The Soldier's Details

Surname:
Poulton
First Name:
Bertram Frederick
Nick Name:
Bert
Rank:
Private
Regimental #:
WX9764
Company:
‘D’ Company, 14 Platoon
Enlisted:
6.12.1940
Discharged:
18.12.1945
DOB:
24.11.1907
Place of Birth:
Derby, England
Father's Name:
Bertram Frederick Poulton, Stepfather Walter Cove
Mothers's Name:
Daisy Annie Poulton
Religion:
Church of England
Pre-war Occupation:
Painter
Singapore:
Selarang Camp Changi; Johore Bahru; Adam Park; Selarang Barracks Changi;
Force:
‘D’ Force Thailand, S Battalion
Camps Thailand:
Kanu II, Tarsau, Chungkai, Tamuang
Camps Japan:
Ohama Camp 9B
POW#:
3 /9219 and 8830 and 216
Japan:
Rashin Maru Party
Return Details 1945:
Wakayama-Okinawa, USS Consolation; Okinawa-Manila, USS Haskell; Manila-Sydney, HMS Speaker; Sydney-Fremantle, HMT Dominion Monarch

General Description

 

Poulton enlisted AIF 6 Dec 1940 and later joined 2/4th’s ‘D’ Company 14 Platoon under Commanding Officer Lt. Tompkins.  Please read further about ‘D’ Company.
As a POW in Singapore he was sent to work on the Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force Thailand S Battalion in the Hellfire Pass region.  Please read further about D Force S Battalion
When the railway link was completed the POWs in Burma and Thailand were sent to one of the large camps or hospitals in Thailand.  From Tamuang, Poulton was selected ‘fit’ by the Japanese to work in Japan with the Rashin Maru Party.  POWs were entrained from Thailand to Singapore to await their ship.

Read of the journey of the Rashin (Byoke) Maru

On arrival at Moji Japan, Bert was one of seven 2/4th men sent to work at Ohama POW Camp.  He was rescued fro here at the end of the war.
Bert Poulton was a close mate of Helliwell.
He was killed at Ulu Pandan.

Below:  Another mate Les Poyser died of illness, Thailand. Poyser, Alf Worth and Bert were in ‘D’ Coy, 14 Platoon.

 

Ohama, Hiroshima  POW Camp Renamed Aug 1945 Hiroshima 9-B – Okura Mining Co.
Back Row:  L-R (1)  Bert Poulton WX9764  (5)  Doug Carter WX8240
2nd Last Row: L-R (2) Alf Worth WX7440 (3)  Alex Oag WX8481
3rd Row from Back:  L-R (4) Aub Schuts WX8562 (8) Bob Whitelaw WX9076
Front Row:  L-R (9) Arthur Walker WX16370

Back Row:  Aub Schuts, Bob Whitelaw, Bert Poulton,
Front Row:  Alec Oag, Alf Worth, Arthur Walker

 

 

 

 

Bert was the first born of three sons to parents Bertram Frederick Poulton and Daisy Annie Mosley who married 1905 Derby, Derbyshire, England.  When Bert was three years old  they sailed from London to Fremantle arriving 5 Jan 1912 on the ‘Armadale’.
The family settled in Claremont.

 

Bertram Frederick (Snr) enlisted WW1.    Lt. Poulton was a signaller with 51st Battalion.  He was killed 10 June 1917 at Ypres aged 33 years, leaving a widow with three young sons.

 

The Poulton family inserted memorial messages every year.

In 1930, Bert’s Grandfather William Poulton died aged 81 years.

 

After the war Bert married  Lorraine Blanche Pantall who was born 1915 Perth.

 

Bert died Perth 14 Dec 1975.  Lorraine died 14 May 1986 at Boyup Brook.

Camp Locations:

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  • Johore Bahru, - Malaysia
  • Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
  • Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
  • Chungkai, 60k - Thailand
  • Kanu II, 152.30k - Thailand
  • Tamuang, Tha Muang 39k - Thailand
  • Tarsau, Tha Sao 125k - Thailand
  • Ohama, Hiroshima #9-B - Japan ***
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