WX12835 LANCE CORPORAL JOHN ALEXANDER MCGREGOR AND LT PENROD VANCE DEAN
ESCAPED CHANGI PRISON
& HEADED TO MALAYSIA
McGregor enlisted AIF 15 May 1941 later joining 2/4th MGB’s ‘B’ Company HQ under Commanding Officer WX3452 Captain Bunning.
McGregor escaped from Changi with
Lieutenant Penrod Dean
The two POWs were recaptured 6/4/1942 at Pontian Keechil in Johore State by Malay Police who handed them over to the Imperial Japanese Army. Under guard they were returned to Singapore to face a Japanese trial at the Supreme Court. They were sentenced to two years solitary confinement at H.M. Prison, Outram Road, known as the most notorious of all Japanese prisons.
WX6067 Lt. Penrod Dean was formerly the Commanding Officer of ‘B’ Company No. 7 Platoon.
Lt Penrod DEAN
John McGregor had a enviable photographic memory and on returning home he set about writing his story. He had endured a torrid time at Outram Road, like all prisoners they were delivered back to Changi to be hospitalised when their health was nearing death. When the Japanese considered their health had rerurned sufficiently – the POWs were returned back to Outram Rod. Tragically McGregor lost his eyesight due to lack of vitamins whilst during his imprisonment and had to learn braille.
McGregor was able to learn Morse Code from a couple of Australian POWs who were his neighbours. They firstly ensured no guards were creeping about, then tapped messages, sharing their history which in isolation broke up the mindless monotony and feelings of hunger and utter desperation.
His detailed memory was able to share surprisingly small details with his readers in his book ‘Blood on the Rising Sun’ which he published hmself in 1980, including their initial escape and travelling through Singapore to Malaysia.
Dean was a little more fortunate or perhaps lucky! He learned a little Japanese and was able to secure work outside his cell. This also provded an opportunity to acquire extra food. He did not have to be returned to Changi Hospital in near death condition as all the other Australian POWs did. Consequently Dean completed his two year sentence and departed Outram Road quite some time prior to the war ending.
McGregor was recovered from Outram Road at the end of war.
Fred Airey enlisted AIF 24 July 1939 and later joined 2/4th MGB’s Battalion HQ Warrant Officer Class 1 – Regimental Sergeant Major to 2/4th.
Fred served WW1 with 1/5th East Lancashire Regiment in France and at Chanak, Turkey with the British Army Occupation. He was recommended for an award for his actions on night of 18th-19th June 1917, and awarded the Military Medal.
The following has been copied from Airey’s statement for the United Nations War Crimes Commission
“I could not tell the men of the Japanese intentions. I next went out refusing to be tied, I was handled roughly being struck both before and after my hands were tied. I asked as best I could for an officer. The wounded men, McCann and Millhouse were not tied to the best of my belief. We were then told to march, proceeding under the eyes of about 1000 Japanese soldiers, up Reformatory Road. The men were quite unconcerned; in fact they thought it funny.
The Japanese in charge of the party appeared to me to be an officer or a warrant officer he was about 5 foot feet 6 inches tall, well built, about 24 years old. He was fair and good-looking for a Japanese.
Turning off the road into light growth we proceed south. Looking around I discovered that McCann and Millhouse were distressed. Breaking ranks I went back to McCann, who was being forced along with a bayonet in his rear. I sent McCann forward, the Japanese soldiers who had forced him along staying and threatening me. Millhouse was practically exhausted when he reached me having been forced to walk fast with a bullet wound to his knee, the Japanese bayonets drawing blood every time he slackened his pace. I went with Millhouse and we joined the party, taking up my former position.
Proceeding a further distance along the bank of a small stream we were told to form a single file. The Japanese in charge halted and pointed across the stream, calling an order the men immediately turned right to see how to cross the stream, when the first volley was fired. I saw two men falling forward into the stream, others crumpling up where they stood. A bullet whiz past my head (it had been impossible to form any plan to escape and up to this very second I had no idea that there was a chance in a million), I somersaulted into the bed of the stream and lay still. Millhouse couldn’t do anything and the Japanese in their usual cruel way left him to the last. In the meantime he told the Japanese in no uncertain terms just what he thought. I considered this extremely gallant.
After dropping everyone the Japanese proceed to make certain by giving us all an extra round. I heard the strike of the bullet into the body next to me and awaited mine. When it came the bullet grazed my forehead, taking skin only and covering my face with gravel, water and blood. I remained in this position until I heard the voices of the Japanese fading away. After sometime had elapsed I opened my eyes and cautiously looked around to make certain that the Japanese had gone. Sitting up I then cut my hands free with a razor blade which I had been able to extract from my haversack and then went around to possibly eight of the bodies that were screened from Japanese sight to ascertain if they were dead or had miraculously escaped as I had. They were all dead; the bodies that were lying above on the bank I called to them and getting no reply, I assumed that they were also dead also. I then attempted my escape.
Returning to Singapore from Java in 1943 I discovered that McCann was alive.”
Following Surrender to Japan, Fred along with three other men from 2/4th and 11 other Australian soldiers were marched off to a remote Singapore location to be shot by the Japanese. He and McCann miraculously survived the masaccre, although neither knew at the time. Fred escaped Singapore to Sumatra.
After escaping Singapore Airey managed a 5 day sail in a small boat to Sumatra. After Sumatra fell to Japan, he put to sea with others in a lifeboat which became wrecked, repaired and set off again for Australia.
With only 3 week’s rations and formidable currents after nine weeks they were no further than southern Java. In desperation and poor health they put ashore. Airey was taken POW and eventually sent to Bandeong.
Fred was one of 5 Australians who arrived Bandeong Camp in Java 8 July 1942 amongst a large group of POWs including 800 Dutch and other Allied POWs.
He was recovered from Thailand at the end of the war from Nacompaton Hospital Camp.
Fred wrote a personal account of his early life and POW years in his book ‘The Time of The Soldier’.
As Regimental Sergeant Major of 2/4th MGB – Fred was proactive in tackling lack of discipline within the battalion, starting at Northam Army Camp. Having spent several years in the British Army WW1 he wrote about the lack of discipline starting with the officers – men who got leadership roles he believed because of family and social connections who were not suited to leadership. I believe Fred was absolutely correct in this assessment.
It was the evening of 8th August 1945 the ‘Big Six’ or Supreme Council for the Direction of the War—refused to concede to an unconditional surrender. They held out for conditions that would protect the imperial throne and avoid foreign occupation, remaining deadlocked 3-to-3 until Emperor Hirohito intervened. It was two days since an atomic bomb had devasatated Hiroshima. Severed communications delayed Tokyo’s understanding of the blast. Three hardline military leaders wanted to continue fighting.
Scientific, medical and military teams travelled to Hiroshima to survey and estimate the destruction of Hiroshima. It was an enormous challenge to even put the events into any sense – nobody knew about atomic bombs!
This war cabinet had not visited the devastation.
Hiroshima had a population of 350,000 people. Suddenly there was no communication in or out of the city. It would take some time for Japan to comprehend what had actually taken place. In fact the same can be said for the whole world.
The Three hardliners were:
General Korechika Anami: The Army Minister who wanted to fight a massive final battle on the home islands to force better terms, later committing suicide rather than seeing the occupation.
General Yoshijirō Umezu: The Chief of the Army General Staff who initially opposed surrender, though he ultimately followed the Emperor’s final order to capitulate. Japanese general and Chief of the Army General Staff during the final years of World War II. He was convicted of war crimes and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Admiral Soemu Toyoda: Chief of Navy General Staff argued for continuing the war rather than accepting total disarmament and Allied occupation. He had Commanded the Combined Fleet after Admiral Mineichi Koga died, directing major operations including Battle of Leyte Gulf.
Tried for war crimes but was fully acquitted.
Emperor Hirohito intervened.
Japan would surrender!
Hirohito, was the leader who never said YES to the war, but more importantly he never once said NO in all those years of destruction and death.
The population of Japan had never, ever heard their Emperor speak until his broadcast confirming the end of war. He did not and would not say Japan lost the war – only that it was over! The military and ordinary citizens everywhere cried.
During the same evening of August 8 August (Tokyo time), the Soviet Union broke its neutrality pact and declared war on Japan.
Soviet troops would be crossing the Japanese Manchurian boarder in a few hours.
Military authorities and civilian defense networks across western Japan were on high alert, unaware a second US B-29 bomber was already gearing up to launch ‘Fat Man’ atomic bomb on Nagasaki in less than 12 hours, in the morning of 9 August 1945.
The atomic bomb would be dropped on Nagasaki August 9, 1945, at 11:02 AM local time.
Below: Hiroshima
Below: Hiroshima several months after the 1945 bombing.
US military and the world was shocked to learn there were 36,000 Allied POWs working and exisiting in camps around Japan. This number did not include other Pacific locations such as Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, French Indo China, Manchuria, Korea, etc. etc. China was to suffer the highest death count.
