The Soldier's Details

 

Dean enlisted AIF 30 Jul 1940.  He later joined 2/4th MGB and took up the role of Commanding Officer of ‘B’ Company 7 Platoon.

He was hospitalised during the latter part of the fighting    (Singapore 8-15th February 1942) .  Details are not known.

Platoon Sgt J.E. ‘Jack’ Pearson and NCO, was highly respected and held the temporary rank of Lieutenant as a Prisoner of War. He had acted as the Commanding Officer of No. 7 Platoon when Lieutenant P. V. Dean was evacuated to hospital.

‘Jack’ Pearson had held the rank of Lieutenant in the militia in which he served from 1924-1929.

(Pearson later worked on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ ForceThailand S Battalion and died of illness at Chungkai Hospital Camp 13 February 1944 aged 43 years.)

Dean’s other Sergeant  24 year old David Holme was wounded in action on 14 Feb 1942 at Pasir Panjang receiving gunshot wounds to his skull, right hand and legs.  He died as a POW of a cerebral abscess at 1900 hours on 3 March 1942 at Changi.

The Allied leaders surrendered to Japan on 15 Feb 1945.  Every Allied soldier marched 17 miles to Changi (unless sick or injured) – ahead was nearly 5 years of incarceration.

Following is information written by Dean in his Interrogation Form distributed to POWs at end of war:

15 Feb to 17 Mar 1942 – Roberts Barracks, Singapore

Escaped 17 Mar 42 Recaptured 6th April 42 in  Jahore State

6 Apr to 10 Apr 42 Johore Mil. Police Station

10 Apr to 17 Apr 42 Curren Camp (Sikhs)

17 Apr to 24 Apr 42 YMCA Singapore, Interrogation Japanese MPs

 24 Apr 42 to 18 May 44 Outram Road Gaol, Singapore

18 May 44 to 1 Apr 45 Changi POW Camp

1 May 45 to 23 Aug 45 Bukit Panjang POW Camp

23 Aug to 20 Sept 45 Changi POW Camp – he was recovered from here at end of war.

 

Dean decided to escape and asked L/Cpl John McGregor  WX12835 also from 7 Platoon if he would go with him.  The two men escaped on 17 March 1942 at 2300 hours. They were reported absent from Changi 0800 on 18 March 1942.

The two men headed north towards the Malay Peninsula.  Unfortunately they were captured 15 May 1942, returned to Singapore to face a Japanese Military Court.  They were each given 2 years solitary confinement with hard labour to Outram Road Gaol.

Dean served 11 months solitary, then 6 months hard labour and working on latrines.  He was released 18 May 1944 and returned to Changi.

Dean was with Levelling Party Changi Aerodrome and X3 Party

 

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Penrod’s parents Edward Dean and Mary ‘Alice’ Baldwin married in 1905 at Woodville, South Australia.  The couple moved to WA where their sons were born.  Penrod had two older brothers and a younger brother.  Edward Dean died in Perth in 1934 and Penrod’s mother died in Perth in 1954.

 

 

 

 

Penrod Dean died Melbourne 16 May 2006 aged 91 years.  His wife Mabel died Melbourne 20 November 2005.

Penrod and Mabel Molloy married in 1937 Perth.  They had 3 daughters and one son.  Initially Penrod and Mabel (aka Bunny) remained living in Perth, however later moved to Victoria.

Dean wrote and published in 2002 a book about his life as POW, the greater part spent imprisoned at Outram Road Gaol, called ‘Singapore Samurai’.

John Alexander McGregor WX12835 who escaped Singapore with Dean, had earlier written and published his book about their experience, including their initial escape from Singapore.  McGregor’s book was called “Blood on the Rising Sun”.   

Dean and McGregor survived Outram Gaol and both returned to WA.

 

In his early 80’s Dean wrote his own book.  His son Mark felt it was a therapeutic process for his father and by this time he had grown quiet in his older age.  His son Mark recalls his early childhood when his father had at times severe mood swings and said his father was difficult to live with. Understandable when learning what life was like at Outram Gaol.

Penrod Dean knew he was a very lucky man to survive Outram – he had returned to Changi before the end of the war when his 2 year sentence ended.  McGregor who became very ill at Outram Road,  had spent a long time hospitalised in Changi and was returned to Outram to complete his 2 year sentence.  He was recovered from Outram.