Down Country Parties Notes By Captain David Nelson

The Bureau of Record and Enquiry ( BRE ) had to rely on any scraps of information to record movements of prisoners of war on board vessels from Singapore. The BRE was not just Captain D. Nelson but other dedicated men who painstakingly made lists of prisoners and their whereabouts. The BRE was based at Changi, which was fifteen miles away from Singapore Town. The file WO2361/2198 consists of notes and lists of men but these are the notes and my photo numbers.


WO361/2198

IMG_4601

Thailand POW Movements via Singapore

OVS 4.9.44

OVS ( U.S.A.) 23.12.44

OVS 29.12.44

OVS 2.2.24

Appendix

OVS 5.6.44 (approx)

OVS 4.7.44

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Sailing 4.9.44 Sunk off Bataan Penin 1085

18.10.42 Gunners 600

June 44 off Yokohama 500 ?

3./1944 off Japan 500 ?


18.9.44 Ayonyu Maru 1000+

26.6.44 Van Warwijk 180

Returning from Ambon 600 ?

Returning from Haroekoe 380 died

Lisbon Maru 1000 ?

from Rabaul to Japan ?



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DOWN COUNTRY PARTIES 1944

5.44 Rumours reach CHANGI of P.O.W.s arriving in Singapore by train ex Thailand


3.6.44 One RAAF & four Dutch to Changi ex Spe ( Java 19 ). They report that P.O.W.s believed ex Thailand had that day marched out from R.V.R. or HAVRd presumably to embark.

This movement coincided with the departure of Java 20 ( OVS 3.6.44.)

They also reported that coincident with this double departure other P.O.W.s marched into R.V.R. or HAV Rd., believed from the Railway St; ex Thailand -- some were "D" Force.

Numbers and composition of these parties not known.


5.6.44 A Dutch Naval Officer to Changi with body of Dutch soldier who died HAV Rd. 4.6.44.

His party had just left for OVS ( included Padre Hamel ) - believed to be about 2000 strong - composition not recorded.


Information received, that a party left Spe OVS about 5.6.44.

Composition about:-

British 1000

A.I.F. 200

Dutch 1000

----------------

2,200

-----------------

( Believed to be in part or whole "D" Force ).



7.6.44 Information received - "Another party OVS"


26.6.44 A.I.F. report the following party under capt Newton to have arrived in Spe ex Thai and to have embarked, believed to be "D" Force & Java

British 1883

A.I.F. 913

Dutch 450

Party understood to have stayed in harbour about 18 days.


26.6.44 Information received "British party OVS"


29.6.44 Information received " Trainload ex Thai, about 500, mostly British."

R.V.R. Total 2/3000




6.44 Late June, two or three trainloads British arrive Spe, rolls received for KUMIS. 63, 63 (64 )? 65/68. 73/77, in all 1565 names.

One roll known to be missing, believed to be KUMI 62. NB. Party 63 left TAMUAN 23.6.44

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DOWN COUNTRY PARTIES 1944 Con.

{? Kew tag hole through date ! } 7.44 Information received, "A party OVS early July - this party were in R.V.R., 4 days. All e Thai No.2."

4.7.44 Information received. In R.V.R. - British 1850

A.I.F. 900

Dutch 600

___________


7.44 Information received ( Algar H.P. )

"A.I.F. party left OVS early July, with one British KUMI believed to be No.62." This statement refers to R.V.R. as there were P.O.W.s at HAV Rd up to early July, who may have gone OVS with A.I.F.

7.44 Information received, ( probably written about mid-July )

" No,2 Group have been on board ship for the last 21 days, and are still there."

8.7.44 Information received, ( USA Rushing ),
" 33 USA arrive R.V.R. - roll received. They are all KUMI 42."

KUMI 42 (AIF plus the 33 USA), and KUMI 43 (Dutch 98 ) were/ joined up / country be KUMIS 35 / 41 ex Saigon and arrived Spe - about the same time."


14.7.44 A.I.F. report ex Saigon to Spe, - A.I.F. 1177
Dutch 98
_______

11.7.44 Rolls received for 760 British ex Thailand No.1 Group ex Non Pladuk.

29.7.44 Information received. "About 2000 British at R.V.R. Rd."


12.7.44 Ex No.1 Group Thailand to Spe. -

British 409 ( Roll recd )
A.I.F. 72?
Dutch 238 ( Roll recd )

4.9.44 Party Embark - 717 including Brig Varley
1 Col Melton ) )
1 Gp Capt More ) ex Changi ) Roll recd.

British about 1500 believed to be all KUMIS mentioned in (9) except 62, and except 62, and except Cha HP.

Dutch believed to be less than 100.

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DOWN COUNTRY PARTIES 1944 - Con

{ Kew put treasury tag hole through date } 9.44 About mid-Sept two trainloads of 500 each ex Thai under Lt Col Gill

? 15.9.44 500 British Gp 1.
? 17.9.44 400 British Gp 2.
100 A.I.F. Gp.2
________________

One roll of 416 British received.


21.10.44 R.V.R. Rd. reported to hold -

British 2000
A.I.F. 600
Dutch 400
USA 33

__________________


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Thailand POW Movements Via Singapore

British


ARRIVALS DEPARTURES REF.