US Forces swung into action – The whole population of Japan was starving. From August 30-September 20, 1945, in Operation Swift Mercy, B-17s and B-29s flew 1,000 missions and dropped 4,500 tons of supplies to their priority, the Allied POW Camps, located throughout Japan.
One of the most crucial differences between German and Japanese treatment of POWs was the reluctance of the latter to pass on Red Cross supplies – containing both food and medicines.
Japan’s Pacific war was responsible for the deaths of about 25 million people.
There would soon be millions of citizens starving throughout the Pacific. Countries which had been formerly self sufficient no longer grew crops as the farmers had been taken for Japan’s workforce.
POWs were sent to work in Japan on ‘Hell ships’ from many destinations. About 100 2/4th men were recovered from Japan at wars end. Several lost their lives working underground during accidents in mines, some died of illness. All were malnourished, starving and ill-treated. Most had no warm clothes or shoes to wear walking to work several miles every morning and night in the winter snow. They had been POWs of Japan for three and half long years. Slowly starving to death, they suffered a range of debilitating dietary conditions and illnesses.
Japan’s war had lasted 8 years of full-scale conflict from 1937 to 1945. The years if measured from the initial invasion of Manchuria, the figure becomes 14 years of war.
The fighting ended with Japan’s formal surrender on September 2, 1945
WE WISH TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS FROM CHANNEL 9, 4th Dec 2018 by Journalist Nick Pearson.
The Chichinima incident; GEORGE H W Bush’s EXTRAORDINARY WW2 SURVIVAL STORY.
The Chichijima incident ( also known as the Ogasawara incident) took place in September 1944 Nine US airmen survived their plane being shot down off the coast of the tiny Pacific island of Chichijima, Bonin Islands. Eight young men were captured and severely tortured by Japanese.
Japanese officers later cannibalized four of the victims, believing it would provide them health benefits.
The ninth airman drifted out to sea and was remarkably rescued by US Navy. The survivor was 20-year-old pilot who would go on to complete 58 missions and become 41st US President George H.W. Bush.
‘The extraordinary story of Mr Bush’s rescue was well-known during his presidency, with a Navy seaman able to film the moment the lanky youngster was pulled from his tiny inflatable raft onto ubmarine deck.
But the terrible fate of the other survivors was kept secret for many years.
Mr Bush was 17 when the United States entered the war after Pearl Harbour attacks, and signed up to join the military the moment he turned 18.’
Bush proved himself brilliantly during training and became the youngest aviator in US Navy, piloting a three-person Avenger dive-bomber in the Pacific’s Torpedo Squadron.
Below: 20 year old George Bush, future U.S. President.
Above: USN’s Avenger
The Mission
At dawn Sept. 2, 1944, a group of American pilots fighting in the Pacific theatre of World War II took to the skies. Only one would survive their bombing mission to the Bonin Islands — the rest would be tortured, killed, and cannibalized in what became known as the Chichijima Incident.
Bush was part of a mission against the Japanese occupied Island of Chichijima, 1000km southwest of Japan.
While flying over, the Grumman TBF Avenger was struck by flak, setting his engine ablaze. Bush successfully bailed out over the ocean and was rescued by USS Finback submarine. He was uncertain about his crew.
Above: US Hellcat Fighters WW2
On the morning of September 2, 1944, USS Finback submarine was floating on the surface of the Pacific Ocean—on lifeguard duty for any downed pilots of carrier-based fighters attacking Japanese bases on Bonin and Volcano Island. The previous day Finback had rescued three naval aviators—a torpedo bomber crew.
As dawn broke Finback’s radar picked up an incoming wave of US planes heading towards Chichijima.
Soon after Finback was contacted by two F6F Hellcat fighters – submarine combat air patrol escorts affectionately referred to as ‘chickens.’ It was the job of lifeguard duty to look for and rescue ‘zoomies’ – downed pilots. The Hellcats would help guide the submarines to the downed pilots and keep Japanese fighters away during the rescue.
At about 9:30 am Finback received a report that Japanese anti-aircraft defense had shot down a torpedo bomber between the north eastern end of Minami Jima and the southern tip of Chichijima. Finback headed out to recover the plane crew.
Finback maintained a distance of 7.5 miles from shore to avoid Japanese shore batteries. It took a little more than two hours to reach the site where a crew member had bailed out. The pilot, Lt. George Herbert Walker Bush of Torpedo Squadron 51 from USS San Jacinto told his rescuers he had not seen the parachutes of his crew and thought that they either jumped while the plane was over Chichi Jima or went down with the plane.
C.O. Lt. Comdr. Robert R. Williams started the Finback on a search pattern to look for Bush’s crew members on the chance that they had jumped out over water.
Above: USS San Jacinto leaves Philadelphia Navy Yard 17 January 1944. The four portside masts supported radio antennas and were folded outboard during flight operations. The blistered hull was carried outboard of the straight-sided hangar (NB the narrow flat deck area showing amidships). The flat hangar deck was built up above the original sheer of her cruiser hull.
A Miraculous Rescue – the description provides an insight into just a small part of the US aim to end this war.
The search was cut short by another report at 12:36pm – a yellow rubber raft had been spotted near Haha Jima. Aircraft in the area confirmed the raft and a plane circled overhead to mark the location. The situation for the downed pilot looked grim; the raft was a mile and a half from shore and the Japanese were firing at it.
Williams wrote of his feelings about the stranded pilot’s situation in his war patrol report:
“Spirits of all hands went to 300 feet.”
This rescue would need to be creative because the shore batteries threatened to hit Finback on the surface if she tried to pick up the survivor. The solution was to approach the raft submerged. But then what?
It took three hours to locate the raft and approach it. Finback submerged to 55 feet and with the periscope up ‘roared’ past the raft to let the pilot know a submarine had arrived to get him. Finback went into reverse and tried to meet up with the raft.
Half an hour later and almost four hours after the initial report, the pilot hooked his arms around the periscope and Finback started away from the island at two-thirds speed. Williams looked through the periscope and saw the pilot, “with one arm around the periscope and the other around the life raft with a bailing bucket bringing up the rear.”
The submarine stopped so the pilot could get back into his raft, and then tried again. The same happened, the raft filled with water and dumped the pilot. Once again the pilot was back in his raft. Finback was raised to 38 feet to keep the pilot out of the water providing more of the periscope shear (the protective casing) to hold on to but not overly expose the submarine to Japanese guns.
When Finback and the life raft were five miles from shore the submarine surfaced, and the crew helped the rattled and waterlogged pilot aboard! He was Ens. James W. Beckman, pilot of a Hellcat from USS Enterprise. He was also the last aviator rescued on this operation.
The following day Finback was released from lifeguard duty to continue war patrol around the area. The carrier task force rendezvoused near Saipan before sailing on to participate in the invasion of the Palaus. Remember it was September 1944!
“The Navy didn’t want people back home to know that their sons were eaten.”
As for the survivor? The sole man to escape the awful fate of the Chichijima Incident was 20-year-old George H
W. Bush.
Below: Bush being rescued by Finback
During World War II, Chichijima was a heavily fortified Japanese military stronghold and communication hub in the Ogasawara Islands. 500 miles from Japan it was of strategic importance allowing Japan to send long-range messages from its radio tower.
The Grumman F6F Hellcat was US Navy’s dominant carrier based fighter during the second half of WW2. Designed to counter the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero, it was renowned for its ruggedness, heavy armament, and an incredible 19:1 kill-to-loss ratio.
Above: 4 Oct 1946 Tiral for Japanese War Crimes; Four Charges of Cannibalism Upon American Prisoners. The sentence for Maj. Sueo Matoba: Death by Hanging
A U.S. military commission on Guam last week read into the record a Japanese Army major’s confession of cannibalism.
Unlike rumored instances elsewhere, this was no story of starving Japanese eating their own or enemy dead in an effort to survive. It was ritual cannibalism practiced on the bodies of U.S. flyers who had been decapitated after being shot down in the Bonin Islands. The sole excuse: “war madness.”
Though three other officers and ten smaller fry were also on trial, archvillain of the piece was Major Sueyo Matoba, a slim, mild, scholarly Jap with a sadistic nature which had won him the nickname “Tiger of Chichi Jima.” Major Matoba had stomach ulcers; he also loved sake.
By 1945, when the blockaded Bonins had no fresh meat, he hatched the idea that liver would soothe his gnawing stomach pains. The islands’ commander, fat, bullnecked Lieut. General Yoshio Tachibana, had ordered all captured U.S. flyers executed. That was the chance Matoba had been waiting for.
Cannibal Feast.
