49 Battery 48th LAA Royal Artillery. 53 died 21/02/42.

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by David Homer, Aug 6, 2014.

  1. David Homer

    David Homer Member

    Gunner Arthur Homer one of 100's executed Feb 1942 including others from Royal Artillery, plus British, Dutch and Australian soldiers and airmen.
    He was attached to 48 Light. A.A. Regiment. How did they arrive in Jakarta Ancol Field of Honour Cemetery, the very place in which they all perished?
    Grateful thanks to anyone who can help.

    Regards

    David Homer

    Casualty
     

    Attached Files:

  2. mapshooter

    mapshooter Senior Member

    Farndale, History of the RA, The Far East Theatre 1941-46.

    Jan 42 arrived Batavia, lost in Java Mar 42 Mar.

    The implication is arriving from UK

    The regt seems to have had only two btys, 95 and 202.
     
  3. Orwell1984

    Orwell1984 Senior Member

    Here's some information I've recovered on the 48th LAA Regiment

    From the COFEPOW website:
    The 48th LAA Regiment - Royal Artillery by an ex member.
    http://www.cofepow.org.uk/pages/armedforces_48thLAA.htm
    Opening paragraph
    Affadavit from an officer of the 48th LAA regarding POW mistreatment

    http://www.mansell.com/pow_resources/camplists/fukuoka/moji_hospital/borrie_affidavit_fuk_04.html

    Frank Bell was an officer in the 48th LAA and formed a secret POW university

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Bell_%28educator%29


    Profile of George Bundock a POW from the 48th LAA who died in 1945

    http://www.borneopow.info/profiles/profile5.htm
     
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  4. Enigma1003

    Enigma1003 Member

    Java files showing Gunner Arthur Homer,

    Mike
     

    Attached Files:

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  5. David Homer

    David Homer Member

    I am trying to find out how my uncle, Gunner Arthur Homer along with over 50 of his comrades died on 21 Feb 42. His late wife and my late father stated that he died on the Burma Death Railway, but there is no evidence of this. It seems that the railway did no start till Oct 42. The CWGC site has a list of those who died on 21/2/42 and are commemorated on headstones at the Jakarta Ancol Netherlands Field of Honour.
    Does anyone know if indeed they all died on the same day and how? or any suggestions on how to find out.
    Regards
    David Homer
     
  6. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    This may help.
    The troops on Java never surrendered until 9th March 42.

    http://www.cofepow.org.uk/pages/asia_java2.htm




    also found this
    http://www.burmastar.org.uk/finch.htm


    edit: merged new thread with similar thread from last year
     
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  7. Parkmanto

    Parkmanto New Member

    David - Hi.
    I am doing research on Ellis Peason in the same regiment/battery from Mistley Essex.
    On the CMWG certificate it says the same date of death 21st February.
    You are right in that nearly 50 are listed on the same day.
    Other accounts say they were over-run on the 1st March and fifty killed, the rest taken prisoner. They mention no big losses to the battery before then.
    The CWGC on the Jakarta memorial lists document actually have the date as 'March'.
    I wonder if 21st February is wrong? Whilst one or two may have been killed in air raids before the invasion started - 50 seems a bit much for one battery. 1st March seems much more likely
    Have you any further information or thoughts on this one?
    Philip
     
  8. lindasargent

    lindasargent New Member

    My grandfather William James Sargent served with LAA 49 BTY in Java. His death is listed as 21 February 1942. I always understood from my Grandmother that he had been executed while guarding a hospital. A few patients who were too ill to be evacuated were left in the hospital with members of 49 BTY as protection.

    There is no public information available where the 50 bodies were found, but the Dutch placed them into a mass grave in Ancol.

    I do not have dates, but a full report was made by the Australian authorities. This was passed to the Dutch, and is kept in Den Hague. To date they will not make any of the files public. My uncle (now deceased) informed me that the Dutch authorities were concerned that compensation claims might be made to the Japanese Govt.
    Assurances that this was not the case went in vain. T

    Perhaps we could make a joint plea to the Dutch for access to the report , especially after the German Chancellor recently made remarks that it was time for the Japanese to own up.

    regards Linda.
     
  9. Buteman

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

    Sent you a PM (Private Message).
     
