HM Motor Launch 310 - Singapore 1942,

Discussion in 'The War at Sea' started by Uncle Jack, Mar 4, 2013.

  1. Uncle Jack

    Uncle Jack Member

    My Uncle Ronnie Johnson was on ML310 the last to leave Singapore. Where can I find out more about ML310 and the final hours?

    Robin
     
  2. TTH

    TTH Senior Member

  3. TTH

    TTH Senior Member

  4. Uncle Jack

    Uncle Jack Member

    Robin:

    There is a little about ML310 here:CHAPTER 29 — New Zealanders in the Royal Navy | NZETC

    Quite a harrowing story.

    I'd seen this one. Thanks anyway.
    Yes harrowing ... Uncle Ronnie was a wiry 'littl'un " ... as he onece said .. about the only time he ever said anything to me ... "the little'uns did not need much to survive' ... and he not only survived those first traumatic weeks but also Changi and other camps .. ending up in Japan.

    He was troubled by nightmares for the rest of his life... Ronnie died in 2010 at age 96!


    Fortunately he did talk eventually to my American sister-in-law when he visited the farm in Suffolk and she would always come over from France where they now live to see him.



    Robin
     
  5. Uncle Jack

    Uncle Jack Member

  6. Uncle Jack

    Uncle Jack Member

    And here as well: The Emperor's Irish Slaves - Robert Widders - Google Books


    Wow .. I don't quite believe it .... Uncle Ronnie is actually named in the book!

    'Able Seaman Ronald Johnson from Dublin' ... page 78.

    He was a gunner and trained at Portsmouth.

    Yes Ronnie was born in Dublin as his father was in the 5th Royal Irish Lancers. The Johnson's are in fact an old York family.

    So many many thanks ...


    Robin


    ps Ronnies middle name was Arthur after his mother's brother Arthur Galtress who was a Marine and lost in the sinking of the Clan McNaughton in WWI
     
  7. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    This is a complete and utter fluke. Today I was at Kew and going through the Japanese returning POW forms (Letter S) looking for survivors of a particular RA Regiment. Occasionally something catches my eye, namely typed reports with lots of information. I usually copy them with a view to reading it later.

    When I got home tonight, I looked at this typed report and it mentioned a vessel with the number 310 in the text. I recalled having seen someone looking for info on a vessel with the same number and thought coincidence or what. At the end of the detailed report, is a list of names on that launch. A/B Johnson is one of them.

    Here is the 6 page report for Robin, which was written by one of the survivors.

    P1050004 (Large).JPG
     
    Last edited: Jul 8, 2017
    At Home Dad (Returning) and Owen like this.
  8. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

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  9. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

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    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

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  11. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

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  12. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

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  13. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    Brilliant find Ramacal - the escape of Spooner & Pulford has been mentioned in passing previously on the forum.

    This snippet from a previous thread mentions them getting away in a patrol boat.

    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/prisoners-war/20465-pvt-henry-harrison-help-bigger-picture.html


    A start was made that evening with the evacuation of numbers of surplus staff officers, nurses, technicians and others whose knowledge would be of value to the Allies for the prosecution of the war. Among those who left were Rear-Admiral Spooner and Air Vice-Marshal Pulford; the patrol boat on which they travelled, pursued by a Japanese destroyer, was run aground on a deserted island, and more than half of the party died there, including these two officers. Many of the small ships that took off evacuees on that day met a similar fate, and those on board were either drowned or taken prisoner.
     
  14. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    I have taken the liberty of transcribing the details from the report and getting what details I could.

    15 casualties are buried in collective grave 1-17 - 2 casualties (Spooner & Frampton) are buried in separate graves (removed from the collective grave??)

