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The following is a brief overview of this Work Force movements and dates.

‘D’ FORCE S BATTALION (and ‘A’ Force Burma Green Force No. 3 Btn – had largest numbers of 2/4^th men)

14 March 1943 Departed Singapore Railway Stn to Non Pladuk  – overnight Konma Transit Camp

(69)   TARSAU – 1^st work camp  – LATER TARSAU BECAME HOSPITAL CAMP FOR D FORCE . It was also Japanese HQ for D Force.

(45)   KONYU II – arrived  25 April 1943 – 16 July 1943

A few days later about 200 men were sent to HINTOK ROAD CAMP – to bring O and P Btns up to strength – due to sickness.

(4 July 1943 first time sick were allowed to be evacuated from Konyu II – they were barged to Tarsau Hospital Camp or other base hospital camps  such as Chungkai Hospital Camp) 

after this men were split into groups – some sent to

(147)  KINSAIYOK – 17 Sept 1943 to 6 December 1943

(40)  HINTOK  ROAD CAMP –  6 December 1943 to 13 January 1944 ( there are 3 Hintok camps could be any one!  So we have generalised)

(40) HINTOCK RIVER CAMP – 13 January – 13 February 1944

(69)  TARSAU back here until 28 April 1944.

TARSAU HOSPITAL CAMP D Force Hospital Camp – known for being over crowded and if possible men left here soon as they could for fear of their health deteriorating.

(127) TAMUANG – those decided fit by the Japanese were selected for Japan – entrained to Singapore, short stay RVR Transit Camp (20) Singapore.

NB POWs for ‘Rashin Maru’ all came from Tamuang (127) area i.e. ‘D’ Force & Hellfire pass area.

22 June 1944 Departed Thailand– Arrived Singapore 27 June 1944. 

They entrained straight to Singapore from Thailand (skipping previous route to Saigon which became a disaster with American submarine blockade)

(20)  RIVER VALLEY ROAD TRANSIT CAMP, Singapore – stayed here before departing.

4 July 1944  Boarded ‘Rashin Maru’  (aka Byoki Maru) – 70 day sail journey for 900 Australians (total POWs 1660) survived typhoon, American submarines and was locked in harbour Phillipines for some weeks by subs)

7 September 1944 ARRIVED MOJI, JAPAN,

(127) Yamane

(115)  Niihama

For those who remained in Thailand, the POWs if healthy were sent out with various work parties throughout Thailand.

The hospital camps continued, however most POWs were sent to a recently constructed and very large hospital camp  as well as a place to convalesce (for amputees such as 2/4th’s  Tom Barbour, Syd Gorringe, Eric Ryan, Alllan Bamford)) called Nacompaton.  Once the POWs were well they were again sent out to work.

NACOMPATON was set up from Dec 1943 – about 30 miles west of Bangkok.  When the war ended Nacompaton became an Allied Forces collection centre – POWs could be moved to Bangkok and then fly to Singapore or fly via Rangoon to Singapore.

Lt-Col Galleghan in early August 1942, when he was in charge at Changi, requested area commanders to supply the names of majors and captains ‘who were physically fIt for field officer duty’ adding that officers might be required to swap formations in order to structure the ‘force’.

Galleghan had already attempted to remove Dunlop from his command (he came from Java) because Dunlop was a non-combatant’ officer.  Peter Brune in his book ‘Descent into Hell’ wrote ‘we have identified the at times aloof, self-indulgent manner in which some Changi officers conducted their commands and lived’.  

Galleghan’s decision to chose commanders for the Thai-Burma railway battalions from field officer ranks would prove a mistake.  Brune further wrote, Lt-Col Pond made an observation as he left his work party camp “on the evacuation of the area camps, Havelock Road was left very dirty by Fairley’s party and Quick’s lines were so shocking that 250 other men were requested to clean up before Indians could move in”.

If Quick’s lines were shocking at a Singapore work party – how effective would he be commanding troops in Thailand where hygiene standards/camp organisation would prove a matter of life or death for the POWs??

__________________

 

Apart from the group that left Singapore with Major Charles Green, 2/4th MGB on ‘A’ Force Burma, ‘D’ Force S and T Battalions, i.e. Group 4 contained the largest number of men from 2/4^th who worked on Thailand end of the Railway.

‘D’ Force Thailand included 2,220 AIF plus 2,780 British and Dutch totalling 5,000 POWs.

These POWs were placed into Battalions A to Z to work on the Hellfire Pass region of railway between Wampo north to Kinsaiyok – the demarcation camp between ‘D’ Force Group 4 Battalions and V Battalion Group 6.

Under the command of Major Cough, V Battalion’s camps would run further north from Kinsaiyok to Takanoon.

Australians made up S, T, (O, P, Q) U and V Battalions while the British and Dutch formed the remaining Battalions.

Lt.-Col McEachern ** was to command the four Australian Battalions – S, T,U,V – with his HQ incorporated into S Btn by order of the Japanese.

Battalions O, P, Q and R Battalions had already arrived to work on railway in late January 1943 from Java – they were under command of Weary Dunlop, and became known as ‘Dunlop Force’.

The AIF components from Singapore were also given Company Numbers.

 

 

S Btn .   No. 17 Company (under command Major G. Schneider from 2/10th Field Regt)

T Btn.    No. 18 Company (under command of Major E.J. Quick, 4th Anti-Tank Regiment)

U Btn     No. 2 Company (under command of Capt. Reg Newton, 2/19th Battalion).

The above Battalions were assigned to the Thailand Administration Group 4, however V Battalion was separated from other Australian formations (which was to prove disastrous for them) and assigned to Thailand Administration Group 6.

This complex administration system developed by the Japanese created many problems associated with essential supplies – mainly FOOD.

Each Thailand Administration Group was run separate from each other, as were the Burma Administration Groups – there existed jealousies between groups – there was certainly little or no communication and they certainly did not ‘help-each-other-out’.

The ‘D’ Force Group 4 area was the busiest and most congested along the entire length of the rail link.  The terrain was mountainous and rugged, making excavation of cuttings through rock face and bridge building extremely difficult.

In this area of dense jungle, mountains, escarpments, hills and valleys between Kanu III and Hintok River Camp there were:

•      six cuttings including four major cuttings – two at Hellfire Pass, one at Hintok and lastly the Compressor Cutting,

There was also:

•      9 bridges including Three Tier and Pack of Cards bridges,

•      2 major embankments.   The Seven Metre and another embankment that would replace Pack of Cards Bridge once the railway line was rerouted.

      Additionally, there were 8 ledges from Hellfire Pass to Three Tier Bridge that had to be built up to compensate for the sloping terrain.

On 14 March 1943, S Battalion, numbering about 180 2/4th Machine Gunners departed Singapore by overcrowded train trucks under the command of Major G. Schneider of 2/10th Field Regiment and arrived at Non Pladuk on 18 March 1943.  The POWs stayed overnight at the transit camp at nearby Konma.

The next day S Battalion travelled by truck 49 kilometres to Kanchanaburi for a brief stopover. It was here S and T Battalions then moved out to Tarsau via Tardan.