  10. Buteman

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

    Quoting from the book about 6 HAA Regt by Patrick Walker, who were also at Kalidjati

    "At the war crimes tribunal of Colonel Koshihinge Shoji, who was the Japanese Commander, was accused of allowing atrocities but lack of evidence meant no one was ever prosecuted. The bodies which had been buried in a mass grave were exhumed and buried in individual graves where identity could be confirmed, but this left the majority as unknown(s)."

    Eye witness reports stated that men were found in the grave with their hands tied behind their backs. Servicemen and civilians in the Hospital fared no better.
     
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  11. Pieter F

    Pieter F Very Senior Member

    Hi Linda,

    I can't find anything regarding the report in The Hague. Do you have any more information on that?

    Here is a photo of your grandfather's grave on the Dutch field of honour. It is from the database of the Dutch war graves commission, the oorlogsgravenstichting (OGS).

    [​IMG]
     
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  12. greeny

    greeny New Member

    Hi Linda
    I've made a study of the Kalidjati Incident for quite some time and might be able to help you and others interested in this topic.

    The Japanese landed in Java on the night of 28Feb/1March 1942 and one detachment's objective was the capture of Kalidjati airfield which was defended by the 49 Bty 48 Light Anti Aircraft Rgt together with 12 Bty of the 6 HAA in an infantry role along with a number of RAF ground defense personnel.
    The Japanese swept into the airfield later that morning supported by light tanks and to the complete surprise of the defenders. Many made good their escape as did a few aircraft, but I believe 63 men of the 49LAA, 37men of the 12HAA including their CO, and 29 RAF/RAAF personnel were killed during or after the battle which was over by 12:30pm. Of those left behind there was not a single survivor.
    Many of those killed in and around the airfield were buried where they lay by groups of POWs conscripted in by the Japanese over the following months. Others were buried in a mass grave in the nearby town of Subang.

    In November 1948 the Dutch War Graves Foundation exhumed the bodies at Subang and reburied them at the Netherlands Field of Honour Cemetery at Ancol, near Jakarta, but it wasn't until 1991, on the initiative of the Dutch, that markers were erected showing the names of the known dead. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records showed the majority of the named dead with a date of death of 21 February 1942 but when the Dutch queried this obvious error the CWCG instructed them to use the 'official' date, in the full knowledge it was an error. A total of forty-six men of the 49th LAA Bty have their date of death recorded officially as 21 February. Worse still, the grave markers either side are marked as 'Executed Subang', the implication being that all the men lying there were executed and 46 of the named men were executed before a single Japanese soldier set foot on the island.

    I wrote to the CWGC several times more than ten years ago and was fobbed off with promises to investigate and blaming other agencies for the subsequent delays. No explanation or conclusion was ever received from them. It is unforgivable that these men still lie in a foreign field where, to the eyes of the world, they suffered the disgrace of execution, presumably by their own forces a week prior to going into action.

    Perhaps it's time to take up their case again.