1944

June 1/3 Havelock Rd., No.1 Gp., ex Non-Pladuk ( Japan ? )
under Capt. Janus, RASC., No Rolls Rec'd.
numbers not known.
This party sailed on June 5/7
with the exception of 150 reserves
who returned to Thailand on June 16

Some of these reserves later
arrived in Singapore with Capt.
Mungall's party on 30-7-44.

__ __ __ __

June 10/12 Havelock Rd., No.2 Gp., ex Chungkai ( Japan ? ) No rolls Rec'd.
numbers not known.
This party sailed on July 4

__ __ __ __

June 28/
early July River Valley Rd., No. 4 Gp., ex ( Japan ? ) No rolls Rec'd
Tamuan, about 1883 strong.
Two companies i.e. 300+
embarked with No 2 Group on July 4
( This is the convoy that was
reported as being 21? days in the
reads before sailing).
The remainder of this party less ( Japan ? } PAGES 6 - 41
the sick, (about 1550) sailed on Sept 4

__ __ __ __

A few sick from Groups 2 and 4
returned to Thailand on Oct 30 PAGE 5

__ __ __ __

July 8 River Valley Rd., No. 3 Gp., with ( Japan?) PAGE 42
AIF., 33 USA Nationals, 32 of
whom sailed with the AIF on Dec 23

__ __ __ __

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Thailand POW Movements Via Singapore

British

2


River Valley Rd., No.1 Gp., ex
Non-Pladuk

July 11 760 under Major Seekings 2/Cambs

July 30 410 ? under Capt. Mungall 137 Fld.

Sept 17 415 under Lt/Col. Gill 137 Fld.

Sept 15 450 Mixed Groups ex Kamburi
under Capt Dawes 85 A/T

Of the above, 286 of Companies 1 & 2 ( Saigon ) PAGES 43 - 49
of Maj. Seekings' train sailed on Dec 29

__ __ __ __

Sick from various parties totalling 1945 PAGES 1 - 3

__ __ __ __

The remainder in River Valley Rd., ( Saigon ) PAGES 51 - 91
amounting to about 1600 sailed on Feb 2

__ __ __ __

Roll of Deaths of Thailand Personnel PAGE 5
in Singapore to 31-1-45

__ __ __ __



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PAGE 1

Personnel ex River Valley Road remaining in Changi as at 31 January 1945

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PAGE 5

Deaths

KEY

S - Maj. Seekings' Train 11 Jul 44

M - Capt Mungall's Train 30 Jul 44

D - Capt Dawes' Train 15 Sep 44

G - Lt Col Gill's Train 17 Sep 44

2 - No.2 Group Personnel, arrived June, should have sailed July convoy.

4 - No.4 Group Personnel, arrived late June/ early July, and should have sailed OVS 4 Sep 44

Sg - Saigon Party Personnel, arrived early July, and should have sailed OVS 23 Dec 44.


To Thailand ex Singapore about 30.10.44


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Nominal roll of British Personnel reported to have sailed for Japan ex River Valley Road - 4 Sep 44

( Note - In addition to the u/m, a total of 716 AIF personnel also sailed ( as per separate Roll )

together with the following "Special" Personnel previously at Changi:

Brig. Varley, - AIF

Gp. Capt More, JWC - RAF

Col Melton, HR - USAC

Total names on Roll - 1547 ( excl the above )


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U.S.A. Nationals OVS on 23 December 1944

The following (33) arrived from Thailand at River Valley Road on 8 July 1944.

With the exception of Slc Rushing ( sick at Changi as at 1 Jan 45 ) the remainder are believed to have left OVS 23 Dec 44, with a party as under:-

A.I.F - 407 (?408)

U.S.A. - 32

R.N.F. - 86
_____
525
_____

The party were issued with warm clothing.
Details reported by 38025825 Pte Saldana, HA - 131 Fd Arty



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Nominal roll of British personnel ( 286 ) reported to have sailed for Saigon under Major Seekings 2/Cambs ex River Valley Road 29 December 1944. These men arrived from Thailand on 11th July 1944

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Nominal Roll of British personnel reported to have sailed for Saigon ex River Valley Road Camp on 2 February, 1945

These men arrived from Thailand in four parties:-

Arrival Date Officer in Charge Indicated By Total

11 Jul 44 Maj. Seekings 2 Cambs S 421

30 Jul 44 Capt. Mungall 137 Fd M 354

15 Sep 44 Capt Dawes 85 AT D 428

17 Sep 44 Lt Col Gill 137 Fd G 389
_____
1592

This OVS Party strength is believed to have been

British 1592
Australian 200
Dutch 238
_____
2030 ex Thailand

British 1 ( F Lt Beales RAF )
Dutch 499 500 ex JAVA party 25
______
Total 2530
______



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Appendix

Nominal roll of British personnel Ex Thailand, believed to have sailed for Japan as under:-

No.1 Group. Arr Havelock Road Camp, Ex Non-Pladuk, June 1/3rd 1944, sailed about June 5 1944

No. 2 Group Arr Havelock Road Camp ex Chungkai June 10/12th 1944, Embarked July 4 1944

No. 4 Group ( Kumis 61 & 62 only ) Arr River Valley Road Camp late June/ early July ex Tamuan, embarked July 4 1944.

( The balance of 4 Group sailed on Sept 4th 1944 - See separate roll

N.B. This roll is NOT a complete record, but contains any such names as have been reported to the BRE by Units and Individuals.

Total names 500