Java Party 20 & Sinking of Tamahoko Maru near Nagasaki 24 June 1944
19 May 1944 800 POWs departed Java on Kiska Maru to Singapore arriving 21 May 1944. POW group consisted of 194 British, 258 Australian, 42 American, 306 Dutch.
POWs were glass rod tested at Havelock Road Camp. One Australian and four Dutchmen were removed from Party. 795 POWs embarked on Miyu Maru.
The Australian was 2/4th soldier removed from the Party was WX8261 Pte Robert Ramsay MCASKIL, who then was sent to work on the Sumatran Railway. McAskil died 28 March 1945 of cardiac beri beri aged 44 years at Kampoeng 106km near Kota Baroe, Sumatra. After the war his body was taken to Djakarta War Cemetery.
Japan 1 formed a convoy of 12 ships and four escorts known as H0-02 as well as Bauxite Convoy. 4 cargo ships carried POWs:
Miyo Maru (795 POWs from Java Party 20)
Hozan Maru (451 POWs as well as carrying bauxite)
Hiyoki Maru (450 POWs and bauxite)
Kokusei Maru (456 POWs and Bauxite)
3 June 1944 H0-02 convoy sailed Singapore to Japan via Philippines.
6 June 1944 160 miles E.S.E. Cape St Jacques, French Indo-China, USS Raton (SS 250) attacked the convoy. At 2225 hours an escort was sunk and USS Raton received damage.
11 June 1944 Arrived Manila, staying two days where Tamahoko Maru loaded 7,500 tons copper ore into her holds and joined the convoy.
14 June 1944 sailed from Manila in a convoy of ten ships escorted by 3 corvettes, a minelayer and a whaling ship.
15 June 1944 the convoy ran into a typhoon, causing damage to Miyo Maru.
18 June 1944 Convoy reaches Takao, Taiwan.
(TAKAO (or Takow/Takau) is the historical Japanese and older local name for KAOHSUING, Taiwan’s major southern port city.The name was officially changed during Japanese rule but remains in place names and historical contexts for the modern metropolis. Kaohsuing is Taiwan’s third largest city today.)
POWs on Miyo Maru were transferred into two holds on the Tamahoko Maru, a larger ship which also carried 500 Japanese troops. POWs were not issued life belts as they had been on Miro Maru. They protested to the Japanese to no avail.
20 June 1944 Convoy H0-02 sailed out of Takao, Taiwan accompanied by escorts.
21 June 1944 Stopped over at Keelung, northern Taiwan, the convoy then headed for Japan.
24 June 1944 three US submarines Tang, Tinosa and Shark II attacked the convoy off the Japanese coast, 40 miles S.W. Nagasaki. The POWs were woken by the sound of an explosion of another transport ship being hit, moments later Tamahoko was hit on the starboard side instantly killing large numbers of men. It sank within two minutes with the loss of 560 POWs out of 772 POWs on board. Most of those who lost their lives were below deck whereas on dec had a higher surival rate.
Survivors found themselves in the water with Japanese survivors, all seeking to find debri to cling to. It was extremely cold with sleet and rain. The POWs were dressed in very little.
Fortunately no depth chargers were dropped.
A corvette picked up the Japanese survivors only.
At 7 am a Japanese whaling ship came by and lowered rope ladders for the surviving POWs.
12.30pm the whaling ship with 221 POW passengers arrived at Nagaski. The POWs waiting in the bitterly cold weather until they were landed at 6pm. A Japanese doctor with two nurses arrived, but they cared little for the prisoners.
25 June 1944 200 survivors of the sinking were taken by lorries to Fukuoka 14B Camp at the Mitlsubishi factories. A hot meal, clothing and sleep mats were provided. For six weeks the POWs lived in crowded conditions before being moved to the 14B Camp. They were now slave labour for the Mitsubishi foundaries.
Survivors from Western Australia, most of whom were with 2/3rd MGB, included:
WX5300 JOHNSTON, Gervase Clifford – Omine Camp
WX1033 LECKIE, Stuart James (brother to John Henshaw Leckie who perished)
WX9911 McDONALD, Gordon Stanley John – Omine Camp
WX18552 MONTEFIORE, Arthur Eric – Omine Camp
WX2844 PARKIN, Charles Owen – Omine Camp
WX11771 ROSS, Gordon – Omine Camp
WX9943 TICKLE, Horace James (later died illness)
Western Australians who Perished:
WX10551 DORAN, Edward John
WX12070 GLEADALL, John Alfred
WX3336 HAMILTON, Richard
WX5300 LECKIE, John Henshaw
WX6228 NORMAN, William George
WX14456 McCURDY, David Vincent
Below: Tamahoko Maru – sank within two minutes.
Below: Submarine USS Tang which sank Tamahoko.
Below: Australian POWs at Camp 14B – West Australians include; Montefiore, Parkin, Ross.