    Kindest regards
    Brian
     
  13. jeff barden

    jeff barden Member

    Details of my Grand Father below
    Alfred Ernest Barden
    Alfred Ernest Barden enlisted for the Royal Artillery in 1938 as No.1549483 among the ranks of the Territorial Army, joining 95th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery (known as ‘Clacton’s own’). This unit was mobilized for a war role in September 1939 and served in defending the south coast ports. The diary of this unit is included in WO 166/2838 and shows movements as follows:-
    September 1939 – Battery is mobilized in Clacton-on-Sea and begins routine training.
    December 1939 – One Troop of the Battery moves to Bawdsey. From this date onwards the Troops of the Battery are deployed at various locations around the Suffolk area. June 1940 – Battery moves from 17th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment to 48th Light AntiAircraft Regiment.
    04/03/1941 – Battery moves to Wantisden and took over duties at Hornchurch & Rainham.
    17/03/1941 – Battery moves to Brettenham Park, Suffolk and takes over local gun sites.
    The Battery diary ceases in April 1941.
    The Regimental Diary is in WO 166/2721 and goes from July 1940 to October 1941.
    From May 1941 the Regiment was based in the Essex and Suffolk area and continued in an anti-aircraft role with the Battery and Troop detachments being widely spread at locations of importance.
    22/08/1941 – Regiment moves to Yeovil and is informed it is due to be mobilized for overseas service (tropical climate).
    15/09/1941 – Regiment moves to Southend on Sea to complete mobilization.
    The 48th LAA Regiment, 'Bofors Guns', had three Batteries, 49, 95, 242. We sailed from Gourock on the river Clyde the day Japan declared war, December 7th 1941. We and many other regiments were on the 'Duchess of Athol'. We thought we were going to Basra (where the problems are now). We stopped at Freetown, and had our Christmas dinner there, then on to Durban. We changed ships there and after about six days there we boarded the 'HMT Dunera' with the possibility of Singapore, but we and other ships were diverted to Batavia, Java, and docked at Tanjong Priok harbour.
    http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/49-battery-48th-laa-royal-artillery-53-died-21-0242.57953/
    There are no diaries for the period for November 1941 to the capture of the Regiment by the Japanese. The PoW card for Alfred shows he was taken prisoner on 20/03/1942.
    48 LAA Regiment RA, on arrival in Batavia, sent 95 Battery to Oosthaven in Sumatra en route for the airfield around Palembang (P1 and P2) to reinforce the air defence already
    there. When they arrived in Palembang they found that the evacuation was beginning and they had time only to turn round, retire to Oosthaven and return to Java. 95 Battery, on its return, was deployed around Andir airfield near Bandoeng (now Bandung). 49 Battery was deployed around Kalidjati airfield, North of Bandoeng and 242 Battery with RHQ were deployed in Batavia. 95th Battery was over-run by Japanese tanks at Bandoeng on 20/03/1942 and a file on ‘missing’ men includes some detail. Those men who survived were shipped to Singapore on 14/04/1942 and from there Alfred is listed as being sent to Japan on 29/10/1942.
    02/04/1945 – Alfred dies at Omine Machi Camp at Hiroshima. His body is cremated and his ashes (in an urn) added to a shrine but moved in 1946 to the Yokohama cemetery.
     

    Attached Files:

  14. jeff barden

    jeff barden Member

    would anybody have pictures of the men before they were shipped out as I don't have any pictures of my grandfather Alfred Ernest Barden
     
  15. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    Hi Jeff,
    Your story about your father intrigues me as my father was with 78/35 and involved in Java at this time and also went to Japan leaving Java in the Yoshida Maru for Singapore on 22/10/42 arriving 25/10. 33 were transferred to hospital in Singapore and 14 replacements were received from Changi. The party was then split with some in the Dainichi Maru and some in the Singapore Maru (my father was in this one). They embarked on 29/10 and both sailed on 30/10 arriving Moji, Japan on 24/11 and disembarking 26/11.
    What intrigues me about your story is:
    Date of capture is shown as 17/3/42. Most captured in Java show 8 or 9 March. Is this date significant? Does it indicate he was captured elsewhere ie: he tried to escape or is it the date he actually went into captivity rather than the capitulation date?
    I cannot find his name on any of the RA Rolls of POWs in Java or Changi. Maybe I've just missed it but I've checked several times. He is though listed as going to Japan from Singapore to Japan on 29/10.
    Where did you get the date of 14/04/42 for shipment to Singapore. As far as I am aware parties were not shipped from Java until Java Party 1 on 14/09/42and they went via Singapore to Kuching (Borneo).
    I think you've got a typo with the 95th being overrun on 20/03/42 - it must have been at least two weeks before this.
    Regards,
    Tim
     
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  16. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    Sorry should have said grandfather.
     
  17. jeff barden

    jeff barden Member

    Hi
    Thank you for the message I got all these details from a private army researcher
    ref capture
    There are no diaries for the period for November 1941 to the capture of the Regiment by the Japanese. The PoW card for Alfred shows he was taken prisoner on 20/03/1942.
    deployed in Batavia. 95th Battery was over-run by Japanese tanks at Bandoeng on 20/03/1942 and a file on ‘missing’ men includes some detail. Those men who survived were shipped to Singapore on 14/04/1942 and from there Alfred is listed as being sent to Japan on 29/10/1942.
    Did your father survive the camps which camp was he interned
    Where can you search RA Rolls of POWs in Java or Changi.
    Thank you for all your information it all helps have you viewed the file
     

    Attached Files:

