53 Inf. Bde. Group Coy. Royal Army Service Corps

Hi Everyone, Can anyone tell me what the above 53rd Bde. Group Coy was doing in Singapore in February 1942 please, I cannot find anything on them at all.
I have only been able to find one item, (Deaths Abroad) apart from the CWGC details about him and wondered if he was a POW, but there are usually lots of documents for them, but suspect that he was caught up in the Fall of Singapore which was from the 7th February, so perhaps he died in the fighting then, but I still do not know anything about the Unit he was in.
Driver
ELLIS, THOMAS
Service Number T/225171
Died 09/02/1942
Aged 32
53 Inf. Bde. Group Coy. Royal Army Service Corps
Son of Mary Jane Ellis, of Hawarden, Cheshire.
Buried at KRANJI WAR CEMETERY

Any help would be appreciated. Kindest regards, Mavis

 

Very unlikely he was a POW as Singapore did not fall until 15/02/42. Suspect he was killed in action especially since he has been buried. Will try and find out some more.

 

Thanks timuk, I suspected as much, but his Unit is a mystery to me. Thanks again, Mavis

 

53rd Brigade Group Company RASC were attached to 53rd Infantry Brigade and formed part of 18th Division. Arrived Singapore 13/01/42 in the Mount Vernon.
From WO 361-1203
Ellis T, T/225171, Driver RASC, WIA (Wounded in action) Bukit Panjang 9/02/42, DOW (Died of wounds) Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Bidadari, same day. Buried TTS Hospital 10/02/42.
From CWGC - Concentrated from Bidadari to Kranji after the war.
NB. Bukit Panjang is on Singapore Island.

Tim

 

Thanks so much for this valuable information Tim, where do you get your sources from, - brilliant! I have a lot to learn. Many thanks for adding to James's story. Kindest regards, Mavis

 

Global, Find A Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current
Name: Drvr Thomas Ellis
Maiden Name:
Death Date: 9 Feb 1942
Cemetery: Kranji War Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place: Kranji, North West, Singapore
Has Bio?: N
URL: https://www.findagrave.com/mem...

UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945
Name: Thomas Ellis
Given Initials: T
Rank: Driver
Death Date: 9 Feb 1942
Number: 225171
Birth Place: Cheshire
Residence: Cheshire
Branch at Enlistment: Other Corps
Theatre of War: Malaya
Regiment at Death: Royal Army Service Corps
Branch at Death: Other Corps

TD

If you look at his CWGC page then the concentration report is:

 

Thank you Owen and TD, wonderful! I keep forgetting to look at those Concentration Reports, it will click one day.., Thanks both again, Regards, Mavis

 

Hello everyone, I am wondering if anyone has knowledge of Thomas Norman "Tiny" Brown who died on the railway in Thailand? Apparently known as "Tiny" due to being 6ft 3! Desperately seeking information for his family who lost him before they were 5 years old. Many thanks

 

Of the numerous Browns that died in the Far East would this be your man?

UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945
Name: Thomas Brown
Given Initials: T N
Rank: Gunner
Death Date: 5 Aug 1944
Number: 986132
Birth Place: Glasgow
Residence: Glasgow
Branch at Enlistment: Royal Artillery
Theatre of War: Burma
Regiment at Death: Royal Artillery
Branch at Death: Royal Artillery

Any other details you have for him will help members to help you - but first we need to find the right person

TD

OR is this him
DRIVER
THOMAS NORMAN BROWN
Service Number: T/217950
Regiment & Unit/Ship
Royal Army Service Corps
Date of Death
Died 18 August 1943
Age 29 years old
Buried or commemorated at
KANCHANABURI WAR CEMETERY
Sp. Mem. 9. M. 4.
Thailand

 

Hello,

No, he is Thomas Norman Brown, b.1914 in Nottingham. Was a driver with RASC. I have his death record etc, it is personal stories or knowledge of the group he was with. His service number was T/217950

Thank you for the advice, should have put more info down.

 

... or this?
Casualty Details | CWGC

 

You will also need this image which is the reverse of the card you have posted


TD

UK, World War II Allied Prisoners of War, 1939-1945
Name: Thomas Norman Brown
Nationality: English
Rank: Driver
Birth Date: 8 Apr 1914
Birth Place: 25 Holborn Avenue, Sneinton Dale, Ndtingham
Military Date: 1939-1945
Military Place: Singapore
Regiment: 13 Div. H.q. Army (This may be 18 Div HQ - its difficult to read on the card)
Service Number: 217950
Father: George
Mother: Maria


Global, Find a Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current - Ancestry.com
Global, Find a Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current
Name: Driver Thomas Norman Brown
Death Date: 18 Aug 1943
Cemetery: Kanchanaburi War Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place: Kanchanaburi, Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Has Bio?: N

 

Yes!

 

You may need to obtain a copy of this file from Kew at some point - it may contain details
Malaya: 53 Infantry Brigade Group Company, Royal Army Service Corps; missing personnel | The National Archives
Reference: WO 361/304
Description:
Malaya: 53 Infantry Brigade Group Company, Royal Army Service Corps; missing personnel
Date: 1943 Apr 01 - 1945 Aug 31
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Former reference in its original department: M 377 Enclosure 7
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Closure status: Open Document, Open Description
Access conditions: Open on Transfer
Record opening date: 18 October 2008

TD

There may be details here - 18th Infantry Division (United Kingdom) - Wikipedia

 

Fantastic, thank you.

 

Thomas Norman Brown 217950 Driver RASC. 18th Division HQ
Captured Singapore 15/2/42
Transported to the Thai/Burma Railway 24/4/43 as part of 'F' Force
There is a fair amount of info on 'F' Force, which was a particularly bad group to be in. I'll try and find some of the information.
From 18 Div Nominal Roll

From list of 'F' Force

See these two links:
F Force
The 'F' Force | COFEPOW

Tim

 

Oh gosh! Thank you!

 

Thomas Brown. Cause of death.


Tim

 

Emma,
You may find this useful in giving further information and links to details of 'F' Force.
Thai Burma Railway 1939 - 1945: 'F Force' Official Report

Tim