Hi, Trying to find any info on a distant relative of mine, he (1427412 Gnr Walter Banks) was captured in Singapore whilst serving with 3 bty, 6HAA regt RA. We have various letters posting him missing and then confirmation he is a prisoner. Then a couple of postcards of the type given to prisoners, these are addressed as camps 1 + 4. Finally he was posted missing on 12/09/44, declared dead in 1946. From my research so far we reckon he was on a ship transporting prisoners to Japan, (most likely Kachidoki Maru), which was sunk by the USS Pampanito. I have obtained a copy of Return from the River Kwai and this, the Imperial War museum and COFEPOW have helped with many details but I am interested in any extra info, particularly about his time on the railway. Regards Ali Hollington
Following up on this, have got a copy of his POW index card, but finding it difficult to find someone to translate the remarks on it. Any offers or suggestion would be greatfully received. Ali
USS Pampanito not only still exists, she's a museum in San Francisco. They might be able to connect you with her logs and war diaries, which would have your relative's name on it when they listed the survivors they picked up.
Originally posted by Ali Hollington@Dec 6 2004, 10:41 AM Sadly they didn't pick him up. Whether he made it off the ship or died in the water isn't known. Ali [post=29910]Quoted post[/post] Aagh. Sorry to hear that. Clay Blair's "Return From the River Kwai" is a great book on that horrible voyage and the submarines that sank the ships and rescued the POWs. You seem to have hit some key places...COFEPOW, and so on. Not sure where to turn after that.
Yeah, Return to.. gave a lot of detail above the ships and its unlikely I'll ever find out the answer to the above, hence my interest in his time on the railway. It would seem he was in camps 1 and 4 at various times, so finding out more about these is my next avenue. Regards Ali
Dear Ali Hollington, I believe we did correspond some time ago. I have just had a book published which is the first ever to give the story of 6 HAA Regt and its three batteries from 1939 in BEF to release from Jap POW camps. It is 308 pages long and covers all that is known about them and many personal stories and pictures. Many of the unknown attrocities are covered too including Ballale Island and Sandakan marches and the episode of the hell ships. There is most of what they did and where they went in the UK before being posted to Iraq only to be diverted to Singapore and this is where the hell really started. The book is called `6th Heavy Anti Aircraft Regt RA `published by Choir press but being sold by me. It is a limited print run but has sold well so far. best regards for now and if I can help then please contact me, Patrick Walker
hello Pat Ali has not been on the forum since end Sept 2011 might be an idea to send private message regards Clive
Another book regarding the sinkings is called Hellships which if i recall correctly gives the dates of the sinkings in chronological order.
Dear Ali Hollington, I believe we did correspond some time ago. I have just had a book published which is the first ever to give the story of 6 HAA Regt and its three batteries from 1939 in BEF to release from Jap POW camps. It is 308 pages long and covers all that is known about them and many personal stories and pictures. Many of the unknown attrocities are covered too including Ballale Island and Sandakan marches and the episode of the hell ships. There is most of what they did and where they went in the UK before being posted to Iraq only to be diverted to Singapore and this is where the hell really started. The book is called `6th Heavy Anti Aircraft Regt RA `published by Choir press but being sold by me. It is a limited print run but has sold well so far. best regards for now and if I can help then please contact me, Patrick Walker Have purchased Pat's book, which arrived today. I have only had time for an initial read of it so far, but it does look excellent.