  18. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    This is all very confusing.
    I've checked the Rolls again and still cannot find your grandfather.
    WO 361 2195 - British Army in Java Roll A-J
    WO 361 2184 - Royal Artillery Roll A-C
    He is listed in WO 361/2009 - POWs transported from Dutch East Indies to Japan with a date of 29/10/42 which is the date of leaving Singapore rather than Java. Whether this was in the Dainichi Maru or the Singapore Maru I do not know as there are no complete lists for these ships. I would suspect the Singapore Maru as this is where Mansell says those in Hiroshima 6B came from and the fact that another prisoner in this Camp was Flt Lt Liddell (RAF Medical Officer) who was definitely from the Singapore Maru.
    WO 361 2215 notes that Party (called the 'Mystery Party) left Java 22/10/42 arrived Singapore night 26/10/42, included in the list of those on board are 48 LAA (not complete).
    You could try searching the National Archives site to see if there is a Roll for 48 Regt LAA. I managed to find one for my father's (35 Regt LAA) which contained useful info.
    He is listed on the excellent Mansell site (mansell.com) under Hiroshima 6B.
    Also if you haven't already seen it you may find the article 'Java Gunners' on the COFEPOW website interesting.
    Date of 20/03/42 for 95/48 being over-run is definitely wrong as capitulation was 8/03/42.
    Hopefully other members can throw some light on this.
    My father luckily survived. Camps were Tandjong Priok (Java), Fukuoka 7 (Ube), Zentsuji and Fukuoka 9 (Miyata).
    Tim
     
  19. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    Originally posted by Member 'papiermache' on 15/06/13 on another thread.

    IN THE MATTER OF THE ILL-TREATMENT OF
    PRISONERS OF WAR COMMITTED ON BOARD S.S.
    "YOSHIDA MARU" AND S.S. "SINGAPORE MARU"
    21 OCTOBER TO 26 NOVEMBER 1942.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------

    A F F I D A V I T.
    --------------------

    I, ERIC KENNETH SCOTT with permanent home address at 62
    Columba Road, Blackhall, Edinburgh, formerly Lieutenant-Colonel
    ( R.E.M.E.) with personal number 93327 in HIS MAJESTY'S Forces, MAKE
    OATH AND SAY AS FOLLOWS:-

    1. On the 19th October 1942 Col. C.M. Lane M.C., 10/15 Punjab Regt.,
    Senior British Officer P.O.W., Tanjong Priok, Batavia, was instructed by
    the Japanese Commandant, Tanjong Priok P.O.W. Camp to draft 1000
    ( 90 Officers and 910 O.R.s approx ), for departure for an unknown destination
    on the 21st October.

    2. Immediate representations were made to the Japanese Authorities
    that, with the prevalence of malaria, dysentery, beri-beri, dengue,
    malnutrition, etc., in the camp, the majority were not in a fit state
    to travel. The worst sick cases among those drafted were inspected by
    the Senior British Medical Officer, Lt.Col. Mazie, R.A.M.C. and at a
    later stage by a Japanese Medical Officer from Batavia. Substitutions
    were made where possible, but even so, when the draft assembled on the
    21st Oct. there were many stretcher cases and some 10/20 % of the personnel
    collapsed on the march to the Docks.

    3. At the Tandjong Priok Docks the party was joined by a draft of
    300 R.A.F., under command of Wing Commander Frowe, and 500 R.A.
    personnel under command of Lt. Col. Saunders R.A. This total of 1800
    embarked on the thirty year old, 5,000 ton "Yoshida Maru" at 16.00 hours
    on the 21st Oct. and were crammed down the four hatchways. Wing
    Commander Frowe and Lt.Col. Saunders' parties were accommodated below the
    forward hatches with some seventy Japanese personnel who had taken the
    "best" of the accommodation for themselves and the Tandjong Priok party of
    1000 were crowded together so tightly aft that it was impossible to lie
    down and those immediately under the hatchways, which were unprovided
    with tarpaulins, were soaked to the skin every time it rained during the
    voyage. There were 16 deck latrines forward and 8 aft, also 2 small water
    tanks forward and 2 aft.

    4. The ship sailed the following morning and throughout the voyage
    three meals of rice and fish soup were served daily. Under these conditions
    there was an immediate increase in sickness and an emergency
    hospital was formed on the upper deck under the shelter of a leaky tarpaulin.
    No blankets were provided, nor were any medical supplies of any
    description.

    5. The "Yoshida Maru" arrived at Singapore at 13.00 hours on the 25th
    Oct. and the following morning all personnel were ordered ashore for a
    hosedown on the dock side under the supervision of Japanese guards. All
    personnel were then marched to the roadside where they were obliged to take
    down their trousers and a glass rod was inserted in each man's anus in
    full public view. All were then returned to the "Yoshida Maru."