At Tarsau S Battalion was engaged for the next few weeks clearing the path ahead for the rail laying gangs.  This work was described as being not particularly arduous (compared to their next camp at Konyu II) and the conditions and food at Tarsau at that time were reasonable.

T Battalion moved out of Tarsau 12 kilometres to the south where a camp was set up on a creek bed near the junction of a river where an embankment was being built up.

After two weeks T Battalion moved further south downstream of an established British POW Camp at Wampo.   The Wampo Camps were 114 kilometres from Non Pladuk and 16 kilometres south of Tarsau. There were 3 Wampo Camps – North, Central and South. It is difficult to confirm where T Battalion was exactly camped.

The Australians had been brought into the Wampo area to assist the British with earth moving for an embankment. The path for the railway alongside the River Kwae Noi had been progressing slowly in preparation for construction of viaducts at 103 km and 109 km points. The pressure was on to complete the job and POWs worked shifts around the clock. The final shift produced a 30-hour spurt of energy – no doubt a measure of the Japanese Engineer’s stand-over tactics that would see the embankment job through to the end.

One of the viaducts was known as the Double Viaduct – a wooden bridge probably not unlike the Pack of Cards Bridge at Hintok, that was at least 400 yards long and built around the side of the cliff face and supported 25 feet above the River Kwae Noi. There was a gap of about 600 yards followed by another viaduct in the region of 150 yards long – hence the name double viaduct.

On completion T Battalion now marched north for 2 ½ days to join S Battalion in the area of Kanyu II Camp. The date is believed to be about early May and when S and T Battalions amalgamated. S Battalion is known to have arrived at Kanyu II on 25^th April 1943. On 8 May 1943 Capt. Reg Newton of U Battalion was at Tarsau 1943 when T Battalion passed through, dropping off 50 sick POWs before continuing north 20 kilometres.

Within half a day of T Battalion’s arrival they were again back working on the Hellfire Cuttings, i.e. before the new camp was established half of T Battalion was sent to work!

 

‘We had located Major Quick’s ‘T’ Battalion early, on our arrival at Kenyu [sic], and received a shock to see the conditions under which they were living … a camp of exhausted, weak and very sick men. There was nothing we could do to help them.’

(From R.J.W. Newton’s book ‘The Grim Glory: The Official History of 2/19 Battalion AIF, 3rd edn, 2006, 502.)

 

T BATTALION CAMPS

TARSAU

WAMPO

KONYU II

HINTOCK RIVER CAMP

NON PLADUK

 

‘1 MAY             0630 hrs.  Arrived at halt No.7.  Spent the day resting.  No natives with whom to trade.  It was in flat swamp by small creek.

                          1900 hrs.  Fell in, check and again onwards.  Nobody left at this camp. Just after we started, it rained heavily. Track was very muddy and slippery and going was bad.  After about 8 kilos passed another “D” Force camp with Lt.Col. McEachern in charge.’  

The above is from ‘F’ Force diary

 

 

‘D’ Force S Battalion

Kanu II Camp 24 Apr 1943 to 16 July 1943

Located 152 km north of Non Pladuk the camp was on top of a plateau and above Kanu I River Camp. The camp was under canvas except the atap structures for the hospital, Japanese Headquarters, guard’s and store huts.

On 28 April, 200 men from S Battalion were sent to assist ‘D’ Force O and P Battalions who were at Hintok Road Camp.

For the POWs at Kanu II their task was to make a cutting, with very basic tools, through the monolith rock face for the railway line. Achieved by a method of hammer and tap, their task required the labour intensive process of drilling out holes in the rock, inserting explosives and blasting. Other POWs would immediately follow up and clear away the rock and debris in baskets.

Initially this procedure may appear to be simple, however it was far from that.

In the heat and rock glare men slaved away whilst their Japanese engineers and Korean guards watched over and never missed a moment to show their POWs their lack of mercy and their sadistic nature. The men mostly wore Jap happys, very few had shoes and no protection from the sun and glare from the rock face and worse the POWs suffered frequent cuts and abrasions mostly on their legs but often other parts of the bodies, from the flints of rock. The wounds were highly susceptible to infection resulting in painful ulcers that grew rapidly in the tropical climate sometimes covering an area from ankle to knee. Their camp doctor, Phil Milliard worked tirelessly without any medicines or medical equipment.

Cholera was expected with the wet season approaching. Several tents were pitched away from the main camp, 350 yards into the jungle to provide isolated accommodation for cholera patients from Kanu II and III Camps. Men suspected of having cholera were isolated from the others for up to 6 weeks medically cleared.

From Konyu 2, the men were split into smaller groups to work in various Hellfire Pass Camps including Hintock, Kinsaiyok, etc. until the railway was completed by end of 1943.

POWs from Burma were brought south to one of the large major camps, and the same for most of the POWs working in Thailand (there were exceptions – various work and repair parties remained as did the very sick hospital patients in Burma).

POWs were graded into ‘fit’, sick, very sick, etc. – and sent to Tamarkan, Chungkai and other hospitals.

Konyu 2 or Kanu 2 Camp’s  Doctor was Capt Phil Millard – he was completely dedicated to saving the sick.  The POWs relied and highly respected him.  Please read further

‘RASHIN’ MARU PARTY – JAPAN

The ‘fit’ were assembled at Tamuang and it was from here the Japanese selected POWs to work in Japan 56 Machine  Gunners were included in this draft  for ‘Rashin’ Maru Party.

The selection by Japanese soldiers ensured there were no soldiers with freckles, with dark skin or any skin abrasions were selected.  They wanted to show off their prisoners in Japan.

The work party was entrained from Tamuang Camp, Thailand about 21 June 1944 for Singapore.  They arrived five days later 26 June and sent to River Valley Road Transit Camp.

They did not have a long wait  – many work parties destined for Japan waited weeks and weeks.  POWs were loaded onto ‘Rashin’ Maru at Keppel Harbour which departed 4 July 1944.  The ship was an old coal burner and would require making stops.  She was carrying a cargo of rubber and 1660 POWs which included 900 Australians.

8 July 1944 – anchored off Miri, Sarawak and weighed anchor 10 July continued sailing close to coast of North Borneo.

11 July – anchored off Palawan Island, continuing sailing next day close to west coast of Mindoro Island, Philippines Islands.

16 July – at sunset ‘Rashin’ Maru sailed through Bataan Peninsula between Bataan and fortified Corregidor Island,  anchoring in Manila Bay, Luzon.

A Lengthy and very uncomfortable 15 day wait occurred as coal  and supply  barges were unable to move close to unload.  The ship was moved into a protected area of the harbour where it was calmer and where Japanese could be load coal and rations.

8 August 1944 – sailed in a convoy with 17 other ships.  ‘Rashin’ Maru had spent 22 days anchored at Manila.  

Suddenly the ‘Rashin’ Maru was under attack (roaming US submarine wolf packs patrolled the area) – and during the chaos the convoy was broken up with ‘Rashin’ Maru sailing for shelter of coast of Lingayen Gulf on opposite side of landmass which juts out on west side Luzon Island.

13 August 1944 – the ship nosed out of the Lingayen Gulf under a threatening overcast sky and into seas further fraught with danger.  The little ship was now being tossed about on the sea, the war damaged and old ship was groaning with strain.