At least two aviators were beheaded publicly by Matoba’s own 308th Battalion, to buoy the troops’ morale. In each case, the liver was cut from the still-warm bodies, delivered to Matoba’s cook, cut into strips and served in sukiyaki. At one gay party, where the cannibal dish was washed down with sake, Tachibana was Matoba’s guest. That night, during a U.S. air attack, Matoba boasted that enemy bombs could not hurt him because he had eaten the enemy’s flesh.
Other unit commanders who wanted a morale-booster for their own men were given the privilege of staging the executions of flyers captured in their bivouac areas. On at least two occasions the livers of the executed men were served in the officers’ messes while strips of flesh cut from the legs were used to flavor enlisted men’s soup.
Ironically, the crime of devouring human flesh was so unthinkable that it was not listed in international law, was not clearly punishable as a crime in itself. The evidence* could be used only to support such formal charges as murder or prevention of honorable burial.
* Operating at the start only on suspicion, U.S. investigators got their first firm lead from Frederick Arthur Savory—a great-grandson of U.S.-born Nathaniel Savory who colonized the Bonins in 1830—when he returned from exile in Japan bearing gruesome reports of executions and cannibalism.
By mid-1945, due to the Alliednaval blockade, the 25,000 Japanese troops on Chichijima had run low on supplies. However, although the daily ration of rice had been reduced from 400g per person a day to 240g, the troops were in no risk of starvation. In what later came to be called the Chichijima incident, and February/March 1945 Tachibana’s senior staff turned to cannibalism. Nine American airmen escaped from their planes after being shot down during bombing raids on Chichijima, eight of whom were captured. The ninth, the only one to evade capture, was future US President George H. W. Bush, then a 20-year-old pilot. Over a period of several months, the prisoners were executed, and allegedly by the order of Major Sueyo Matoba, their bodies were butchered by the division’s medical orderlies and the livers and other organs consumed by the senior staff, including Matoba’s superior Tachibana.
At the end of the war, Tachibana and his staff were arrested by the American occupation authorities and deported to Guam, where they stood trial for war crimes in connection with the Chichijima Incident, August 1946. However, as cannibalism was not covered under international law at the time, Tachibana was charged with “prevention of honorable burial”. Tachibana was sentenced to death by hanging along with four other defendants, including Major Matoba. He and the other defendants executed were buried in unmarked graves on Guam.
Above: Lieutenant General Yoshio Tachibana, Japanese Army, prepares to sign documents surrendering Bonin Islands, 3 September 1945, off Chichi Jima, on board USS Dunlap (DD-384). A U.S. Army interpreter is assisting him. Japanese officers standing behind Lt G. Tachibana are (left to right): Lieutenant Commander I. Shinoda, Major Y. Horie, Captain J. Sato and Captain S. Terasawa. At the extreme left is Lieutenant David C. McMillion, USN.
Below: Newspaper reports reach Australia 5 Oct 1946
Below: Lt. Col Michael Anketell, Commanding Officer of 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion, 8th Division died 13 Feb 1942 Died of Wounds receieved the previous day.
Below: 2/4th included:
Major C.E. Green – mentioned in Despatches. Commanding Officer, 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion.
WX2352 Capt Gavin McRae BUNNING – b. 1910 Cottesloe. Tom Buning was acting senior officer 2/4th MGB for two years at Changi. He was Garden Contol Officer from May 1942 – several of his officers and men were also involved in Changi Garden and remained in Singapore throughout the war – Smith-Ryan, Campbell, Albert Brooksbank, Doodson, Jackson.
Second in Command:
WX3453 Capt Avon Reah SMITH-RYAN
Remained in Singapore througout the war, was reovered from Changi Gaol.
C.S.M.
WX8207 W.O.II Arthur Sidney HEWBY Warrant Officer Class 2
Hewby left Singapore with‘D’ Force Thailand V Batallion. This Work Force suffered terrible loss of life on the Burma-Thai Railway. Hewby was recovered from Ubon, Thailand at the end of war.
C.Q.M.S.
WX9556 S/Sgt Randolf Stuart CAMPBELL: Staff Sergeant.
B. 1906 Scotland. Campbell remained in Singapore throughout the war and recovered from Changi at the end of war.
Transport Corporal:
WX222 Cpl Thomas James BARNETT – b. SA 1915. Left Singapore with work party ‘D’ Force Thailand for Burma-Thai Railway – Barnett and a number of men split from main party – he joined Capt. Harris Party. He was later assigned to work in Japan, sailed with ‘Both’ Party which only sailed as far as Saigon. The POWs on board were remained working in French Indo-China and were recovered from there at end of war.
Corporal Cook:
WX4891 A/Cpl George SMITH (Promoted 21 Jan 1942)
George left Singapore with ‘E’ Force Borneo to Sandakan, North Borneo – 71 2/4th men lost their lives. He tragically died on the Sandakan-Ranau track 7 June 1945 aged 42 years.
CORPORALS:
WX5200 A/Sgt William Joseph ROBINSON (Promoted 14 Feb 1942). Robinson missed reboarding ‘Aquitania’ before she sailed from Fremantle 16 Jan 1942. He was one of about 99 well-trained 2/4th machine gunners left behind in Fremantle – arriving in Java where he was attached to ‘Blackforce’ 2/3rd MGB. Java capitulated to Japan 8 March 1942.
He was imprisoned on Java and left with work party Java Party No. 6, O Battalion.‘Bulla’ as he known died of dysentery Hintock Road Camp, Burma-Thailand Railway aged 25 years.
WX5221 Cpl Stanley Alfred CURRIE – Technical Storeman. Claremont boy Currie was was at Selarang and Oct 1942 and led party of 27 men from River Valley Road Camp. Left Singapore with ‘D’ Force S Battalion to work on Burma-Thai Railway May 1943. It was noted he was at Tarsau POW Camp Jul-Oct 1943 on a burial party, Nacompaton and Non Pladuk from where he was selected to work in Japan on ‘Both’ Partywith Barnett. This party sailed as far as Saigon, French Indo China where the POWs remained throughout the remainder of war. They were also recovered from here.
He was recorded at Konkoita Camp and Sonkurai to Nikhe-Nikhe Defence Line from May 1945. He RTA.
WX9316 Albert BROOKSBANK (Batman/runner) b. Leeds England 1900 – remained Singapore with Garden Control Party. Recovered from Changi at end of war.
WX8808 John Cutbert COLBEY – Driver b. Adelaide, SA. Selarang, Thomson Road (Caldecote Hill Estate Camp) and with Forest Party at Selarang. Sent with work party to Palau Blakang Mati – back to Selarang – Kranji Camp Woodlands. Recovered from Changi. Originally selected for ‘F’ Force, Colbey had been evacuated to AGH Roberts Barracks 18 April 1943 with amblyopia and missed the draft to his good fortune and ‘F’ Force endured many hardships and deaths.
WX6917 George James DOODSON – b Derby,England 1910. He had been pre war in Fruit, Vegetable, Poultry wholesale business. He remained Singapore throughout war with garden control because of this knowledge Sent to work with X3 Party in 1945 and recovered from changi.
WX8830 Alexander McDougal Donald DRUMMOND – b. Scotland 1911. Missed reboarding ‘Aquitania’ at Fremantle and sailed to Java. Joined ‘Blackforce’. Left Java with Java Party No. 4 Williams Force.
Drummond survived working on Burma Thai Railway, was selected with Rakuyo Maru Party to work in Japan. Tragically this ship was sunk by US submarines. Drummond initially survived three days, before succumbing to the dreadful conditions facing the men holding onto life-rafts in the ocean and he perished 15 Sep 1944.
WX7236 Charles Henry DUNN b.England 1899. Corporal Dunn with Australian Army Postal Corps was attached to 2/4th MGB. Left with ‘B’ Force Borneo d. Sandakan 21 March 1945 of Malaria aged 44 years.
WX8657 Lt/Cpl Charles FLAKEMORE b Tasmania 1910 . Left Singapore with ‘F’ Force Thailand S Battalion. He was evacuated to Chungkai Hospital Camp and recovered from Nacompaton.
WX8607 Percival John GIBBS b. Perth 1909 Driver/Mechanic. Left Singapore with A Force Burma Green Force No. 3 Force to work on the Burma end of Railway. When the rail was completed Gibbs was evacuated to Tamarkan and Chungkai hospital camps. When recovered he was sent to Hindato, Pratchinburi, Nakom Nayok, Lopburi amd Bangkok in Thailand to work before being recovered.
WX8756 L/Cpl John HILL b. 1912 Margaret Hill. Driver/Mechanic WIA Pasir Panjang admitted to Field Ambulance with GSW to left arm and head 14 Feb 1942. Admitted to AGH on 16th Feb and died 11 March at Roberts Barracks of mycotoxicosis, diptheria and acute but resolviong bascilliary dysentery and died aged 31 years.
John was well respected and popular amongst the boys.