    6. On the 28th Oct. Wing Commander Frowe was instructed to draft
    200 of his men to join Lt. Col. Saunders' party of 500 and transfer to
    another ship. Fourteen of the more seriously sick from Tanjong Priok

    - 2 -

    Camp were then transferred to Singapore Hospital.

    7. On the 29th Oct. at 04.00 hours the remaining 1086 disembarked
    and were disinfested. During the day a further 19 went sick and were
    sent to shore hospital and 14 replacements were received from Changi
    P.O.W. Camp, making a total of 1081.

    8. The 1081 embarked on the S.S. "Singapore Maru", 5,200 tons,
    built in 1904, at 19.00 hours on the 29th Oct., the officers, 96 in
    number, being in this instance, segregated in the aft hold for the
    better maintenance of discipline. The general arrangements were similar
    to those on the "Yoshida Maru". Forward were accommodated Japanese
    troops, who spread themselves at the expense of the prisoners, and forward
    were 16 deck latrines, ( 8 for prisoners ), and four small water tanks,
    ( two for prisoners ). Aft were 8 deck latrines, two water tanks and the
    galley. Three meals of rice and fish soup were provided daily and hot
    water for drinking three or four times per day. There were two small
    lifeboats, four rafts and no life-belts for P.O.Ws.

    9. The "Singapore Maru" sailed for Japan at 10.00 hours on the
    30th Oct. and by the 2nd of November sickness had increased to such an
    extent that the establishment of a hospital on the aft hatch cover became
    necessary. The required accommodation was grudgingly given, as was the
    1 lb Mag. Sulphate and a few aspirin and quinine tablets. Two men died
    almost as soon as the "hospital" was established.

    10. On the 3rd of November the "Singapore Maru" hove to off Cap St.
    Jacques, where, as Senior Officer, I made the strongest possible representations
    to the Japanese Commanding Officer, Lieut. Moriyama, regarding the
    state of affairs on board and demanded the immediate removal of all sick
    to Saigon and the sending of a radio report to Batavia to prevent the
    further shipment of P.O.W.s under such intolerable conditions. The same
    afternoon the ship sailed without any action being taken to improve
    conditions aboard.

    11. Sickness was now increasing at such a rate and the weather
    deteriorating to such an extent that the accommodation under the aft
    hatch had to be cleared of troops and the sick transferred to the space
    vacated. No amenities of any sort such as mats, mattresses, blankets, etc.
    were provided and the sick lay on the bare steel deck. With difficulty
    some wooden buckets were secured for use as hospital latrines. A small
    quantity of newsprint was provided as toilet paper, but was soon exhausted
    and, as there was only sufficient water to permit of washing the hands once
    a day, personal hygiene was impossible and disease spread rapidly in
    consequence.

    12. Deaths continued up to the arrival of the "Singapore Maru" at
    Takow, Formosa, on the 13th Nov. where 8 bodies were sent ashore for cremation,
    the harbour authorities refusing to permit them to be buried at sea.
    A list of 100 seriously sick was compiled and a request for their immediate
    removal to shore hospital was submitted, but twenty-one only were put ashore.

    13. At Takow I was informed that accommodation was to be found for
    a further 400 Japanese troops and, in spite of all protests, the upper
    decks in all holds were cleared and the thousand odd P.O.W.s crammed down
    in the bottom of the holds and on the sand ballast in the space below the
    holds. The "hospital" was also transferred to the bottom of the aft hold.
    All Japanese troops were provided with clean mats to sleep on. P.O.Ws.
    slept on the steel decks or the sand ballast.

    - 3 -

    14. On the 15th the "Singapore Maru" left Takow and the same day
    anchored off the Pescadores, where she remained until the 18th. A
    further seven were buried at sea the same evening. Two hundred bismuth
    tablets were then issued to Dr. Liddell, the R.A.F. doctor on board,
    by the Japanese Authorities.

    15. Proceeding Northwards the weather worsened and the cold
    increased to the great discomfort of those, the majority, who were in
    possession of tropical clothing only, and no blankets. The deck
    latrines, damaged by heavy seas, leaked badly and sprayed infected
    excreta over the decks, while below decks, the hospital, being unable
    to cope with any more sick, sub-hospitals were established in each hold.
    Latrine buckets were set up in the holds but some were so weak by this
    time as to be unable to use them and de-faecated in their mess tins or
    where they lay.