Realising ‘Rashin’ Maru was in danger from the typhoon, the cautious Captain steered towards land.  ‘Rashin’ Maru to the POW’s relief, was now on the leeward side of Mabudi Island and had sought the sheltered anchorage provided by the triangle of three Bataan Islands.

It had been a truly terrifying experience being locked down in the ship’s hull.    POWs recognised and were grateful for their experienced Japanese Captain who had first sailed his old and groaning  ‘Byoki ‘Maru away from the convoy being attacked to the safety and shelter of the nearest landmass then survived the fury of the typhoon.

14 August – 0800 hours they set sail and on 15 August arrived Takao, at southern end of Formosa.

Their next port of call was Keelung on the northern end of Formosa.

There were several attempt to depart Keelung but were forced by by US submarines. 

30 August -reached Naha, Okinawa.

Sailed from Kagoshima, on southern end of Kyushu Island and sailed along west coast of Kyushu.

7 September 1944 – finally, after 70 days the ‘Rashin’ Mau put into the port of Moji, southern Japan.  POWs knew they had reached their destination because in the Captain’s haste (or relief) he slammed the ship alongside the wharf.  He had alone captained the ship the entire journey and was probably well relieved!

The POWs were herded down the gangway, lined up on the wharf and stood utterly amazed they were now in Japan.  The were soon split into kumis of 150 men and sent to their destined camps.  A large group of men from 2/4th travelled to Nihama on northern coast of the Inland Sea of the island of Shikoku.

Please read further about ‘Rashin’ Maru Party, in particular the 56 men who sailed with this ship.

 

Below:  Photo of ‘Rashin’ Maru as it was originally – when POWs boarded ‘Rashin’ Maru at Singapore 1944 at Keppel Harbour, the ship had had its bridge blown away and other battle damage, to the POWs at the wharf it appeared barely seaworthy.  ‘Rashin’ Maru was quickly renamed ‘Byoki’ Maru – the ‘Sick’ ship.  Once onboard POWs were to endure a 70 day sea journey to Moji, Japan.  They endured a typhoon and on several occasions survived  American submarine patrols – especially as ‘Byoki’ Maru tried to sail from Philippine harbour and resume the journey to Japan.
The conditions in the hell were horrific – ‘Byoki’ was one of many recognised “Hell Ships”.

 

 

Please read further

 

AWM 11735

• McEachern assigned to command the Australian part (2220 men) of ‘D’ Force, sent March 1943 to work on Burma-Thailand Railway.

• At Hintok Road camp, Thailand, he commanded the whole formation plus Dunlop Force (Lt Colonel Dunlop needing to concentrate on the growing number of sick readily handed over administration), some 5,000 Australian and British troops. His men worked on the ‘Pack of Cards Bridge’ and ‘Hell Fire Pass’. He was promoted to colonel and temporary brigadier with effect from April 1942. When Japan surrendered in August 1945, he was the senior Allied officer in Thailand. He took charge of repatriating approximately 30 000 troops.

• 

• __________

The following are 

D Force ‘S’ Battalion

Men who died

working on Thai-

Burma Railway. 

There were 28 POWs who died, 26 working on Burma-Thai Railway & further two later – Hindle d. Japan & King d. Korea 1950.

 

 

WX9361 Bartlett, Michael – b. Albany, from Mt Barker joined ‘C’ Company HQ.

d. Tarsau 7 Dec 43 beri beri & dysentery aged 28.

 

WX15690 Carr, John ‘Jack’ – b. Katanning 1915. Joined ‘B’ Company 8 Platoon

evacuated Tarsau Base Hospital, d. 27 Jul 43 cerebral malaria & beri beri aged 28.

WX8445 Carter, Reg – joined HQ Company No. 3 Platoon

 

Died 18 Feb 1945 Chungkai of Blackwater fever aged 31.

WX9004 Cryer, Bert – English born Cryer was a Despatch Rider with ‘D’ Company HQ and moved to No. 15 Platoon when the 2/4th arrived Singapore.

 

– d 28 Jul 43 Typhus Kanu I River Camp aged 32.

 

WX8681 Davey, Roy William ‘Bluey’ – Kalgoorlie boy, Bluey joined ‘A’ Company 8 Platoon with Ron Badock.

– evacuated Tarsau. d. Dysentery & avitaminosis 1 Jul 43 aged 28.

 

WX8870 Gittos, Tommy – joined ‘A’ Company 6 Platoon

– evacuated with ulcers to Tamarkan Hospital Camp d. post leg amputation & dysentery 26 Sep 43 aged 23.

 

WX8869 Hindle, Herbert Roy Lance Corporal – was Driver/Mechanic with ‘B’ Company 9 Platoon.

Survived working Burma-Thai Railway, sent to Japan with ‘Rashin’ Maru Party. Killed by rock fall Sumitomo Besshi copper mine, Yamane, Shikoko Island, Japan 30 Sep 1944 aged 40.

 

WX9112 Jones, Benjamin Charles (Benny) Acting Corporal with ‘C’ Company 12 Platoon.

– evacuated to Chungkai Hospital Camp d. 5 Nov 43 of avitaminosis aged 30

 

WX9443 Jones Norman (Norm) known as Taffy was born Mostyn, NSW.  Enlisted with Wenn from Bunbury where they worked in stevedoring. Both men Joined ‘C’ Company 10 Platoon.

– evacuated to Chungkai Hospital Camp d. 11 Nov 43 avitaminosis aged 37.

WX8007 King, Edric Herbert – born Northam.  Joined ‘A’ Company 4 Platoon as a Driver.

– evacuated Tamarkan Hospital d. pulmonary tuberculosis 12 Nov 43 aged 32

WX16236 King, Alfred Victor Former Fairbridge Farm School boy.

Survived internment as a POW in Thailand and Japan.  He rejoined the AIF – KIA 8 Nov 1950 only 42 days after in being Korea aged 26.  King had no known family.

WX16391 Kluth, Gerry – enlisted from Wiluna.  A former competitive cyclist he was Taken on Strength to Woodside Camp, SA on 5th October 1941 and joined  ‘D’ Coy No. 14 Platoon.

d. cholera 5 Jul 43 Kanu II aged 23.

WX8767 Lakeman, Percy enlisted from Norseman (recorded his birth date as 1901 instead of 1898 because of age restrictions) joined 2/4th MGB ‘D’ Coy No. 14 Platoon under command of Lt. T H. Tompkins.

– d. 20 Jun 43 Kanu I River Camp malaria aged 44.

WX17759 Livingstone, John ‘Jack’ enlisted 24 November 1941, joined 2/4th reinforcements ‘E’ Company.  Had previously been with 10th Light Horse Regiment at Mt. Helena.

He was one of the lucky to survive the Japanese ambush at South West Bukit Timah on 11 February 1942.

– evacuated Tarsau Hospital Camp d. 3 Sep 1943 malaria & tropical ulcers aged 21.

WXZ8639 Lynch, Joseph John ‘J.J.’  Joined ‘B’ Company 9 Platoon as Section Orderly.

– d 1 Aug 1943 cholera & typhus Kanu 1 River Camp aged 34.