WX8984 Sydney Mervyn HOGBEN – b. Fremantle 1915. Motor Cycle Orderly. Selarang, Jahore Barhu, Adam Park, River Valley Road Camps in Singapore. Left to work on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force Thailand S Battalion May 1943. He worked at Tarsau, Hintok Rd Camp (Mar-Jul 1943), Tamuang, Chungkai, Kanchanaburi. Selected to work in Japan he returned to Singapore to join ‘Rashin’ Maru Party to Moji, Japan on what would become a 70 day voyage. He worked at Yamane and Niihama from where he was recovered.
WX8750 L/Cpl Huia Albert JACKSON b. Foxten, New Zealand 1905. Motorcycle Orderly. He remained in Singapore working in the Garden Control Party. He did work 1945 for X10 Party before returning to Changi where he was recovered.
WX8702 Gilbert JAPP b. 1902 Scotland. Driver. Left Singapore to work on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force Thailand S BattalionMay 1943. He was evacuated from the line to Chungkai Hospital Camp, then to Nacompaton. From here he was sent with a work party to Petchaburi and recovered from Nakom Chassi.
WX12835 L/CPL John Alexander MCGREGOR b. 1903 Guildford. Clerk. Always keen to escape, McGregor finally did with Penrod Dean. They reached Malaysia however were betrayed by locals and recaptured by Japanese. Returned to Singapore the men faced Japanese court and were sentenced to hard labour at Outram Road Gaol – the worst prison camp throughout S.E. Asia.
The tenacious McGregor managed to survive but lost his eye sight and was generally in poor health. He wrote a book about his experience.
WXX8013 L/Cpl Edwin Ernest MILLER Driver b.1911 Perth. Left Singapore with ‘F’ Force Thailand. This work force endured terrible conditions and far too many deaths.
Miller was fortunate to survive and return to Singapore. He was sent with X10 Party to work before returning to Changi from where he was recovered.
WX8828 William Darcy O’NEILL. Technical Storeman. b.1902 Fremantle. O’Neill was one of about 90 W.4th Boys who missed reboarding ‘Aquitania’ at Fremantle and sailed to Java. He was attached to 2/3rd MGB to fight the Japanese invasion. Before he could do so, he was evacuated sick on hospital ship Wui Sui from Tanjong Priok to Colombo.He was discharged from the hospital and returned to Australia on on HMT Sitrling Castle.
WX7331 Claude Wilfred ROBERTSON. Driver. b. 1903 Perth. Was a miner pre enrolment.
Robertson was Driver, b. 1903 Perth. He worked on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force S Battalion. He was at Kanu II, Chungkai, Tamuang, and finallly sent to Tarden to work before being recovered.
WX4986 John Alexandxer TAYLOR b. 1914 Greenbushes.
Taylor was sent with Japan ‘B’ Force to Korea. At Keijo he worked at the blast Furnace from 25 Sep 1942 to 13 Sep 1943. Moved to Konan where he worked in a warehouse from 14 Sep 1943 to 21 Sep 1945. At the end of war transferred from Konan to Jinsen by train onto USS Mercy II Hospital Ship to Manila.
WX5932 Frank VAUGHAN b. Surrey, England 1910. Frank’s trade was Cook. He left Singapore with ‘A’ Force Burma Green Force No. 3 Battalion to work on northern end of Burma-Thai Railway. He was evacuated from Meilo Camp 3 July 1943. When the railway link was completed Japan moved all POWs in Burma and northern Thailand south to one of about 4 large POW Camps. Frank was evacuated to Tamarkan Hospital Camp and died on 1 April 1944 of malaria and dysentery aged 33 years.
WX10373 Walter VictorWINTER b. Coventry, England 1919. Left Singapore with ‘A’ Force Burma Green Force No. 3 Battalion to work on the northern end of the railway. Wally was selected to work in Japan and sailed on Rakuyo Maru from Singapore to Japan when the transport ship was hit by torpedoes fromn US Submarines on 12 Sept 1944. Wally was one of the luckiest to be saved by USS Pampanito, when most POWs either died during the initial sinking or perished waiting to be rescued.
WX97379 Thomas William ZEEB b. 1903 Kalgoorlie. His trade was Cook. Zeeb left Singapore with ‘H’ Force Thailand Group No. 3 to work on the Burma-Thai Railway. He was at Kanu II Malayan Hanmlet, and Kanchanaburi 1 Oct 1943. He returned to Sime Road Camp, Singapore and later recovered from Changi.
Reinforcement:
WX16727 Joseph Lewis LONSDALE B. 1923 West Melbourne, Victoria. He enlisted 24 Aug 1941. Lew 9as he was known) left Singapore with ‘D’ Force Thailand V Battalion which endured shocking living and working conditions resulting in a high loss of deaths. Lew managed to survive and was selcted from Non Padock to work in Japan. He sailed with Aramis Party to Moji, Japan. Lew and several other 2/4th boys, were most unfortunate to be sent to Fukuoka sub-Camp No. 17 Omuta. There were no good camps, but Omuta was pretty terrible. He survived to be recoved from Omuta.
About 350,000 Allied soldiers from South East Asia and the Western Pacific were captured by the Japanese. In order to deal with this number the POW Information Bureau was established at the end of 1941 in the Japanese Army Ministry offices, Tokyo. Amongst POWs were local native soldiers from Allied colonies who shortly after capture were released on the condition that they would not resist Japanese soldiers. (ie. Australians. etc) The IJA decided to keep about 140,000 Allied soldiers in camps which had already been established in SE Asia.
In early 1942 there was only one POW camp in Japan proper, Zentsuji POW Camp at Zentsuji City, Kagawa Prefecture, which held mostly American soldiers captured on Guam and Wake Islands.
Because Japan was short on manpower it was decided to transport a number of POWs to Japan from S. E . Asia. From the end of 1942 to the beginning of 1943, the IJA opened POW camps with the main administration camps in four cities of Hakodate, Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka. Under each main camp, branch camps, dispatched *1 camps, and detached camps were eventually opened.
NB *1: There were three kinds of camps;
branch camp: Japanese Army supplied all housing, food, and clothing for POWs
detached camp: is a branch camp in smaller size
and dispatched camps: food, housing, and clothing were provided by the companies (such as Mitsui,etc) and IJA only provided POWs and military staff.
Camps were established in mining and industrial areas such as Keihin (Tokyo and Yokohama), and Hanshin (Osaka and Kobe).
With the ever increasing frequency and efficuency of US air raids over Japan, the IJA was forced to move many camps in industrial areas further inland or to areas closer to Sea of Japan .
In April 1945, camp military districts were reorganized and three new POW Camps were established in Sendai, Nagoya, and Hiroshima. The Hiroshima Main Camp absorbed Zentsuji POW Camp making a total of seven main camps.
Although the Japanese Army was responsible for camp administration the Japanese navy wanted to interrogate captured pilots and crew hoping to improve their naval intelligence. As a result the Navy established Ofuna Transitory Prison Camp in Ofuna, Kanagawa Prefecture. A special camp where POWs captured by the Navy were held before they were transferred to Army control.
The total number of POWs incarcerated in Japan was around 36,000. Tragically about 11,000 POWs lost their lives when allied air and submarine forces attacked POW transport ships in convoys enroute to Japan because they were not identifiable. The organization of POW camps in Japan was repeatedly reformed and rearranged, so the main camps, branch camps, dispatched camps and detached camps opened during the war numbered about 130. On the other hand, there were some which closed. Thus, in addition to the seven main camps there were 81 branch camps and three detached camps at the end of the war.
32,418 POWs in total were detained in those camps. Approximately 3, 500 POWs died – mostly due to unsafe working irvonments and Iillnesses brought about by starvation and working slave hours. The Japanese rufused any request for medicines and as well failed to distribute Red Cross parcels containing essential food and medicines. POWs very often worked in unsafe work conditions on wharves, mines and in factories.
US AIRMEN
Enemy Airmen’s Act was a law passed by Imperial Japan on 13 August 1942. It stated that Alliedairmen participating in bombing raids against Japanese-held territory would be treated as “violators of the law of war” and subject to trial and punishment if captured by Japanese forces. This law contributed to the deaths of hundreds of Allied airmen throughout the Pacific and Asian theaters of World War II. Shortly after World War II, Japanese officers who carried out show trials and illegal executions under the Enemy Airmen’s Act were found guilty of war crimes.
__________
WE WISH TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS FROM CHANNEL 9, 4th Dec 2018 by Journalist Nick Pearson.
The Chichinima incident; GEORGE H W Bush’S EXTRAORDINARY WW2 SURVIVAL STORY.
The Chichijima incident (Japanese: 父島事件), also known as the Ogasawara incident (小笠原事件) took place in September 1944 Nine US airmen survived their plane being shot down off the coast of the tiny Pacific island of Chichijima, Bonin Islands. Eight young men were captured by the Japanese and severely tortured. Japanese officers later cannibalized four of the victims, believing it would provide them health benefits.
