6 (HAA) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery - Survivors

From COFEPOW site (looks like they're catching up)


Tim
Edit: I see he has put down his date of enlistment as 16/5/1940. Perhaps he has written the date of his joining the RAOC rather than his enlistment into the Army.

 

Wow, Tim this is brilliant. Yes I think you could be right, he definitely talked about being in the R.E.M.E. ( which I see was formed from R.A.O.C) I cannot thank you and all the other contributors enough

 

This from the RAOC Nominal Roll compiled in Changi: WO361/2181

Pencilled in is - Y Party. Unfortunately, at first glance, my copy of Y Party list seems to be missing the page with the Ps. If he was indeed with Y Party it means he left Singapore for the Thai/Burma Railway on 24/10/42.
Death Railway

Tim

 

Thank you Tim, this is very interesting. I have this picture and wondered what the y party meant. However, having spoken to my dad, he said that Grandad didn't work on the railway but he was sent to work building an airport in Singapore, I'd be really interested if that's wrong or right. Dad couldn't remember much more other than he doesn't think it's where Changi airport is now.

 

The current Singapore International Airport is on what was the Changi POW Camp at Roberts and Selerang Barracks although the Japanese may have constructed a small airfield nearby. I understand that FEPOWs were used to carry out a major upgrade to Kallang Airfield - does this ring any bells?

Tim

 

Thanks Tim, had a chat with Dad today, and although he doesn’t know the name of the airfield, he did say it was an airfield for Japanese Air Force, He was saying Grandad was working on the shaping rocks. I’ll have a look in to Kallang for sure. I cannot thank you enough for your assistance and kindness

 

Just to add to your dilemma. I've come across this regarding an airfield at Changi. Extracted from Singapore at War!, Bob Hackett

In 1940, Changi was first completed as a British artillery camp. After the fall of Singapore in 1942, it and nearby Changi Prison were used for housing many of the Allied prisoners-of-war (POWs). The construction of the air base was initiated by Japanese forces using the Allied POWs as forced laborers. Between 1943 and 1944 they built two unpaved landing strips intersecting in a cross layout in an approximate north-south and east-west direction. In 1946, after the Japanese surrender, the airfield became a Royal Air Force station and was renamed RAF Changi. Imprisoned Japanese troops were made to improve the runways, reinforce the north-south runway for military aircraft and add perforated steel plates to the east-west runway.

Tim

 

Yes, I have been seeing this whilst looking at Kallang, so I’ll look in to that as well. I’m sure it’s going to be tough, but at least I know I’m on the right lines now thanks to your and other contributors help.

 

To add to the LQ at post 21 there is a witness card ( which lacks detail ) in WO356 and an affidavit by the remarkable Driver Pardoe is on another file at Kew.. Apologies for the quality of the photoes. I do not know whether the affidavit was used in the US prosecution but a number of men from 6 (HAA) RA are referred to in a United States minor war crimes prosecution in case T102. The summary supplied by the University of Marburg can be found on their website which should be here: Marburg International Research and Documentation Centre for War Crimes Trials - Philipps-Universität Marburg
( I tried a direct link to the pdf. but it didn't work.)

A transcript of the affidavit is here:

{P1520133}

IN THE MATTER OF WAR CRIMES COMMITTED
BY JAPANESE NATIONALS AND IN THE MATTER
OF THE ILL-TREATMENT OF PRISONERS OF WAR
AT HIGARSHIMIZOME, UBE, PRISONER OF WAR CAMP.

I, Charles Frederick PARDOE, of Banstead Hospital, in the County of Surrey, a male nurse, make oath and say as follows:-

(1) At the outbreak of the war I was called up as a reservist and rejoined the Royal Artillery. After service in France I was eventually sent to Singapore where I arrive on 9th January, 1942. I afterwards served in Sumatra and in Java where I was at the time of surrender on or about 8th March, 1942.

(2) On 1st April, 1942, I was sent to the TANJONGPRIOK Japanese Prisoner of War Camp in Batavia and remained there until 21st October, 1942. There were about 5,000 prisoners of war in the camp and included British, Dutch, Australian and American troops. In view of my past experience I was appointed by my Commanding Officer to be a medical orderly in the camp.