WX8689 McMaster, Hector C.S ‘Billy’ – Scottish born MacMaster enlisted from Kalgoorlie.  He played the bagpipes. 

– evacuated to Tarsau Hospital Camp d. 25 Jul 43 beri beri aged 37.

 

WX8820 McCudden, Wally  – joined 2/4th MGB’s ‘C’ Company 12 Platoon under Commanding Officer Lt. Mick Wedge.   Wally’s mate from Esperance, Potty White was also in ‘C’ Coy, 10 Platoon.

– evacuated Chungkai Hospital Camp d. 21 Aug 43 cardiac beri beri & typhus aged 36

 

WX8621 McDonald, ‘K.K.’ Keith

collapsed while working Kanyu II, carried back to camp.  Never regained consciousness. Evacuated to Tarsau Hospital Camp d. 25 Nov 43 Cholera aged 25 years.

‘ KK’ as he was widely known, was extremely popular and well-liked by the ‘boys’ of 2/4th.

WX11580 – McGlinn Don evacuated  Tarsau Hospital Camp d. 15 Jul 43 dysentery & avitaminosis aged 28.

WX8012 Moir, Kevin ‘Georgie’ – Born Collie and enlisted from there joined ‘C’  Company 10 Platoon as a Range Taker.

– d. Hintok River Camp 7 Aug 43 Cholera aged 24

 

WX8118 Pearson, ‘Jack’ John Eyres – B. Kalgoolie 1900.  Was highly respected and held the temporary rank of Lieutenant as POW.  He had acted as the Commanding Officer of No. 7 Platoon when Lieutenant P. V. Dean was hospitalised.  Pearson held the rank of Lieutenant in the militia in which he served from 1924-1929.

His younger brother Donald David Pearson WX13816 enlisted 3 June 1941 joining the 2/4th ‘B’ Coy – 7 Platoon, same as John.  Don Pearson was sent to Burma-Thai Railway with ‘H’ Force Group No. 3, working at Kanu II, Malayan Hamlet and Kanchanaburi Camps.  Don survived to return to his wife and family.

– evacuated Chungkai Hospital Camp d. beri beri and enteritis 13 Feb 44 aged 43

WX7320 Poyser, Les – Evacuated Chungkai Hospital Camp d. 21 Oct 43 amoebic dysentery & avitaminosis aged 37. 

WX15941 Robinson Jim –  came to Australia as a young boy with his parents from England.  Enlisted AIF 20 Aug 1941, as a reinforcement joined 2/4th MGB, boarding ‘Aquitania’ at Gage Roads 15 Jan 1941 for Singapore.  He was one of thirteen reinforcements to join Battalion Headquarters Company under Command of Lt-Col Anketell

Jim Robinson was evacuated Chungkai Hospital Camp d. 28 Aug 43 acute enteritis aged 28.

 

WX7509 Rodda, Arthur ‘Billy’ – Rodda enlisted AIF 6 Aug 1940,  later joined 2/4th MGB’s ‘D’ Company No. 14 Platoon under Commanding Officer Lt. Tompkins.

On 8.4.1944 at Chungkai in Thailand Lieutenant ‘Mick’ Wedge signed an I.O.U. for 12 Pounds and 10 Shillings for a small jar of Vegemite to help Bill recover from beri‐beri, a B group vitamin deficiency disease.

d. 20 Feb 45 cerebral malaria Nacompaton Hospital Camp aged 44.

WX8777 Sanderson, John ‘Jack’ Corporal –  Joined ‘B’ Company  9 Platoon. ( Promoted Sergeant 15 Feb 1942.) Jack Sanderson played 19 games with West Perth Football team in 1930-31.

He was a very good mate with Ron Badock.   He was travelling salesman for Sandovers, travelling from Wiluna to Esperance. He was a big man weighing nearly 15 stone but weighed less than half at death.  (information from Ron Badock)

 

– evacuated sick to Tarsau from Kanu I, d. 18 July 43 beri beri & dysentery aged 35.

WX7211 Saunders, Cal – enlisted AIF 1 Aug 1940, later joined 2/4th’s ‘D’ Company 13 Platoon as Lance Corporal and Technical Storeman. In Singapore when another Platoon was formed to assist in manning the coastline, Saunders was moved to ‘D’ Company Headquarters.

– Evacuated Chungkai Hospital Camp d. 31 Aug 43 Post leg amputation haemorrhage aged 43

Tragically Cal’s wife Helen Saunders died 1932.  She was mother to a young daughter, Betty.  It was after Helen’s death, Cal headed out to the goldfields to work, before enlisting.

 

WX13353 Spouse, ‘Syd’ – enlisted 24 May 1941, joined 2/4th MGB as a reinforcement with ‘A’ Company, No. 6 Platoon.  Spent his formative years at Dumbleyung.

– evacuated from Kanu II to Tarsau Hospital Camp.   Died 13 Oct 43 heart failure aged 22.

 

WX8763 Warren-Smith, ‘Jack’ John – his enlistment details say he was born in 1902 to ensure he passed the age exclusion, however he was believed to be born 1897.  He had spent years working in the north-west and was mates with Tom Buscombe and Archie Newell.  The three werein ‘B’ Company 9 Platoon.

 

Jack d. 17 Jul 45 Prachuab Kirihan Camp aged 47. Cause of death was unknown.

 

 

 

WX6958 Young, John ‘Jack’ – born Glasgow, Scotland 1899.

John Young served in WW1, enlisting 7 December 1917 serving with Royal Flying Corps as fitter-armourer with No.’s 176 and 274 Squadrons.

At end of WW1 Young  served with Palestine Brigade HQ then 111 Squadron and later renumbered as 14 Squadron achieving rank of AC 1st Class.  During this time Jock would live in a very different climate.  He would also meet Australians. He was discharged in July 1926 having experienced first hand the formation of Royal Air Force.

In Australia Jack  worked in remote NW rural properties prior to enlisting.

Jack Young joined ‘A’ Company  4 Platoon.

He died 15 Aug 45 Nacompaton Hospital Camp of beri beri, dysentery, malaria & odema aged 46. 15 August was the date the Japanese capitulated.

 

_________________

The following 69 ‘D’ Force ‘S’ Btn men remained in Thailand and were recovered from there at end of war.  Many of them missed the draft to Japan because they were either in hospital camps, recovering from serious illnesses or away on work parties.

WX9195 Basell, Jim

WX7937 Blakiston, Harry

WX9090 Bradshaw, Norman

WX9229 Breed, Walter

WX11573 Breeze, Gordon

WX7329 Briggs, Roy

WX8098 Burgess, Bill

WX7316 Burns, Jim

WX7661 Burslem, George

WX7790 Buscombe, Thomas

WX9261 Caimanos, John

WX9060 Cato, Alfred T.J.

WX9035 Cornish, Ron

WX17881 Doust, Owen

WX223 Feltham, Edward Thomas

WX5217 Ferrie, Charles

WX8586 Fitzgerald, Basil

WX8657 Flakemore, Charles

WX15719 Foot, Gordon

WX5335 Giddens, William Marcus

WX8623 Gilmour, Jim

WX9335 Gorringe, Syd – 30 Sep 43 Leg was successfully amputated below knee due to tropical ulcer. Recovered Nacompaton Hospital Camp.