The ninth airman drifted out to sea and was remarkably rescued by the US Navy. The survivor was a 20-year-old pilot who would go on to become US President, George HW Bush.
‘The extraordinary story of Mr Bush’s rescue was well-known during his presidency, with a Navy seaman able to film the moment the lanky youngster was pulled from his tiny inflatable raft onto the deck of a submarine.
But the terrible fate of the other survivors was kept secret for many years.
Mr Bush was 17 when the United States entered the war after the Pearl Harbour attacks, and signed up to join the military the moment he turned 18.’
Bush proved himself brilliantly during training and became the youngest aviator in the US Navy, piloting a three-person Avenger dive-bomber in the Pacific’s Torpedo Squadron.
The mission
At dawn on Sept. 2, 1944, a group of American pilots fighting in the Pacific theatre of World War II took to the skies. Only one would survive their bombing mission to the Bonin Islands — the rest would be tortured, killed, and cannibalized in what became known as the Chichijima Incident.
Bush was part of a mission against the Japanese occupied Island of Chichijima, 1000km southwest of Japan.
While flying over, the Avenger was struck by flak, setting his engine ablaze.
“The Navy didn’t want people back home to know that their sons were eaten.”
As for the survivor? The sole man to escape the awful fate of the Chichijima Incident was 20-year-old George H
W. Bush.
Tiny Chichijima was about twice the size of Central Park but was of strategic importance. It was 500 miles from Japan with a radio tower which allowed the Japanese to send long-range messages.
A U.S. military commission on Guam last week read into the record a Japanese Army major’s confession of cannibalism.
Unlike rumored instances elsewhere, this was no story of starving Japanese eating their own or enemy dead in an effort to survive. It was ritual cannibalism practiced on the bodies of U.S. flyers who had been decapitated after being shot down in the Bonin Islands. The sole excuse: “war madness.”
Though three other officers and ten smaller fry were also on trial, archvillain of the piece was Major Sueyo Matoba, a slim, mild, scholarly Jap with a sadistic nature which had won him the nickname “Tiger of Chichi Jima.” Major Matoba had stomach ulcers; he also loved sake.
By 1945, when the blockaded Bonins had no fresh meat, he hatched the idea that liver would soothe his gnawing stomach pains. The islands’ commander, fat, bullnecked Lieut. General Yoshio Tachibana, had ordered all captured U.S. flyers executed. That was the chance Matoba had been waiting for.
Cannibal Feast.
At least two aviators were beheaded publicly by Matoba’s own 308th Battalion, to buoy the troops’ morale. In each case, the liver was cut from the still-warm bodies, delivered to Matoba’s cook, cut into strips and served in sukiyaki. At one gay party, where the cannibal dish was washed down with sake, Tachibana was Matoba’s guest. That night, during a U.S. air attack, Matoba boasted that enemy bombs could not hurt him because he had eaten the enemy’s flesh.
Other unit commanders who wanted a morale-booster for their own men were given the privilege of staging the executions of flyers captured in their bivouac areas. On at least two occasions the livers of the executed men were served in the officers’ messes while strips of flesh cut from the legs were used to flavor enlisted men’s soup.
Ironically, the crime of devouring human flesh was so unthinkable that it was not listed in international law, was not clearly punishable as a crime in itself. The evidence* could be used only to support such formal charges as murder or prevention of honorable burial.
* Operating at the start only on suspicion, U.S. investigators got their first firm lead from Frederick Arthur Savory—a great-grandson of U.S.-born Nathaniel Savory who colonized the Bonins in 1830—when he returned from exile in Japan bearing gruesome reports of executions and cannibalism.
By mid-1945, due to the Alliednaval blockade, the 25,000 Japanese troops on Chichijima had run low on supplies. However, although the daily ration of rice had been reduced from 400g per person a day to 240g, the troops were in no risk of starvation. In what later came to be called the Chichijima incident, and February/March 1945 Tachibana’s senior staff turned to cannibalism. Nine American airmen escaped from their planes after being shot down during bombing raids on Chichijima, eight of whom were captured. The ninth, the only one to evade capture, was future US President George H. W. Bush, then a 20-year-old pilot. Over a period of several months, the prisoners were executed, and allegedly by the order of Major Sueyo Matoba, their bodies were butchered by the division’s medical orderlies and the livers and other organs consumed by the senior staff, including Matoba’s superior Tachibana.
At the end of the war, Tachibana and his staff were arrested by the American occupation authorities and were deported to Guam, where they stood trial for war crimes in connection with the Chichijima Incident in August 1946. However, as cannibalism was not covered under international law at the time, Tachibana was charged with “prevention of honorable burial”. Tachibana was sentenced to death by hanging along with four other defendants, including Major Matoba. He and the other defendants executed were buried in unmarked graves on Guam.
Below is the speech presented by Michele Flanders, daughter of WX9132 Arthur Gamble 2/4TH MGB at this year’s Anzac Day Service in Leeman.
‘Each one of us here today, all have stories about our family and friends involved in the horrific suffering of past and present wars of the world.
I would like to tell you my story about a young man.
Like many others in 1940, this young man was caught up in the pre-war fever of World War II and volunteered for military service. He had just turned 22 years old.
Leaving the family farm, his parents, brothers and sisters, he and a mate walked 105 kilometres to the Northam Army Camp and enlisted with the then named Australian Imperial Forces.
He was posted and trained with the newly formed 2nd/4th Machine Gun Battalion, all West Australian personnel and based in Northam.
After training, his Battalion marched 115 kilometres to Fremantle where they embarked on ships for overseas services Landing in Singapore … their mission was to help with fire support and defend the island against Japanese invasion. During these campaigns the 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion personal were either killed or became Prisoners of War.
15th of February 1942 will always be one of the darkest days in Australia’s wartime history. It was this day that Singapore fell to the Imperial Japanese Army and more than 15,000 Australian soldiers became Prisoners of War. Of these, more than 7,000 did not make it home.
Now a POW, this young man was imprisoned in Changi Prison, and he was required to work for the Japanese loading supplies at the wharves, building roads and constructing the Singapore Airport Runways. Life was relatively easy but was soon to take a turn for the worse, for his Japanese captors were intent on building a railway through the thick jungle of northern Thailand and into Burma.
The POWs were loaded like cattle onto trains and transported north to BAM PONG. From here they began an exhausting 140-kilometre journey on foot through hilly, mosquito and rat-infested jungle terrain with many rivers to cross. They walked from one primitive work camp to another, losing friends along the way, dying from exhaustion, dehydration, starvation or beatings from the Guards.
Each camp was as bad as the next; the huts were constructed of bamboo with palm leaves for the roof, Bedding nothing more than planks of bamboo with just 70 centimetres between each prisoner. Cramped conditions, Poor sanitation, Starving and with very little or no medication … Eventually these weary young lads came to a stop and were detailed to begin work on a railway with enforced hard labour!
The prisoners worked under gruelling conditions sometimes 16/18 hours a day …followed by several kilometres walk back to camp. It was here that many Australians, worked on Konyu Cutting or Hellfire Pass …a particularly difficult section of the railway. During the six weeks it took to build this section of the railway, 69 men were beaten to death by the Japanese and Korean guards.
His job was part of a hammer and tap team. Breaking rocks on steep cliffs …one man holding a steel chisel while the other would slam down a hammer to split the rock. More than once the hammer would miss its stop!
Every now and then he and his mates managed to slip away, unnoticed by the guards and steal from the local farmers…eggs, chickens and produce from their gardens. They even managed on one occasion to find some homemade whiskey…which they polished off with much GUSTO AND Laughter, trouble was they had to go back the very next night to retrieve one of the POW’s false teeth.
As the monsoon season set in, their boots and clothing disintegrated, along with their health. Weak and starved, disease was rife and loss of life was common. This young man (along with many others) suffered various ailments including beriberi, dysentery, rubella, malaria and tropical ulcers. He was incredibly fortunate to survive cholera, thanks to the help of his Buddies, who carried him from the makeshift cholera hospital, back to his filthy bed, force-fed him and nursed him back to relative health.
Wonderful mateship was the only way many men survived the suffering they endured day in day out for years on end. This lad survived his time on the railway and was returned to Changi Prison to await further orders from the Japanese. He undertook work in the prison gardens and considered Changi a Palace compared to the horrific camps he and his mates had lived in.
The Construction of this Railway of Death was 415 kilometres long, through almost impassable jungle was responsible for the loss of over Ninety-Four thousand deaths.
The railway was completed in October 1943 but was never used as the Americans dropped bombs and blew half of it up.
Japan surrendered August 1945 when the USA dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima and then Nagasaki. Killing One Hundred & Twenty Thousand (120,000) Japanese civilians. The Second World War was now over.
Word got back to families that their sons were alive as most had received letters stating their sons were either missing or killed in action.