(3) Conditions at TANDKONGPRIOK Camp were reasonable, the chief difficulties as far as I know were the lack of medical supplies despite every effort made by Colonel Maisie, the senior British Medical Officer, to obtain them from a firm in Batavia. It was common knowledge in the camp that medical supplies were available to Colonel Maisie, but his requirements were restricted by the Japanese authorities. I do not know who was responsible for this.

(4) On 21st October, 1942, I was transferred with about 1,100 other prisoners to Japan by way of Singapore where we joined another ship called the "SINGAPORE MARU" which took us to Moji, in Japan.

(5) Conditions on the sea journey from Batavia to Moji were bad and particularly on the second stage when I was on the "SINGAPORE MARU" when dysentery broke out among the prisoners for whom there were no medical supplies. We were overcrowded and the food and sanitary conditions were bad. There were no flushing arrangements in the lavatories which were totally inadequate in number and the prisoners endeavoured to dispose of the filth by using hose pipes.

(6) I arrived at Moji on 26th November, 1942, and was sent to the prisoner of war camp named HIGARSHIMIZOME, at Ube, where I continued to act as a medical orderly.

(7) The name of the Japanese Commandant at this camp was TAKAZI OKADA, and a Japanese sergeant named HANADA seemed to be the second in command.

(8) There were about 175 prisoners in the camp and the majority of them were put to work in local coal mines.

(9) It was a regular practive for the guards to strike prisoners with fists or the butts of rifles for no apparent reason; I witnessed such conduct on many occasions but my knowledge of ill- treatment is confined chiefly to incidents which happaned to patients in the camp hospital, of which I was in charge, but under the supervision of a Japanese doctor named HYASHI, who was not hostile

towards/

Page 2

towards the prisoners but was subject to the decisions of the Camp Commander who often overruled the Doctor's orders that a patient was unfit for work.

(10) About June or July, 1943, there were about ten patients in the hospital including a Driver William Taylor and a Driver Butler, a Welshman, of the Royal Artillery. Both of these men had acute diarrhoea and several of the other patients were suffering from the same complaint. All were very weak and were in bed which meant they were lying on the floor on blankets. Ywo guards, whose names I do not know but one we nicknamed "Moonface", came into the hospital and told all the patients to get up, which owing to their very weak condition they were rather slow in doing and in consequence the two guards hit the patients and kicked them while they were struggling to get dressed. The patients were ordered out to the parade ground just outside the hospital where the two guards, who had been joined by others who looked on, drilled the patients and made them do physical training for about ten minutes and then made them run round the camp several times - a distance each time of about 300 yards. The patients were kept running until they were practically exhausted when they were sent back into the hospital and a few minutes later I was told by a Hapanese Corporal named TANIGUCHI that he had been directed by Sergeant HANADA to order the men back to work the next day, which they had to do.

(11) While the patients were being drilled I protested to Sergeant HANADA that they were sick men and quite unfit to receive such treatment. Sergeant HANADA, who speaks English, ordered me out of his office after saying the men were not sick but lazy. This was not true.

(12) About March, 1944, a patient named Driver Charles NAIRNE of the Royal Artillery, was in the hospital suffering from a broken leg which he sustained while working in a coal mine where he had an accident. The hospital at this time was in a different building and was equipped with beds. Nairne was lying in bed and his broken leg was in splints and was amusing himself by drawing with a pencil on paper which I had given to him. It was against the rules of the camp for prisoners to have writing materials although I was allowed to do so because of my duties.

(13) A Japanese orderly, whose name I cannot remember, saw Nairne drawing and accused me of stealing paper from the hospital office and reported it ti a Sergeant MATSUMOTO, who had by this time taken the place of Sergeant HANADA. MATSUMOTO was with a Corporal TANIGUCHI when the incident was reported and the latter came into the hospital, challenged NAIRNE with drawing and then hit him while he was still in bed about his face with his fists. I witnessed the incident and reported it to Major ALLPASS, the then Senior British Officer in the camp.

(14) The Camp Commandant changed on three occasions while I was there, TAKAZI OKADA was followed by two others whose names I do not remember, but as I know the incidents of ill-treatment happened without their knowledge. The incidents affecting Taylor and Butler happened during TAKAZI OKADA'S period of office but he had left when the NAIRNE incident occurred.