WX7869 Green, Tom

WX5086 Gregory, Henry

WX7213 Hadden, Gilbert

WX8807 Halligan, Bill

WX6968 Heffernan, John Charles

WX8525 Heppingstone, Ian

WX82907 Hewby, Arthur Sidney

WX6778 Hills, John – Frequently sick with malaria & spent most of his time near hospital camps, Thailand.

WX8702 Japp, Gilbert

WX8730 Jenkins, Thomas

WX15640 Johnson, Henry Joseph

WX7624 Kemp, Eddie

WX8543 Kemp, Les

WX4877 Landwehr, Frederick

WX7042 Matthews, Roy

WX8620 McDonald, Clarrie

WX7675 McPherson, Cyril

WX8441 Mellor, John

WX9338 Moir, Lloyd

WX9223 Morgan, Alfred John

WX6173 Morris, Owen

WX9256 Nevile, George Edward

WX10790 Norris, Harry Claude

WX7981 O’Meara Joseph Patrick

WX9268 Pearce, Joe

WX9263 Popham, Edward C. S.

WX6129 Rees, Arthur John

WX7621 Reeves, Bill

WX14197 Ridgwell, Dick

WX8952 Reibe, Robert Ronald

WX7331 Robertson, Claude Wilfred

WX8734 Ryan, Con

WX9045 Saw, Harold Edward

WX16952 Simmonds, Roy Albert

WX6681 Skelton, John Bartley

WX7784 Smith, John Wilfred

WX13552 Smith, Roy

WX9058 Stribley, Norman Leslie

WX10794 Sturtridge, Percy

WX9134 Sumner, Joseph

WX12378 Swift, John Cecil

WX10864 Teasdale, Thomas Eric

WX7480 Thomas, ‘Bill’ William Llewellyn

WX9236 Waddell, John – separated from main group at Tarsau. Remained Thailand U Btn.

WX5021 Waghorn, Henry William

WX8502 Watt, Elliott Alfred A.

WX17804 Webb, Albert S.A.

WX9553 Wedge, ‘Mick’

WX9570 Westlake, Percy

WX8814 White, Clive Wharton

WX7477 Whiteman, David L.A.

WX7499 Williams, Ralph Thomas

 

The following 19 Machine Gunners were originally left Singapore with ‘D’ Force, and we believe S Battalion.   Due to illnesses they separated from the main group and blended into sub-groups, including Harris Party.   Most appear to have sailed with ‘Both’ Party, which departed Singapore for Japan, but sought refuge at French Indo-China.  Several sailed to Japan with ‘Aramis’ Party.

 

WX8729 Badock, Ron – joined Capt. Harris Party – ‘Both’ Party to Saigon. Recovered Saigon

WX222 Barnett, Tom– joined Capt. Harris Party – ‘Both’ Party to Saigon. Recovered Saigon

WX12335 Brown, Ronald Edmund – Capt. Harris Party & ‘Both’ Party to Saigon

WX5221 Currie, Stanley – D Force S Btn – sent ‘Both’ Party to Saigon

WX8735 Curtin, John – Capt. Harris & ‘Both’ Party to Saigon

WX7864 Flanagan, Jim Joseph – Capt. Fred Harris Party & ‘Aramis’ Party to Japan – sent Fukuoka sub-Camps No. 17 Omuta & No. 21 Nakama

WX7607 Gibbons, Ronald Jack – D Force S Btn – ‘Both’ Party to Saigon

WX9139 Hadden, Lloyd – Captain Harris Party, recovered Thailand.

WX18170 Hickey, Stan – Capt. Harris Party & ‘Both’ Party Saigon.

WX90290 Hicks, George Halley – Capt. Harris Party & ‘Both’ Party Saigon.

WX9240 Hockey, Harold – believed to be with Capt. Harris Party & ‘Both’ Party to Saigon.

WX76497 Jeffery, Ronald Ralph – ‘Both’Party Saigon.

WX5175 Mann, Eric Horsley – D Force S Btn ‘Rashin’ Maru – remained Singapore ‘Both’ Party, Saigon.

WX13338 Miller, Reg – Capt Fred Harris Party & ‘Aramis’ Party to Japan, Fukuoka sub-Camp No. 17 Omuta.

WX10809 Nicholas, William John – W.O. II John Dooley Party & ‘Both’ Party Saigon.

WX8758 Starcevich, Joseph Frederick – Capt Fred Harris Party & ‘Aramis’ Party sent Fukuoka sub-Camp No. 17 Omuta.

WX10117 Thomson, Eric Gerrard – Capt. Fred Harris Party & ‘Both’ Party Saigon.

WX8753 Wheelock, Jack Logan – Capt. Fred Harris party & ‘Both’ Party to Saigon.

WX9002 White, Henry Charles Frederick – Capt Fred Harris Party – remained Thailand.

Reg Miller

 

 

 

 

.                                         Wheelock

 

‘J’ Force and ‘Wales Maru’ Party to Japan

We wish to acknowledge much of the detail included below has been taken from “The Story of ‘J’ Force” by A. Dandie.

There were 20 men from 2/4th included in ‘J’ Force.

The Japanese initially told the men of ‘J’ Force they were actually going to a rest camp – ‘they had been promised (as confirmed by Captain Boyce, QW23518, AAMC, OBE 2 Australian Con. Depot in his medical report) before leaving Singapore there would be no marching and that motor transport would be provided.  They were going to a Rest Camp and a good Camp.   There would be no hard work, plenty of food, medicines and a hospital of 600 beds.’

This group of 900 POWs was made up of 600 British, 300 Australians and a few American merchant seamen who left Changi 15 May 1943 for Keppel Harbour by truck.

At the harbour all POWs were searched on the docks before embarking.  The men stood at ease with their hands behind the backs and their kit bags laid out in front of them.  For ‘most’ Australians it was a farce. (At least one revolver was smuggled aboard, but at it became ‘too hot’ to keep, was thrown overboard near Formosa.)  Amongst the British the Japanese seized revolvers, live ammunition, field glasses and other ‘contraband.’

They boarded a rusty old, filthy dirty tramp cargo ship –   6,586-ton passenger/cargo ship ‘Weills’  Maru or possibly ‘Welles’ Maru but then christened ‘Wales’ Maru by the Australians.  Described by the men as ‘old and slow with a top speed of 6 knots’ ‘Wales’ Maru was built 59 years earlier and had probably been purchased for scrap metal.  With a severe shortage of ships available to transport POWs – the scrap metal ships were dragged back to service.   The ‘Wales’ Maru was one of a small convoy which sailed on 16 May 1943 – there was no delay as was experienced by other parties later – some waited 2-3 days  or longer after loading.  The convoy was escorted by a small naval vessel and zigzagged all the way, moving north and hugging the Malayan coast until the convoy arrived at Saigon River.

Instructions accompanying the order from the Japanese were said to require  the men were to be either fit for heavy work light work or fit to travel.

In his report Capt. Boyce said there were “50 AIF Retro Bulbar Neuritis cases from the eye wards of Roberts Barracks amongst the Dietary Deficiency cases.  He further commented there were “10 Anxiety Neurosis cases, some ‘topical’ and some arising amid conditions or war.”