The Australian troops embarked on ships to finally arrive home after five long years. The 2/4th Machine Battalion was never re-raised.
The man is my story weighed just 40 kilograms and after some time in hospital was welcomed home by his family who had believed he was dead.
His name Private Arthur Raymond Gamble (WX9132) of the 2nd 4th Machinegun Battalion. He was officially discharged from the Australian Army on December 13th, 1945, …. This man was and still is my hero… he’s, my Dad.
At the age of 93, in 2012 Dad was invited to Japan by the Japanese Government in conjunction with the Australian Government to take part in a Prisoner of War Friendship programme. During the visit he received a formal apology from the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs. Dad’s reply
“I have many memories of my mates and experiences during the war; however, I harbour no animosity towards the Japanese people. I have watched with interest the development of Japan after the war and their growth into a world economic influence and their development as one of Australia’s major trading partners,
Dad passed away 2013 aged 94.
I tell this story because I believe it epitomises the mateship and camaraderie of the Australian Diggers in the true spirit of ANZAC.
To all our Service Men and Women (and Service Animals) who have served, or are servicing our nation, my heart goes out to you…. let’s hope our world can learn to live together in peace
Former Guildford Grammar School Students enlisted 2/4th MGB
WX9136 L/Cpl CLARKE, Basil William James: enlisted 30 Oct 1940 and later joined 2/4th MGB 12 Platoon under CO Lt. Wedge.
He was son of William and Daisy Clarke. Born Northam and farmed Cadoux.
Clarke left Singapore with ‘A’ Force Burma Green Force No 3 Battalionto work on the northern end of the Railway, mostly in Burma. They firstly sailed to south west Burma to repair airfields at Victoria Point.
He was evacuated from Aungganaung 105 km camp to Khonkan Hospital Camp 55 km 3 Jul 1943 with a tropical ulcer. His right leg was amputated through middle of thigh on 22 Sept 1943, during this operation he was held down by his mate Jack Thorpe. Please read the story of this procedure.
Miraculously Basil Clarke survived his ordeal and returned to Australia.
Returning from war WX10794 Percy Alfred STURTRIDGE was employed at Guildford Grammar School for 21 years. Sgt Sturtride enlisted with 2/4th’s ‘C’ Coy 11 Platoon , becoming Platoon Sgt under CO Lt Boyle.
Captured at Singapore Percy became POW first accommodated at Selarang, moved to Thomson Road (Caldecot Hill Estate Camp), Mt Pleasant and back to Selerang from where he was sent to Burma-Thai Railway in Thailand with ‘D’ Force S Battalion.
Please read further about this Work Force.
Percy was sent to Tarsau, Kanu II, Kanu I, Hintock Road Camp from where he was evacuated ill to Tarsau Hospital Camp.
Following several months recovering Percy was sent to Nacompaton Hospital Camp. In 1945 he was selected for a work party to work on Prachuab Kirikhan – Mergui Escape road, accommodated at Petchaburi.
“On Monday, 2nd June, 1986, at Guildford Grammar School the late Percy Sturtridge was honoured by having a building named after him. Percy was a teacher for 21 years at the school and during this period was a dedicated and valued member of the staff. We would like to share with his wife, Olga, and son, Karl, the pride of having this honour bestowed upon him.”
As per BB Vol 1 #96 July 1986.
Sturtridge Building is the English Faculty, Guildford Grammar School.
Following the fighting to save Singapore between 8-15th February 1942, Frank Thaxter wrote just a few words regarding Ted Hopson’s escape which took place during the evening of Sunday 15 February:
“5 or 6 of us decided to make a break with Tom’s (Bunning) blessing.”
that at about 9pm on the night of surrender our Coy was ordered to assemble at the rear of a house adjacent to the Singapore Botanical Gardens. The small detachment McGregor had been with, arrived at the rendezvous a short time later in time to hear their Commander issuing the orders of Malayan Command – Fighting had ceased and the Japanese had accepted the Allies’ unconditional surrender. We were POWs.
John McGregor’s first reaction was one of shame. He remarked on how he felt – uttering his feelings and declaring his father had a perfect right to slit his throat, if he ever reaches home, for inflicting upon him the disgrace of rearing a son wo was a representative of one of the nations that threw down their arms in battle. For him it was a difficult pill to swallow and he felt much bitterness toward the British Command.
Imprisonment did not appeal to John so much so that he demonstrated his distaste for it at 2.00 am the following morning by being one of a party of seven POW escapees pushing their way through the Japanese perimeter intending to reach the fishing village of Buona Vista on the West Coast where it was known there were quite a number of small craft assembled. Several men in the party had been fighting in this region confirmed this. Their aim was to commandeer one or more of these boats and make their way to Sumatra about 90 miles away.
They were prepared to surmount every obstacle as it arose.
One hour after breaking through the perimeter the party arrived at the village but were dismayed to witness the Japanese destroying all craft with axes. It was useless to remain any longer and the party retraced their steps taking refuge in an ack-ack gun emplacement which they had earlier passed. They now realised that in their haste to escape they had given very little thought to their preparation. Now that their initial plan had failed it was best to return to their Unit as quickly as possible to avert being classified as deserters.
Pte Hopson was not in favour and no amount of rational discussion could alter his decision to keep going. McGregor was the only one in party who agreed with Hopson and it was quite some time before McGregor made the personal decision agreeing for Hopson continue on alone.
McGregor appealed to Hopson to return with the remaining Party and plan a later escape. Hopson was ill-equipped for a long march – but Ted shrugged his shoulders and it was apparent he was determined to continue. The party realised there was nothing they could do or say to change his mind and therefore they handed their meagre rations to Ted – one small packet of dry biscuits, two tins of ‘Bully Beef’, a compass and an extra water bottle!! There was shaking of hands, the men wished him well and he was gone into the darkness.
Dawn arrived an hour after Ted’s departure. The six men agreed it was not possible to reach the Japanese perimeter, break through and successfully cover the distance to their Unit before daylight. They agreed to wait until the following night.
They decided the ack-ack gun emplacement was not as safe from enemy patrols as originally thought. There was a Chinese cemetery nearby and they settled on this location to spend the day hoping to find adequate cover. They stumbled into a hedge and each man tunnelled themselves into the heavy growth to hide their presence and took the opportunity for much needed sleep.
John awoke hot and sweaty in the morning heat. He went out from the hedge checking their hiding place and concluded it was indeed safe. He decided to wake each man, advised them to dig further into the hedge, enlarge their space, thus providing more cover. The men then proceeded to sleep. John remained awake, there was a plane flying overhead, vehicles passing by and soldiers marching towards Singapore. John made himself a funnel through which he could gain an unimpeded view of the day’s activities. He also saw Japanese patrols heading out from Singapore – they would be searching for Allied soldiers.
Later in the day the men awoke and McGregor informed them of what had happened outside their hiding places. It was agreed they would have to wait for darkness. Their vigilance and stealth would be essential when walking towards the perimeter. At midnight the six men set off in single file for their Unit. They avoided two patrols and were forced to make a very wide detour to avoid contact with a large concentration of Japanese resting, probably preparing to enter the city the next day.
The escapees reached Singapore outskirts where increased enemy activity forced them into the large roadside drains. On reaching the Botanical Gardens they were dismayed to find their Unit no longer at the rear of the house! They had left behind all their gear with clothing etc. But now the location was bare. They had to figure out where the Unit had gone. They couldn’t remain in this exposed area. It was not desirable to hide until the following day so the men had to take a chance and keep on moving.
The Great Bluff
The men moved boldly in a group as if in a patrol passing Japanese soldiers who never doubted or questioned their activity. Their leader now feeling a little empowered stopped to seeking directions to any Allied troops. ‘The power-swollen Japanese sergeant graciously obliged’ and in a short time they were amongst troops of another Australian Battalion.
They welcomed the breakfast offered to them, then proceeded to clean the tan shoe polish (their camouflage) from their white parts Each man acquired a pair of boots to replace the sandshoes they wore, thanked their new-found Australian mates and headed off to find their Unit.
At 2.00pm they came across their Unit assembled on the roadway two miles out of the city. They learned the main body of prisoners was due to pass this point at 2.15pm and that their Coy was to fall in at the rear of the column and march with it to Selerang Barracks.
They had made it! They had safely returned!
HOPSON
Hopson succeeded in crossing the Straits of Sumatra however was recaptured at a place named Kockapit in Sumatra and transferred to the POW Camp at Padang. There were up to 100 captured troops and together the men were put to work on the construction roads for Japanese defence on the western side of the island. Hopson died of dysentery 26 April 1944 aged 35 years. He was buried by the Japanese guards beside the road he had helped to construct. He had been carried in an improvised stretcher by the Japanese guards heading for the hospital when he died.
Because Hopson was an excellent and willing worker, the Japanese constructed a crude headstone on his grave, a surprising and very rare event.