(15)/

(15) I was liberated on or about 26th August, 1945, and arrived in England on 20th November, 1945, and demobilised on 22nd January, 1946.


SWORN at New Scotland Yard )
) ( Signed C.F. Pardoe )
in the County of London )
this 21st day of March 1946 )

Before me

(Signed) Eric Dodds

A Commissioner for Oaths.

 

I have the same copy of Gunner Pardoe's transcript, plus another five men from this unit. Captain Vivian GALE of 6 HAA Regt wrote a 25 page report about war crimes. Lieutenant Attiwell of 6 HAA, later published a book called Singapore Story.

 

Thanks. My transcript was typed by yours truly from the photoes I took at Kew: I wish I'd known that someone had typed it before, I'm always doing that !

Who were the other five men, might I ask ?

To get to case T102 use your usual search engine and search for: " OKADA, Takaji (Ryuji) Marburg" then click on the "T102" in the right hand column of the page which will magically appear. It's a 3 Mb download, seventeen pages. You can search within the pdf for " Pardoe."

 

I got email from the author of the 6 HAA Regt book, as he has found more survivors names. When I get some time, I'll update the thread.

PM me your email address and I'll send them to you.

 

Didn't know that, I'll have to get a copy. Ken Attiwill also wrote 'The Rising Sunset' about his time as a FEPOW, but you probably know that.

Tim

 

Thank you, that's kind of you. Have sent a PM. John

 

Hi
My grandad is on your list
RAMSHAW, HARRY
S/N - 1064798
BOMBADIER
CAPTURED JAVA - 8 MARCH 1942
(RETURNING POW FORM COMPLETED)
ive got his questionnaire and Japanese pie card. I’d love to know what hellship he was on when transported to Moji.I believe he arrived at moji 2711/42 on either the Dainchi or Singapore Mary.
Harry gave an interview to a local paper detailing numbers of deaths on the ship he was on. Are details held anywhere so I could compare and hopefully establish the ship?

 

Welcome to the Forum.
Often a tricky one this as there are no rosters for these ships. He will have been transported from Java to Singapore on the Yoshida Maru in what is known as the 'Mystery Party'. There they were split on the dockside between the Dainichi Maru and the Singapore Maru both going to Moji. The Singapore Maru contained many from 12 & 15 Batteries 6 HAA and from the number of deaths quoted in the newspaper article, I would put him on the Singapore Maru. His first Camp he has put as Moji 4 - I would take this to be the 'hospital' set up in the Moji YMCA and would indicate he was too sick to go direct to one of the main camps. When you say you have his Japanese pie card do you mean his Japanese Index Card?

Singapore Maru: George James
Moji POW Hospital Camp (Kokura) - Japan

Have you read '6th Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery' by Patrick Walker.

Tim

 

Hi. Thanks for info - sorry yep I meant index card. I think I have read '6th Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery' by Patrick Walker. I’ll double check in the morning. This is the first site I’ve heard mention of the mystery party so I’ll be looking into that. Thanks for info re Singapore Maru and possibility of that being the hellship. I’ll also be looking at the Yoshida Maru - thanks again. My dads now 90 and we’re both looking at his dads war experiences - your help is much appreciated.

 

I haven’t read Patrick Walkers book - I’ve looked and unavailable on Amazon etc. Any idea how I can get a copy? Thanks in advance.

 

It was usual for the Java Parties to pass through Changi where their names were recorded by the British POW organisation. This didn't happen to the Party arriving on the Yoshida Maru as they changed ships in the docks. There is no complete record of who these men were so it was labelled 'Mystery Party'.
Patrick Walker is a member of this Forum. I've sent him a PM to see if he still has copies of his book available.
I was right about your grandad going to the Moji Hospital. He is listed here as being transferred away to another camp 4 Dec 43. POWs transferred from Fukuoka #4 to other camps - POWs of the Japanese.
History Fuk 4B - POWs of the Japanese

Tim

 

Thanks again for your help. Yep he was at Moji - I dread to think what state he was in. Amazing what info there is to be found. Fingers crossed I get a copy of that book.