Many Australian POWs  were convalescents who had recently been discharged from hospital or recently been discharged from the Convalescent Depot  – John Gilmour  had been months in hospital with loss of vision.

A sample of 23 men from one Battalion either recently discharged or from the Convalescent Depot comprised 4 wounded in battle – these 4 plus the remaining 19 all had or were continuing to suffer from following various sicknesses:

Dysentery – 11

Tonsilitis – 1

Septic Tinea -1

Malaria – 4

Dengue -6

Anxiety Neurosis – 5

Scrub Typhus – 1

Eye problems – 12

Diet Deficiencies – 20

Dermatitis – 14

The above is a fair indication of the state of health of the whole Party.

The members of the Australian component of ‘J’ Force were drawn from a variety of Units with the largest number from 2/30th Btn of 50 men under Sgt R.T. ‘Dick’ Noble.  Many of the service or technical units appear to have only one representative such as Postal, 2/4 Field Park, 2/9 Field Ambulance, MLFDU, 2/3 Ord. Store.  One from RAAF.  The total number of Units was about 51.

The 900 men were crammed into three of the four holds.  One doctor, 10 medical orderlies and approximately 300 POWs into each hold.  There was no room to stand and the men had to avoid sitting or lying on protruding bolts.  Space available to each man with his kit was less than 25 cubic feet.  The fourth hold was occupied by the Japanese.

Charlie La Galle described his quarters:

“Down the rear hatchway, on the deck below the well deck.  Sleeping places were arranged around the hold in two tiers.  The first was about a foot off the floor level and the second about 4′ 6″off the floor.  Quarters were 12 feet deep – so we slept two deep and had about 2′ 6” space each man.  On the floor area the men slept in rows – about the same space for each man.

In the daytime the baggage and bedding, such as it was of the men on the floor – was packed against the rear wall, which had no sleeping quarters”.

Ian Doherty was also in the rear hold.

“A mixed bunch of Australian, British and civilians were herded into the hold which was directly over the propeller and under an ancient stern chaser. The hold was approx. 50 feet by 40 feet making accommodation a very tight squeeze.  Those men on the bed shelves faced difficulties when sitting up – having to do so in a crouched position to avoid the upper shelf if on the lower one or to avoid the iron deck if on the upper shelf.

In the centre of the rear hold was another hatch cover beneath which was a mix of cargo including cinchona bark from which quinine is derived.

The men in this hold were mainly diarrhoea and malaria convalescents.  With limited time allowed on deck with one toilet and 2 urinals and 4 cubicles – the men had no option but to use the hold underneath as a urinal and for other rubbish.  As the days wore on the stench became indescribable – but had to be accepted since there was no alternative.  The outside toilet was at the stern of the ship – it was a box on a plank jutting over the ship’s side.”

The cargo beneath the men of No. 1 Hold included quinine and rubber.  The quinine acted as an irritant to eyes and took time to get used to.

Cooking was undertaken by POWs in steam coppers on deck. Firstly serving rice with vegetables and when the vegetables were exhausted they were served rice with sea weed stew.  Basically a little serving of soggy rice and weak cabbage soup.  Troops arranged themselves into groups of 20 with each group responsible for doling out the food for their day on duty.  The fatigue was required always to wait its turn to fill its own plates/dixies until everybody else had been supplied.  Consequently if portions had been too liberal to the line-up, the fatigue went short.  If there were any left over after the fatigue had taken its share, that surplus was issued to all groups in turn as a back-up.

Drinking water was precious.

The men had to remain in their holds for most of the day and night  and were allowed 20 minutes on deck each per day unless using the latrines if the guards permitted –  built over the side of the ship. If possible and in groups, the men bathed beneath hoses from the sea water.

The first port of call was French Indo-China – the estuary of Riviere de Saigon at Cape Jacques where ‘Wales Maru’ anchored off the coast and waited for the convoy to arrive.

The estuary was a collecting point where convoys would arrive, break up and form up with other ships, depending on their destination. (American submarines later roamed the South China Seas terrorizing and attacking Japanese shipping, enforcing an affective blockade on Cape Jacque and Saigon).

The ‘Wales Maru’ sailed on 23 May reaching Takao, southwest coast of Formosa on 29 May 1942. They departed Takao on 2^nd June. The men who were used to Singapore’s tropical heat were now experiencing light showers and cooler temperatures.

On 5 June 1942 at 10.00 hours all hell broke loose aboard ‘Wales Maru’. A US Navy submarine had fired  torpedoes into the convoy. The POWs were locked down in the holds. The Japanese responded when their armed escort dropped depth charges on the submarine and other ships in the convoy fired their guns.   The very primitive depth charges onboard the ‘Wales Maru’ were 44-gallon drums filled with explosives tied with rope to the stern of the ship. The rope was cut to allow the drums to fall.  The explosions damaged the propeller shaft of ‘Wales Maru’ further reducing her speed.

The ‘old’ ship was now reduced to about 3 knots and soon left behind by the convoy having to fend for herself! One can only begin to imagine the terror felt in the ship holds and the men’s great relief when ‘Wales Maru’ arrived at Moji, Japan.

Capt Clive Rodney Boyce QX23158 was posted to ‘J’ Force as Australian Medical Officer (originally attached to 2 Aust. Con. Depot as a Psychiatrist and later 13 AGH, Changi).  Although other British Medical Officers were on board ‘Wales’ Maru Boyce became the ship’s doctor for the voyage and then at Kobe House.

Please read further and see photographs

 

 

Moji on Kyushu Island and Shimonoseki on Honshu Island were the two most important transportation and communication centres in Japan. The each had good port facilities capable of handling large ships and providing unlimited anchorage. Kyushu had large coal exports and concentrations of heavy industry to trade with Korea, Manchuria, China and Netherlands East Indies.

‘Wales’ Maru arrived Moji 7June 1943.

Before disembarking and in full view of the public gathered on the wharf at Moji, a medical examination and glass rod test was conducted aboard the ‘Wales Maru’. The IJA had an ongoing paranoia concerning amoebic dysentery and pestis.

The POWs were now divided into 3 parties.

No. 1 Party was made up 150 sick and invalid who the Japanese claimed were being sent to a rest camp near Moji.

Included were 100 British and 50 Australians – from 2/4^th were Roy Deveson and William ‘Pop’ Davey.

The promised rest camp was Fukuoka sub-Camp No. 9 Hakensho, Kyushu Island.

The 150 sick and invalided found themselves working down coal mines!

Below:  Roy Deveson

Below:  William ‘Pop’ Davey

No. 2 Party comprised 250 Australians and 18 members of 2/4^th MGB.

No. 3 Party was made up of 500 British who travelled with

No. 2 Party and remained on the train, continuing to another camp.

At dusk Parties 2 and 3 boarded a ferry that took them across the strait to Shimonoseki where they berthed at the ferry landing, located at the northern limit of the southern wharves. From the ferry landing it was only a matter of yards to the railway station to Kobe.