Ted was very popular with the other POWs, it was a blow to these vulnerable men who were now in their third year of capitivity.
The following men fought in WW1 for Britain or Australia, Tragically seven lost their lives.
WX8874 Private Alexander William FINDLAY was a POW of Germany WW1 as well as Japan WW2
Father to two children, Findlay died of illness on the Burma-Thai Railway, Thailand 19 Jan 1944.
WX13977 RSM George Frederick AIREY MM
Served during WW1 with 1/15th East Lancashire Regt. No. 203106 in France and at Chanak, Turkey with British army of occupation. During WW1 he was recommended for an award for his actions on the night 18-19th June 1917 and awarded the Military Medal.
WX3376 Lieutenant-Colonel M.J. ANKETELL – No. 3009 served as Lieutenant ‘B’ Coy, 44th Battalion, France.
Lt Col Anketell, Commanding Officer of 2/4th MGB was accidently shot by one of his own men during the Battle for Singapore. He DOW at Alexander Hospital, Singapore on 13 Feb 1942. He was 51 years old.
Lieutenant Colonel Michael Joseph Anketell
Below: Anketell, WW1 standing Rt.
WX8098 Warrant Officer Class 2 William BURGESS. Served with British Army.
Irish-born Bill was a gold miner when he enlisted with AIF August 1940. He served with ‘A’ Coy 2/4th MBG under CO Major Saggers. At Singapore an additional Platoon was formed which Major Saggers became CO – it was Special Reserve Battalion. Capt Thomas WX3423 became CO of ‘A’ Coy.
Bill was sent to Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force S Battalion. Recovered from Thailand at the end of war.
WX9316 Pte Albert BROOKSBANK served with West Yorkshire Yeomanry ‘Prince of Wales Own 14th on Foot’ and transferred 7th Armoured Car Coy, Royal Tank Corps. He served in India for seven years.
Remained Singapore trhroughout war. Involved in garden party.
WX3451 Major Colin CAMERON served as Trooper George Clowes VOEGE No 1563 A with Third Camel Regiment, 8th and 4th Australian Light Horse Regiments. (He later changed his name to Colin Cameron). He was on Regimental strength when the famous mounted charge took place at Beersheba 31 Oct 1917 against fortified Turkish positions.
WIA (date unknown) receiving a bullet in the base of his spine.
After end of WW1 Cameron served as Captain with 10th Australian Light Horse before resigning his commission to enlist with 2nd AIF with 2/16th Battalion. He attended N.C.O. school at Randwick, NSW but was unable to continue with his service due to the wound he had received in WW1.He then rejoined the Australian Light Horse Regiment before enlisting a second time in 2nd AIF becoming a member of 2/4th MGB.
WX7620 Pte Thomas Henry EDWARDS MM
Served with British Army with Lacashire Fusilers with Regt. No. 52912. He was awarded Military Medal for:
Conspicious bravery and devotion to duty during the British Offensive in Foret de Mormon 4th Novermber 1918. In spite of very heavy shell and machine gun fire and nunerous casulaties this man carried on his duties of runner and guide with great courage for four hours continuously. By his action he maintained communication and was of the greatest assistance in assuring the succes of this attack in his sector.
Thomas Edwards DOW Hill 200 Ulu Pandan, Singapore 12 February 1942. Wounded in the trench by a shell burst from enemy artillery fire. Stretcher bearers carried him to Regimental Aid Post 100 yards away. 2/4th Doctor Capt. Anderson pronounced him dead. He was 42 years old.
WX8874 Private Alexander William FINDLAY served with 51st Highland Division in France, WW1he had enlisted underage. He was taken POW of Germany.
Of course Findlay never talked of his WW1 experience – the following information was sent to us from a relative.
‘Alex Findlay was with Company B of the 5th Battalion Gordon Highlanders and captured at Fresnoy 21st of March 1918. His service number was 265300. The record from Giessen POW camp near Hamburg shows “granatspl arm und bein” which we believe indicates grenade splinters in his arm and leg.’
Below: Findlay with his wife and two children taken before his departure to Singapore 1942.
Findlay died of illness on the Burma-Thai Railway, Thailand 19 Jan 1944. He was 44 years of age.
WX7225 Private Thomas FIRNS enlisted Royal Australian Navy on 30 Sep 1918. Served as stoker No. 6880 at HMAAS Cerebus, Westernport Bay, Victoria. He also served on HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Sydney until he received a medical discharge on 9 Sept 1920.
Able Seaman Tom Firns WW1
Above: Tom Firms remained at Singapore throughout the war. His Classification was Carpenter, and this was probably why his services became essential at Selarang and Changi.
WX7801 Private Albert HACKSHAW served with 28th Battalion WW1 No. 52068.
Hackshaw, b. Surrey, England worked as a Fireman with the Main Roads Department. He enlisted with AIF Aug 1940 and joined 2/4th MGB’s ‘B’ Company 9 Platoon. He left Singapore by train to work on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘F’ Force about May 1943. He died of tropical ulcers at Tanbaya Hospital Camp 2 Nov 1943, aged 43 years.
WX12157 Private Edward Charles HARDEY enlisted Blackboy Hill 27 Aug 1917. Departed Australia HMT Ormonde with 22nd reinforcements 28th Battalion, No. 7310. Joined 51st Battalion 4 Jun 1918 remaining until discharged 19 Sep 1919. Was WIA in his left buttock during WW1.
During action Singapore he was wounded in his right buttock. His mates thought this was rather hilarious!
Left Singapore with ‘A’ Force Burma Green Force No. 3 Battalion to work on northern end of railway. Hw survived to be selected to work in Japan. Departed with ‘Awa’ Maru Party from Singapore for Moji, Japan. Sent to work Fukuoka sub-Camp No. 17 Omuta. He was recovered from here at the end of war.
Edward and Florrie Hardey
WX8207 Warrant OFFier Class 2 Arthur Sidney HEWBY NCO worked his way through the ranks to be promoted to 2nd Lieutenant, 44th Battalion in France. He had enlisted WW1 24 Mar 1916 and left Australia with 7th Reinforcements 44th Batallion, No, 1840. He was WIA 20 Oct 1917 receiving GSW to his left side.
Hewby was sent to Thai-Burma Railway with ‘D’ Force Thailand, V Battalion which suffered a very high death rate. He survived and was evacuated to Chungkai Hospital Camp. Once recovered Hewby was sent to work at Ubon from where he was recovered at end of war. He returned to WA via aeroplane from Thailand to Singapore to Sydney. Then troop train to Perth.
WX8327 Private Charles Henry IRONMONGER is beleived to have served with the British Army in France with 11th Essex Regiment as well as the Scottish Rifles (Cameronions).
‘We had a very sensible Sgt Major in our Company, a real old timer, probably had a family as old or older than I was. When the drafts were made up he would keep our names off. He knew we were not old enough to go to France. Sometimes we would go to see him in his tent and say we wanted to volunteer for France. He would say “get the hell out of here or you’ll get my boot where it hurts.” There were a number of us young lads like that, some parents claimed, some got old enough to go until there were only two of us in my Company. So the Sgt decided to get rid of us for a while and sent us to Woolwich, for a course of shoeing horses that took two to three months. When I came back I could wear a horse shoe on my sleeve. From then on till Oct 1916 I was doing guard duties. A blizzard hit camp and blew everything flat and what a mess. Everything had to be put up again then the news came that I was on draft for France.
Home leave. I told them that I was going to France to shoe horses. I’m afraid I never put a shoe on a horse after I left Woolwich till I came to Australia in 1922.”
At 17 Charles was sent to France and first stationed at Corbie on the Somme. During March 1917 he was called to the Orderly Room where the adjutant questioned him about his age. “Evidently someone had written to him and told him I was under age. It turned out to be my brother-in-law who was a Lt. in the Leicesters.”
At this time Charles was sent back to England, transferred to the 2/6 Scottish Rifles and sent to Ireland. Most of the Battalion was youngsters who had been sent home from France.
Charles went back to France in February 1918 and spent time in and around Arras and Loos. In August 1918 they were all sent to the French Front at Chatteau Thierry.
“Marched 24 hrs then straight over the top. Had tremendous losses 17 men and a Sgt out of my Company of 200. Lost all officers (a bit different from WWII we couldn’t lose them if we tried). Some companies suffered worse.”
Charles was demobbed on 11th March 1919. “2 months before I turned 20 – only a kid in years but an old man in experience.”
Charles went back to England and settled in Leicester rather than Corby, “where I knew some people and my mother lived there. I soon found a job driving a furniture wagon but it didn’t last long before I was in the shop learning how to sell furniture.” After a number of jobs Charles decided to join the RIC (Royal Irish Constabulary) and went back to Ireland. Charles was part of the team that was sent to Belfast to guard King George when he opened Parliament there. He was then sent to Wood Laven in County Galway and there to protect Lord and Lady Ashtoun.