    16. By the time the ship anchored off Moji on the 24th of November
    approximately 700 were suffering from some sort of sickness or other. On
    the 25th Nov. the ship went alongside and the Japanese troops disembarked.
    This left the stores unguarded and the same night they were raided by
    British personnel. An enquiry was instituted by the Japanese Military
    Police on discovery of the theft on the following day, but the urgent
    necessity to disembark appeared to cut these proceedings shorter than was
    expected. As Senior British Officer on board I was held responsible and
    threatened with shooting, while several officers were referred to as
    "uncivilised beasts" by the English speaking Japanese Officer from Fukuoka,
    who was in charge of disembarkation. A hygiene squad came aboard and
    sealed all latrines and inserted a glass rod in the anus of each P.O.W.
    ( a test for dysentery we were told ), but did nothing for the 280 seriously
    sick who were left on the ship after thirty of the hospital sick had been
    taken ashore for treatment in Moji, and the remaining 677 mobile P.O.Ws
    disembarked for splitting up into groups for transport by open barge to
    Coal Mines in the vicinity.

    17. Of the fate of the 280 who were left on board in the care of three
    Dutch doctors and six Medical Orderlies I am unable to give precise information,
    but have reason to believe that the majority succumbed within a few
    days. Further information in this connection should be available from
    Dr. Liddell of the R.A.F. who was himself evacuated to Moji hospital at
    that time.

    18. The 677 mobile P.O.W.s after standing on the dock, in subzero
    temperatures, dressed in tropical kit, for several hours and without food
    were eventually split into one group of 170 and three groups of 169 each.
    I was in charge of the group of 170 and proceeded to Fukuoka No. 7 Camp,
    Ube, where a further 17 died from the effects of the voyage. All sufferred
    from scurvy for several weeks.

    - 4 -

    Summary
    -----------

    677 - Disembarked, Moji
    63 - Buried at sea.
    1 - Committed suicide.
    21 - Removed to hospital, Formosa.
    30 - Removed to hospital, Moji.
    289 - Too ill to be removed from "Singapore Maru".
    -------
    1081 (includes 3 Dutch doctors and 6 M.O.s )
    ______


    SWORN by the said ERIC KENNETH SCOTT
    at 6 Spring Gardens in the City of
    Westminster this 19th day of January
    1946
     
  20. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    Originally posted by member 'papiermache' on 15/06/13 on another thread.

    EMERGENCY MEDICAL PARTIES
    __________________________________

    On November 29th, 1942, a Medical Party consisting of eight medical officers,
    one dental officer and approximately thirty medical orderlies left Zentsuji and
    proceeded by train to Moji.

    This party was under the command of Captain W. Lineberry, (MC), U.S.N.
    All personnel were of the U.S.N., except three medical officers - Captain J.F.
    Akeroyd, A.A.F., Captain V. Bristow, A.I.F., and Surgeon Lieutenant S.E.L.
    Stening, R.A.N.R.

    Arriving at Moji this large party was divided into three. The first party
    under the leadership of Captain Lineberry; the second under Lieutenant Commander
    T. Moe, (MC), U.S.N., and the third under Captain J.F. Akeroyd.

    I was a member of Lieutenant Commander Moe's party which was composed of
    Lieutenant Commander Moe, myself and Lieutenant J.E.Eppley, (M.C.), U.S.N., as
    the doctors and eight corpsmen - Chief Pharmacist's mate I. Frontis, G.J. Shaw,
    PhM1c, A.P. Rowe, PhM1c, J.Young PhMlc, B.W. Berry, PhM3c, J.J. LaCasse, PhM3c,
    A.R. Wilkinson, PhM3c and W.W. Dunlap, HA1c.

    The three parties were sent in different directions. Lieutenant Commander
    Moe's party proceeded to the dockside to a ship bearing the name "Singapore Maru"
    and which was flying the yellow flag.

    On the dockside beside the ship were stacked piles of rough coffins and beside
    these small groups of haggard, sick and disconsolate men.

    We were told that we had to shift the men still remaining at and in the ship
    to a small ferry and then to convey them to a hospital, well stocked with everything
    we were likely to require and then care for these men and restore them to
    health. We climbed up a very ricketty ladder and descended into the foward
    holds of the ship and there we were taken aback by the indescribably horrible
    scene which met our outraged eyes.