    The report mentions 19 fatalities, one could be the civilian engineer mentioned below, no further details as yet. No clue on number 19

    ***********************************************************

    Three survivors from another ship were brought to our island early on. They were a Stoker, a Gordon Highlander and a civilian engineer from the Singapore Naval Base. All three died later (I think I have identified the first two – SCAMMELL & DOCHERTY)

    ***********************************************************

    Admiral Spooner of RN. Fate - KIA 15Apr42 / Details - Vice Admiral SPOONER, ERNEST JOHN DSO - Senior Naval Officer in Charge of Naval Establishments, Singapore
    AVM Pulford of RAF. Fate - KIA 10Mar42 / Details - Air Vice Marshal PULFORD, CONWAY WALTER HEATH / C. W. H. PULFORD C.B., O.B.E., A.F.C., RAF
    CDR Frampton of RN. Fate - KIA 07Mar42 / Details - Commander FRAMPTON, PENDARVIS LISTER of H.M.S. Sultan
    WGCDR Atkins of RAF. Fate - Survivor / Details - OBE in LG 01Oct46 - Acting Wing Commander George Purcell ATKINS (72775), R.A.F.V.R.
    LT Pool of RN. Fate - Survivor / Details -
    LT Bull of RNZNVR. Fate - Sailed to Batavia / Details - DSC
    LT Stonor of A&SH. Fate - Survivor / Details - STONER
    Sub Lt Henderson of Aus. Fate - KIA 30Apr42 / Details - Sub-Lieutenant HENDERSON, MALCOLM HASLAM Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve of H.M.S. Sultan (MiD)
    A/Sts Richardson of RN. Fate - Survivor / Details -
    PO Fairbanks of RN. Fate - Survivor / Details -
    PO Keeling of RN. Fate - KIA 31Mar42 / Details - Petty Officer KEELING, RALPH D/JX135907 of H.M.S. Sultan
    L/S Brough of RN. Fate - Sailed to Batavia / Details -
    AB Hill of RN. Fate - Sailed to Batavia / Details - DSM RNZNVR
    AB Gibson of RN. Fate - KIA 28Feb42 / Details - Able Seaman GIBSON, BERT C/JX 198996 of H.M.M.L. 310
    AB Haywood of RN. Fate - KIA 30Apr42 / Details - Able Seaman HAYWARD, JACK THOMAS MASON W/3731 Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve
    AB Flower of RN. Fate - KIA 31Mar42 / Details - Able Seaman FLOWER, ROBERT WILLIAM C/JX204280 of H.M.M.L. 310
    AB Russell of RN. Fate - KIA 30Apr42 / Details - Able Seaman RUSSELL, JAMES EDWARD P/JX215074 of H.M.S. Sultan
    AB Oldnoll of RN. Fate - Survivor / Details - Able Seaman H. R. Oldnall, RNZNVR
    AB Johnson of RN. Fate - Survivor / Details - (ww2talk) Able Seaman Ronald Arthur Johnson
    ?? ?? of ??. Fate - KIA 01Mar42 / Details - Might be Private DOCHERTY, James Joseph 2885195 - 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlander Regiment
    PO Bail of RN. Fate - KIA 31Mar42 / Details - Petty Officer Stoker BALE, ARTHUR JAMES 780 Royal New Zealand Navy of H.M.S. Sultan
    PO Townsend of RN. Fate - KIA 11Mar42 / Details - Stoker 2nd Class TOWNEND, EDWIN RICHARD C/KX 127382 of H.M.M.L. 310. Royal Navy
    AB Little of RN. Fate - KIA 13May42 / Details - Stoker 2nd Class LITTLE, JOHN D/KX118404 of H.M.M.L.310. Royal Navy
    AB ?odden of RN. Fate - Survivor / Details -
    AB Tucker of RN. Fate - Survivor / Details -
    AB Johncock of RN. Fate - Survivor / Details -
    AB Smethwick of RN. Fate - Survivor / Details -
    AB Tweesdale of RN. Fate - Survivor / Details -
    SGT Hornby of RM. Fate - KIA 31Mar42 / Details - Sergeant HORNBY, EDWARD PLY/X 1301 Royal Marines HMS Repulse - Additional Information: Died of wounds on Tjebia Island
    CPL Sully of RM. Fate - KIA 31Mar42 / Details - Marine SULLY, SAMUEL THOMAS WATKINS PLY/X3775 Royal Marines HMS Repulse - Additional Information: Died from wounds on Tjebia Island
    Pte Robinson of RM. Fate - Survivor / Details -
    Pte Robinson of RM. Fate - Survivor / Details -
    Pte Day of RM. Fate - Survivor / Details -
    Pte Sneddon of RM. Fate - Survivor / Details -
    SSGT Gynn of RE. Fate - Sailed to Batavia / Details -
    SSGT Lockett of RE. Fate - Sailed to Batavia / Details -
    SSGT Davis of RE. Fate - KIA 01Apr42 / Details - Staff Serjeant DAVIES, RICHARD DESMOND 1867338 Royal Engineers
    SGT Wright of CMP. Fate - Survivor / Details -
    CPL Shriff of CMP. Fate - Survivor / Details -
    CPL Shimpton of CMP. Fate - KIA - POW / Details - Most probably Lance Corporal SHRIMPTON, HENRY RONALD 5727489 - Corps of Military Police. 18 Divisional Provost Coy. Date of Death: 03/07/1942 - SINGAPORE MEMORIAL
    CPL ?? of CMP. Fate - Survivor / Details -
    CPL Turner of CMP. Fate - Survivor / Details -
    AC Bethany of RAF. Fate - Survivor / Details -
    AC Smith of RAF. Fate - Survivor / Details -
    Cook Li Teng of Civilian. Fate - Deserted / Details -

