie Wells WX7757 were sent from Omuta to Fukuoka Sub Camp No. 22. The remaining men mostly appear to be VX men.
Cooper was recovered 19/9/1945 from Fukuoka Coal Mine. He had been sent there 15/1/1945.
Bluey was son of Clarence Cleland Cooper and Gertrude Morris who married Perth 1909.
He married in SA 30 Aug 1941 to Nancy Blyth.
They had one son James Austin Cooper born in 1947.
They resided in Lansdowne Street, South from 1958 through to 1980.
His mother died in 1961.
Blue Cooper passed away 27 Sept 1989. Nancy died in 1999.
Camp Locations:
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
- Aungganaung,105Kilo - Burma
- Kendau, Kandaw, 4 Kilo - Burma
- Khonkan, 55Kilo Hospital 360k - Burma
- Kun Knit Kway, Kunhnitkway, 26Kilo - Burma
- Meilo, 75 Kilo, 340k - Burma
- Tavoy (Dawei) - river port - Burma
- Thanbyuzayat, 415k - Burma
- Changaraya No. 5 - Thailand
- Victoria Point, Kawthoung - Burma. \'A\' Force, Green Force No. 3 Btn
- Thetkaw 14 Kilo - Burma