    The vessel was a cargo ship and had been employed to transport a thousand
    P.O.W. from Java and Singapore to Japan. They had been crowded into the holds
    from Singapore for more than a month and had come through heavy weather and
    extreme heat to the bitter chilling air of Japan. Many had been very seasick
    and all had been badly underfed. Food had been very limited indeed and the
    sanitary arrangements woefully inadequate. Some convalescent dysentery patients
    from a Java hospital had been sent at the last moment to make up a full draft and
    some of these patients had been included at the reshuffle at Singapore. These
    convalescents were, so I think, responsible for initiating an outbreak of dysentery
    on board. The first case appeared several days out from Singapore and the
    numbers gradually increased, until at the conclusion of the voyage there were very
    very few who had not been affected.

    The epidemic, plus the overcrowded insanitary conditions and the very low diet
    was responsible for something over 90 deaths before the ship even reached Japan.
    It must be noted that the ship carried stocks of European type food, which may have
    been Red Cross food. This food was loaded at Singapore and was for the prisoners.
    They were issued with practically none and had the mortification of seeing illiterate
    Japanese soldiers bring can after can on to the deck, open the can to see what was
    inside, maybe taste it and often throw the whole lot over the side because it was
    not to his fancy.

    By the time Lieutenant Commander Moe's party arrived, all the fit prisoners
    and the majority of the patients had left or been removed from the ship. The
    remainder ( to be our responsibility ) were the very sick men in the ship and
    watching us with sad patient eyes on the dockside. None of these men had any
    winter clothing and many had no long trousers. Our party divested itself of our
    heavy overcoats and put them over the patients. Then after leading those men we
    found on the dock to the small junk which was to be our ferry, we proceeded to
    board the ship again.

    Down into the forward hold once more and gazed upon a filthy odorous mass
    of rubbish, excreta, food, clothing, equipment amongst which we could see here
    and there a body which may or may not have been still living. Quickly we ran
    over the inmates of that forward hold. We found about four dead and two almost
    dead. The remainder were in varying stages of sick from moderately severe to
    hopeless cases. There was one man there who was not suffering from illness but
    solely from complete exhaustion. This man, single handed, had cared
    for, fed, comforted and nursed the sick men in that hold until he could do no
    more. He had watched men die and had nursed some to near health again.

    ( Original file copy J-10 )

    EMERGENCY MEDICAL PARTIES ( Continued )
    ---------------------------------------------------------

    This man, Gunner C.W. Peacock, R.A., had had no rest for three days and had to
    be assisted to the deck and to the junk.

    Well, the patients were finally sorted out and carried to the junk, those
    nearly dead had died, and all the bodies were neatly laid out in rows in some
    of the ample supply of coffins. Below deck there had been a Japanese Woman
    Doctor, who had been engaged in trying to identify the dead and the moribund,
    there were also some coolies who assisted us in carrying the patients up the
    three flights of companionway to the deck and thence to the junk. In the junk
    the men were all placed on the hatchway and around it and exposed to the biting
    cold. There was no way of avoiding this however.

    The junk cast off after we had carried the last patient and left the coolies
    to loot the filthy holds. The junk fouled its mooring wire and was held up for
    nearly an hour before sailing across the water to the Shimoneski side to a
    disused quarantine station which, we were told, was our hospital. In that junk were
    some 56 men from Java and Singapore. We transhipped them at the Quarantine Station
    and carried them into the main room, which was prepared to receive them. Mats
    ( Tatamis ) covered the floor and five blankets were stacked at intervals around.

    The two other parties went to do the same type of work on patients from the
    same ship who had been unloaded soime days previously. Captain Lineberry's party
    went to Kokoura Army Hospital where a section had been set aside for this purpose.
    Captain Aderoyd's party went to an empty Y.M.C.A. building in Moji and found
    nearly 300 patients awaiting him.

    These two parties spent the entire time before their return to Zentsuji at
    these same stations, while Lieutenant Commander Moe's party proceeded to
    Nagasaki at a later date and cared for patients in emergencies of lesser degree
    in two camps there.

    Statement of Surg Lt. S.E.L. Stening

    Surg Lieut Samuel Edward Lees Stenning RANVR Navy Dept Melbourne

    Original File Copy J-10

    17 Sep 45 "
     

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