    ?? ?? of ??. Fate - ?? / Details - SCAMMELL, Stoker 2nd Class, LEONARD STANLEY, D/KX 126814. H.M.S. Sultan. Royal Navy. 31st March 1942. Age 28. Son of Herbert and Sarah Ann Scammellj of Bedminster, Bristol; husband of Edith M. Scammell, of Bedminster. Coll. grave 31. D. 1-17.
     
  15. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    Duplicated
     
  16. Uncle Jack

    Uncle Jack Member

    This is a complete and utter fluke. Today I was at Kew and going through the Japanese returning POW forms (Letter S)

    When I got home tonight, I looked at this typed report and it mentioned a vessel with the number 310 in the text.. A/B Johnson is one of them.

    Here is the 6 page report for Robin, which was written by one of the survivors.



    Brilliant .. many thanks
    I've printed off the four pages posted here ... ... will get to read them later (hopefully) as the last of our pedigree Ryeland ewes is about to deliver her lamb and bitter wind from East is blowing in to our barns......


    can you post the other two pages please?

    I've tried the photobucket website but only see one image.... might be me as been up every couple of hours through last four nights checking barns....

    in haste

    Robin
     
  17. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Robin,

    The 6 pages are all here on this thread. Just hold the mouse over each each image, then right click/cop and then paste into the file on your Computer.

    Cheers - Rob
     
    Last edited: Aug 8, 2017
  18. Uncle Jack

    Uncle Jack Member

    Robin,

    The 6 pages are all here on this thread. Just hold the mouse over each each image, then right click/cop and then paste into the file on your Computer.

    Cheers - Rob

    Thanks Rob .. it was simple really ... 'turn the page'... sort of thing that happens during lambing

    R
     
  19. papiermache

    papiermache Well-Known Member

    Great find ramacal, and thanks for posting.

    This is how Captain David Nelson records the loss of ML310, from his book "The Story of Changi" :

    " M.L.310 Left Singapore 13.2.42. Beached on Pulau Kaibang (Jibbia Islands) in Puloh Tujoh group, 30 miles east of Bangka, after being chased by Japanese ship, 15.2.42. R.A.M.Y., A.O.C., Frampton, Henderson and 16 others died and buried there. Rest to Changi 5.6.42. Left Singapore night 13th/14th. Sunk by gun-fire 15 miles south of Muntok, 0630 hours 15.3.42. Passengers: R.N. 2, Army, 55 R.A.S.C. and R.A.O.C., including Lt-Cdr V.C.F. Clark, R.N., Major C.H. Lyddow, R.C.O.S., both P.O.W. Estimated survivors 14."
     
  20. Uncle Jack

    Uncle Jack Member

    This is a complete and utter fluke. Today I was at Kew and going through the Japanese returning POW forms (Letter S) looking for survivors of a particular RA Regiment.

    At the end of the detailed report, is a list of names on that launch. A/B Johnson is one of them.



    I've had a look at the first few pages and the story seems to fit well with what is written in later memoirs.

    Do you know who the author was?


    Robin
     

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