OSASKA-KOBE-KYOTO

Kobe is built along a narrow section of the north coast of Osaka Bay at the western extremity of Osaka plain.   Kobe began life as a tiny fishing village and then opened to foreign trade in1867. In 1892 the city was granted a charter and soon developed into a prosperous port with the aid of Sino-Japanese war of 1894-95 followed by Russo-Japanese War 1904-05 that saw this port outstrip Yokohama by volume of imports and exports.

The Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area of Japan was the most highly industrialised in the Japanese Empire. The commercial districts were located near the waterfront on the coastal plain and produced vast quantities of war materials. The area produced 25% of all Japan’s rolled iron and steel products, approximately 30% of her naval and merchant ships and 30% of her marine engines. Wartime production in this area also included the manufacture of aircraft, engines, parts and ordnance.   Undoubtedly the reason American B29 bombers were so attracted to the area!

Read further about the bombing of Kobe

Kobe wharves being bombed

The men travelled all night and arrived at Kobe the next morning, detraining at Sannomiya Railway Station. The POWs formed up and marched a short way down a street called Naka Machi Dore and assembled on the YMCA sports ground, called Yoenchi Park. This uneven sided park sat opposite Kobe House. At Yoenchi Park the men were issued with their POW numbers and divided into sections before crossing the road to their new home – ‘Kobe’ House.

Please go to Kobe House for further reading.

Read about Showa Denka

Read further about Kobe House & War Trials

John Ramsbottom;s (later Lane) Diary

KOBE DOCKS

Some of the Kobe House POWs found themselves enlisted into the union of stevedores.  John Lane’s book explained some of the Kobe companies and factories where the POWs were contracted out to work.

‘The Japanese companies of Mutsui, Mitsubishi, Sumitomo, Kamagumi, Ohamagumi, Utsumigumi, Takahama, Kobe-go and Sempaku soon became as familiar to us as Coles and Woolworths.  All these firms had large warehouses scattered along the huge artificially constructed waterfront, and most of the Aussies were allocated to these places.  However there were three factories situated some ten miles east of Kobe, to which about seventy of us were detailed to work.  This group comprised the Showal Denki carbon works, Yoshihara vegetable oil processors and Toyo Steel Foundry.‘

Union of Stevedores

Warehouses constructed by such companies as Sumitomo and Mitsubishi had railroad sidings adjacent to the main piers at the docks.  These warehouses were of a modern concrete construction with multiple floors and earthquake proof.

Transit sheds constructed of wood or steel and corrugated iron lined most piers. Freight lines connected all the main wharves with the Tokaido-Sanyu railroads.  There were 4 freight yards that served the waterfront section of Kobe.  Takahama Quay was the collection point for general domestic cargo and when the opportunity arose provided plenty of scope for POWs to scrounge and loot.

With time the POWs became more proficient at the art of looting.  If caught there was the risk of reprisal but in most cases the prize outweighed the punishment.  Apart from some injuries in their new jobs as wharf lumpers and factory hands there wasn’t too much to complain about.  Food was adequate with the midday meal supplied by the company or factory for which the prisoners were contracted out to work.  The weather was pleasant with light showers and temperatures between 18 degrees and 30 degrees Celsius.

At the end of war, there were 50 men from ‘J’ Force, including six from 2/4th  (and 19 from ‘C’ Force) were still at Kobe in Wakinohama, and recovered from here:

On 21 June 1945 the ‘Kobe’ House Party left Kawasaki Camp on foot with several stretcher cases to WAKINOHAMA CAMP which was located about 1.5 miles past the old ‘Kobe’ House site towards Osaka.  Their route took them past the site of ‘Kobe’ House, and Capt Boyce wrote

“it looked a shambles, spread out over the street as heaps of burned bricks and the door of a large safe, previously opening into the hospital now lay open to the air about 20 feet above the ground.” 

 

 

Above Left: Peter Omiridis, Right: Jack Ramsbottom (after war changed to John Lane)

Below:  Left: Hutchison Right: Evan Jones

Below:  Left: John Gilmour Right: John Dore

Dore, J.

Gilmour, J.

Hutchinson, W.

Jones, Evan

Omiridis, Peter

Ramsbotton, (Lane) John

After the war the veterans of ‘J’ Force began the Newsletter called ‘Benjo News’ Kobe House & Hakensho.

Lena Jones, widow of Evan Jones, John Lane (formerly Ramsbottom) and John Gilmour have contributed.

 

 

 

 

A total of 20 men from 2/4th selected with  ‘J’ Force who sailed on ‘Wales’ Maru included:

WX9011 ARTHUR, GERALD CHARLES  ‘JERRY’ – ‘B’ Coy 

WX9360 CLARKE, EDWIN JOHN ‘NOBBY’ –  ‘A’ Coy

WX8587 DAVEY, WILLIAM JAMES ‘POP’ – ‘B’ Coy

WX6362 DEVESON, ROY ALFRED – ‘C’ COY

WX8617 DORE, JAMES JOHN ‘Jim’ – ‘A’ Coy

WX7777 DRAPER, ARTHUR MONTAGUE –  ‘B’ Coy

WX8622 GILMOUR, JOHN BARRY – ‘A’ Coy – was in Changi Hospital with reduced eyesight – he never regained his full eyesight.  John Gilmour was the longest living of the 2/4th. He passed away in 2018, aged 99 years.

WX4985 HARRIS, NORMAN JOSEPH ‘NORM’  – ‘B’ Coy

WX8198 HINNRICHSEN, FRANK – BTN HQ

Please read Hinnrichsen’s Affadavit for War Trials

WX7332 HUTCHINSON, WALTER WILBOUR ‘WALLY’ – HQ Coy

WX7510 JONES, ALFRED JAMES ‘ALF’ – ‘D’ Coy

WX10897 JONES, EVAN BARTLETT – ‘B’ Coy

WX9312 LEAHY, MICHAEL JOHN – ‘B’ Coy

Please read Leahy’s account of Osaka Camp

WX17515 LYMN, RONALD RUBEN – ‘E’ Coy (reinforcement enlisted 31 Oct 1941)

WX12156 OMIRIDIS, PETROS VASSILIOUS ‘PETER’ – ‘A’ Coy

WX16448 PARK, ALBERT WILFRED ‘LANCE’ – HQ Coy

WX6172 PROCTOR, HAROLD EDWARD – ‘A’ Coy

WX14836 RAMSBOTTOM, JACK KENNETH – ‘A’ Coy (Fairbridge Farm School Boy – later changed his name to John Lane – author of several books about Fairbridge & Japan)

WX9226 TYSOE, HARRY – ‘A’ Coy died illness Japanese

Hospital, Osaka 26 November 1943 aged 35 years.   His body was cremated and enshrined in Juganji Temple, Osaka.

Harry Tysoe was the only man not to return home.  His few personal items were returned after the war to his wife and family by his best mate  ‘Nobby’ Clarke who returned to his farm and wife at Nornalup, Walpole not far from Denmark where Harry grew up.

WX7641 WENN, STANLEY KEITH – ‘C’ Coy 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were three 2/4th sent to Notogawa Camp.  Leahy, Wenn and Lance Park.  Please read further.

Below:  Lance Park (left) freed from Notogawa.