Ironmonger remained in Singapore throughout the war – initially working with Garden Control Party. Sent to AGH Roberts Barracks Changi followed by Kranji Hospital, Woodlands before being sent back to Changi from where he was recovered.
WX8702 Private Gilbert JAPP served in the Royal Flying Corps as an ACII Class from 19190-1920. His Service No. 334883.
Japp was selected in Singapore to work on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force S Battalion which departed by train for Bampong, Thailand about 14 March 1943. Following a harrowing 5 days travelling in crowded carriages the men stayed a few nights at the Konma Transit Camp before being trucked by the Japanese to Kanchanaburi. After a short stopover they moved to Tarsau which was soon to become the ‘D’ Force Admin Camp, and later their hospital Camp. onto Kanu II. He was possibly evacuaterd from rail to Chungkai moved to Nacompaton Hospital Camp. From here sent to work at Pechaburi and Nakom Chassi. Recovered from Thailand,
WX8643 Sergeant Ambrose McQUADE – served with Australian 11th Battalion Service No, 1590. WIA Gallipoli receiving GSW to Chest and lung. Transferred to 51st Battalion then fighting in France then to 13th Machine Gun Coy that would later become 4th Machine Gun Battalion.
When enlisting WW2 6th Aug 1940, McQuade stated he had no previous military service.
Ambrose McQuade
Born in York 1797, McQuade remained in Singapore as a POW – Selarang, Johore Bahru, Adam Park, Sime Road and was recovered from Changi.
WX7336 Private Harold Bertram OCKERBY enlisted WW1 11 Dec 1917 embarking on HMT Ormonde 13 Mar 1918 with 22nd reinforcements for 28th Battalion, Regt No. 7338. Transferred to 51st Battalion with whom he remained until end of war.
Ockerby was Lt. Col Anketell’s driver – both men being WW1 veterans having fouught in France during WW1.
Driver Harold Ockerby, along with several 2/4th soldiers, taken by Japanese and executed on 19th February 1942. Harold was 42 years old. The Japanese offered no reason in taking this group of men away.
A young Harold Ockerby.
WX5123 Private John Stanley PASS served with the Royal Marine Artillery from 1916-1923 and onboard HMS Hood. Pass also served in the Militai in Australia from 1932-1940 before enlisting with 2nd AIF.
Pass was a driver with ‘C’ Coy. Wounded Ulu Pandan 12 Feb 1942, admitted to field ambulance with shrapnel wound to right foot. Transferred to 2/13th AGH then to 2/10th AGH on 4 March 1942.
Was awarded ‘A’ Medical Classification by Japanese Oct 1942. Remained Singapore throughout war and recovered from Changi at end of war.
WX5054 Private Daniel Adair Cormack QUINN – enlisted from Kalgoorlie goldfields on 21 Jan 1916, serving with 2nd Tunnelling Coy with Regt. No. 856. He was blown up at Sallon Farm in September 1916 after which he was invalided back to England.
He was involved in the mining at Charleroi, Belgium 1918 and was invalided out of AIF with a tumour on 18 Aug 1919.
Quinn b. 1895 Grimsby England remained as POW in Singapore. Selarang, River Valley Road Camp, AGH Roberts Barracks (Aug 42 -Jan 43), back Selarang, Changi and was recovered from Kranji Hospital Woodlands at end of war. He managed to return to Perth on the Duke of Gloucester’s aircraft ‘Endeavour’ . He had been evacuated to 110 (p) MH Perth from 2/14th AGH Singapore.
WX11046. Lt Leslie Gordon RICHES MC
Served as a Lieutenant and original member of 11th Battalion Regt. No. 925. Lt Riches participated in first landing at Gallipoli and was an original Anzac.
His citation reads;
On 11 August 1918 near Lihons, when the left flank was held up by a strong enemy post and machine gun nest, Riches was then sent forward with a party of men from HQ’s details to dislodge the enemy, He repeatedly led the men against the enemy position, bombing then down the trench, putting an enemy machine-gun out of action and capturing the machine-gun. Later with the assistance of trench-mortar fire he rushed and captured the enemy position, thus enabling the flank to advance and allowing the battalion on our left flank to come forward and line up. Throughout the operation he showed conspicious gallantry and ability to command.
Date of London Gazette: 1st February 1919
Date of Commonwealth of Australia Gazette: 3rd June 1919
WX9385 Warrant Officer Class 2 James UNSWORTH served with British Army -the Duke of Cambridge’s Own, Middlesex Regiment (known as the Diehards) with SN 4720. He was WIA three times at Mons where this Unit suffered many casualties. Prior to enlisting WW2 he served in the 28th Militia Battalion. He trained with 2/4th’s Company Headquarters under CO Capt McEwin and was Company Sergeant Major.
WO Class 2 acted at WO1 at Changi.
He left Singapore with ‘A’ Force Burma, Green Force No. 3 Battalion. He was medical orderly at Reptu 30km. Evacuated from Burma Line to Tamarkan when the railway was completed. Was sent to Chungkai Bangkok and recovered from Nacompaton Hospital Camp at end of war.
WX7166 Pte Herbert Stanley WERRETT
Served in France withj 28th Battalion with Regt. No. 7386. He also sailed on HMT Ormonde with 22nd reinforcment that included 2/4th boys Harold Ockerby and Edward Hardey. He was discharged on 17 October 1919.
Werrett died during fighting to save Singapore – He had been missing in action from 11 Feb 1942 possibly from Ulu Pandan area. He died of wounds at Alexandra Hospital Singapore on 14 February 1942 aged 42 years.
WX6958 Private John YOUNG enlisted 7 Dec 1917 serving with Royal Flying Corps in WW1 as a fitter-armourer with No.s 176 and 274 Squadrons. At the end of war he served with Palestine Brigade H.Q. and then No.s 111 and 14 Squadrons achieving the rank of AC 1st Class. He was discharged July 1926 having experienced first hand the formation of the Royal Air Force. His Service No. was 157766 – The RAF then it was still part of Army.
Young died at Nacompaton Hospital Camp on last day of war, 15 August 1945. He is also the last name on the 2/4th MGB Honour Roll.
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase “prisoner of war” dates back to 1610.
In very early times, in historical battles, captured prisoners became enslaved or were killed.
WW1
Over 4,000 Australians were taken POWs during World War I. The majority—around 3,853—were captured on Western Front by German forces, while over 200 were captured by Ottoman (Turkish) forces in the Middle East. Records indicate that 395 Australians died in captivity during the war.
During World War I between 7–9 million soldierssurrendered and were held in POW Camps. Approximately 10% (~750,000) died in captivity.
WW2 EUROPEAN THEATRE
During the war approximately 35 million soldiers surrendered, many held in POW Camps. Most of the POWs were taken in the European theatre of war. Approx. 14%, or 5 million, died in captivity; out of these, 3 million fatalities were Soviet POWs, and one million, German POWs.
Around 170-180,000 British and Commonwealth POWs were captured by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy in WW2.
They were mostly taken into captivity during early stages of war when Britain and her empire were very much on the back foot. Defeats in France, Greece, and North Africa led to vast swathes of Commonwealth servicemen being taken prisoner.
POWS IN WW2 PACIFIC WAR
During WW2 there were 32,000 Australian servicemen, military nurses and civilians held as POWs or interned.
Over 22,000 Australians became prisoners of war of the Japanese in south-east Asia : Army (about 21,000); RAN (354); and RAAF (373). The Army prisoners were largely from the 8th Division captured at the fall of Singapore . Australian troops were also captured on Java, Timor, Ambon and New Britain.
POWs were formed into work parties to provide forced labour for the Japanese army. Throughout the war, Changi in Singapore was the main camp from which working parties were sent to other destinations and through which POWS captured in other areas were staged.
______
More than 170,000 British prisoners of war (POWs) were taken by German and Italian forces during the Second World War.
After 9 August, between 1.6 million and 1.7 million Japanese soldiers were taken POWs by Soviet troops upon Hirohito’s surrender. Incredible, considering Japanese military culture taught troops to prefer death to surrender.
More than 5 million Soviet men and women troops were taken POWs by Germany and about 3 million died.
About 3 million German troops were taken POWs by the Soviet Army. The Russians were vengeful towards to Germans more than any other country. (The Russians suffered terribly at the hands of Germany). 2 million Germans were freed from Russia, some as late as 1956.
Above: 1944 Moscow. German POWs for the Parade of the Vanquished. The Parade of the Vanquished (Parad pobezhdyonnykh) took place on 17 July 1944, Moscow where – 57,000 German POWs, captured during Operation Bagration marched through the city to showcase the scale of Soviet victory and humiliating Nazi defeat. The procession, including 19 generals, served as propaganda and was followed by sprinkler trucks symbolically cleaning the streets.
Above: German POWs at Kiev WW2 under guard of Russians.
