Can anyone help regarding two Hellship voyages. Looking for either a National Archives file or any website listings for two sailings that seem to have occurred before the Nelson Files were commenced. (Java Party 1 was 18.09.42) First hellship is Maru Ni which sailed from Batavia to Singapore on 04.06.42. Second hellship is Tufuku Maru which sailed on 01.08.42. Trying to find if there was any nominal roll for these two ships, or whether they then sailed onto Japan with the original POWs. Websites seem to suggest they both had 500 men onboard, but uncertain which nationality. Any help appreciated. Thanks Mike
Do you have a source for those ships' details? I can't find a sniff about them on any of the normal Aussie sites (if even one bloke on board was an Aussie serviceman then there would most likely be a mention of it somewhere.......) So far this is the only site that mentions them - http://www.west-point.org/family/japanese-pow/ShipsNum.htm
Hi Dave, I agree that the source for these ships is extremely limited, but they are mentioned: e.g. The Tufuku Maru (also sometimes spelt as Tsufuku Maru is mentioned here): http://www.britain-at-war.org.uk/WW2/Hell_Ships/html/departure_database_20.htm I believe the Maru Ni(2) is the one mentioned here as Name Unknown: (scroll to 1942/06/04) http://www.britain-at-war.org.uk/WW2/Hell_Ships/html/departure.htm Mike