From ‘The Story of J Force’ by A Dandie

Whilst at Manila, the former POWs completed Interrogations  to detail atrocities committed against former POWs.  Regarding Sgt. Marita at Kobe Camp, an American Officer  Lt-Col. Franklin M Fliniau, US Infantry was an onlooker at several beatings at Kobe recorded several stories including the following:

“While I was confined at Kobe POW Camp, I saw Sergeant Morita confine Corporal Mowat, Private G. Munro and Private J. Ramsbottom.  During their confinement I saw Morita beat them on several occasions and make them stand at strict attention.  Morita cut their rations to practically 250 grams of rice per day.  This was the middle of winter time and they were not allowed their overcoats and they were only given one blanket.  They were not allowed to lie down during the day.”

The three men, referred to as Joe, Darby and Johnny had been found when they returned to Kobe House on 22 March 1944, to have when searched by the Japanese guards, to have ‘stolen loot’.

They were sentenced to 7 days at attention in front of the guard house, staying out there at night.

They were not allowed to visit the latrines – their clothes were evil smelling at the end of their 7 day sentence.

Former POW Ian Doherty said “our guards were, among other peculiarities, creatures of cunning.  When searching outside the guard house, on our return home from work, sone would search from crotch down to boots, some from crotch to armpits and others would look under our hats and so on. 

Sensing that POWs would soon be aware of this practice of searching groups, usually 2 or 3, would suddenly change from Armpits to Headgear.”

The POWs developed ways of means of warning the POW returning from the wharf parties:

a POW in the camp hospital or from the cookhouse would attach a sign under the leather toolcase at the rear of the bicycles being used by the Japanese guards on the afternoon shift – advising who would be the welcoming group, and who would be on search duty.

or

a towel would hung in one of the higher windows at Kobe House.

There were numerous amusing incidents as well as distress and punishment for those caught.

Please read further about the sea journey of ‘Wales’ Maru

Lt-Col Galleghan in early August 1942, when he was in charge at Changi, requested area commanders to supply the names of majors and captains ‘who were physically ft for field officer duty’ adding that officers might be required to swap formations in order to structure the ‘force’.

Galleghan had already attempted to remove Dunlop from his command (he came from Java) because Dunlop was a non-combatant’ officer.  Peter Brune in his book ‘Descent into Hell’ wrote

‘we have identified the at times aloof, self-indulgent manner in which some Changi officers conducted their commands and lived’.  

Galleghan’s decision to chose commanders for the Thai-Burma railway battalions from field officer ranks would prove a mistake.  Brune further wrote, Lt-Col Pond made an observation as he left his work party camp “on the evacuation of the area camps, Havelock Road was left very dirty by Fairley’s party and Quick’s lines were so shocking that 250 other men were requested to clean up before Indians could move in“.

If Quick’s lines were shocking at a Singapore work party camp -how effective would he be commanding troops in Thailand where hygiene standards/camp organisation would prove a matter of life or death for the POWs.

_________________

‘D’ Force S & T Battalions

Apart from the group that left Singapore with Major Charles Green on ‘A’ Force Burma ‘D’ Force S with T Battalion contained the largest number of men from 2/4^th who worked on Thailand end of the Railway.

On 14 March 1943 S Battalion having travelled by train from Singapore crowded into small wagons, little food or water and taking turns to lie down, sit at the opened door during the heat of the day, arrived at Non Pladuk on 18 March 1943 staying overnight at the transit camp at nearby Konma.

The next day S Battalion travelled by truck 49 kilometres to Kanchanaburi for a brief stopover. It was here S and T Battalions then moved out to Tarsau via Tardan.

At Tarsau S Battalion was engaged for the next few weeks clearing the path ahead for the rail laying gangs.  The men found these weeks working at Tarsau most reasonable.  The work was not too hard and Camp conditions were favourable in particular compared to what lay ahead of them.

T Battalion moved out of Tarsau 12 kilometres to the south where a camp was set up on a creek bed near the junction of a river where an embankment was being built up.

After two weeks T Battalion moved further south downstream of an established British POW Camp at Wampo.   The Wampo Camps were 114 kilometres from Non Pladuk and 16 kilometres south of Tarsau. There were 3 Wampo Camps – North, Central and South. It is difficult to confirm where T Battalion was exactly camped.

The Australians had been brought into Wampo area assist to the British with earth moving for an embankment. The path for the railway alongside the River Kwae Noi had been progressing slowly in preparation for construction of viaducts at 103 km and 109 km points. The pressure was on to complete the job and POWs worked shifts around the clock. The final shift produced a 30-hour spurt of energy – no doubt a measure of the Japanese Engineer’s stand-over tactics that would see the embankment job through to the end.

One of the viaducts was known as the Double Viaduct – a wooden bridge probably not unlike the Pack of Cards Bridge at Hintok, that was at least 400 yards long and built around the side of the cliff face and supported 25 feet above the River Kwae Noi. There was a gap of about 600 yards followed by another viaduct in the region of 150 yards long – hence the name double viaduct.

On completion T Battalion now marched north for 2 ½ days to join S Battalion in the area of Kanyu II Camp. The date is believed to be about early May and when S and T Battalions amalgamated. S Battalion is known to have arrived at Kanyu II on 25^th April 1943. On 8 May 1943 Capt Reg Newton of U Battalion was at Tarsau 1943 when T Battalion passed through, dropping off 50 sick POWs before continuing north 20 kilometres.

Within half a day of T Battalion’s arrival they were again back working on the Hellfire Cuttings, ie. before the new camp was established half of T Battalion was sent to work!

S Battalion moved out of Tarsau to Kanu II arriving on Anzac Day, 25 April 1943.  This Camp in the Hellfire Pass Cutting would test every man as they were forced to cut through the massive rock face with only limited hand tools.    Work consisted of hammer and tap.

S & T Btns should now continue with the story of O and P Battalions at Hintok River Camp.

 

T BATTALION CAMPS

TARSAU

WAMPO

KONYU II

HINTOCK RIVER CAMP/HINTOCK RIVER CAMP

NON PLADUK

KANU I RIVER CAMP

Following the cholera outbreak at Kanyu II, this camp was evacuated beginning in mid July. Cholera patients were moved down from Kanyu II and III to Kanyu I River Camp. The cholera patients were isolated under canvas away from the main group. The remaining non-cholera sick were in such poor condition they only remained at Kanu I Camp about 2 weeks before being evacuated by barge to Tarsau or one of the other hospital base camps further south along the River Kwae Noi.

About mid July 1943 what was left of S and T Battalions working at Kanyu II were broken down indiscriminately as 2/4^th Machine Gunners were sent to Hintok Road Camp and Hintok River Camp.

Some of those machine gunners in D Force Thailand, T Battalion

WX16441Crane, Thomas Daniel ‘Danny’ – T Btn, Dooley Party, ‘Both’ Party

WX8813 Jackson, Tom ‘Snake’ – T Btn – ‘Both’ Party Saigon.

WX7467 Jamieson, Donald Keith – T Btn – ‘Both’ Party Saigon.

QX6599 Lawer, Ivan – T Btn, WO II John Dooley Party.

WX8810 Lawer, Reg – T Btn, WO II John Dooley Party & ‘Aramis’ Party Japan.