|
POW |
Surrender - 1942 |
Singapore - from Feb.1942
| Burma -Thailand Railway
| "A" Force |
"B" Force |
"C" Force |
"D" Force |
"E"
Force | "F" Force | "G" Force | "H" Force |
"J"
Force |
Singapore - from March, 1945 |
Surrender - 1945
Arrived February 1942
Departed November, 1942
1) George Kinsela
NX25731 - KANE, Russell John, Pte. - HQ
Company, Carrier Platoon
NX27205 - KINSELA, George Michael,
Pte. - HQ Company, Carrier Platoon
NX20447 - MASON, Joseph (Joe), Pte. - HQ Company, Carrier
Platoon
NX20450 - MASON, Peter, Cpl. - HQ
Company, Carrier Platoon
NX4643 - McCORMICK, Harold Robert
(Mick), Cpl. - HQ Company, Carrier Platoon
NX36696 - WEBB, Francis John (Spider), Pte. - HQ Company,
Carrier Platoon
NX36654 - WIGHTMAN, Arthur Egerton (Ege/Whitey), Pte. - HQ
Company, Carrier Platoon
"There
were about six of the Carrier Platoon in the Party - they were all mates
and stuck together."
(Source: George Kinsela, Makan No. 268,
Jan/March, 1983)
2) George Brown's Makan article
"A party
of men left Selarang Barracks soon after arriving there. On the way into
Singapore a few of the trucks turned into a short side road. A large
number of men from the forward trucks were lined up on the side of the
road in twos or threes and counted off by the Japanese. A Jap officer
came along right opposite my truck and gave instructions in Japanese for
the men to split into two parties. But he was not understood. In the
confusion. The officer drew his sword. He commenced making motions of
chopping through the file. From my vantage point in the truck, I could
see what he wanted, so jumped down and moved the troops into two
parties.
The next
thing to happen was that I was detailed to go with one of the groups. I
grabbed my gear off the truck, took command of the group and followed
the Jap Corporal down the short road into St. Andrews School. There were
about 120 men and officers in the group, the other officer being Ted
Weller, 2/26 Bn. (QX16116 - Lieut. Edwin Samuel WELLER)
Another
Jap officer, who spoke reasonable English, came over. He said that he
wanted the party split into 2 groups, each of sixty men, one to stay at
the school, the other to go to Nee Soon. Ted Weller agreed to go with
the Nee Soon party. I stayed at St. Andrews. I don’t think anyone knew
we were there as we had no contact with any H.Q. establishment until
some months later.
We got
on very well with the Jap Corporal in charge. We were with somewhat of a
Japanese Service Corps Unit, a bulk breaking down unit, located at the
school. Eventually we were moved to River Valley Road Camp, thence to
Changi, about the end of November, 1942."
(Source: George Brown, Makan No. 338,
June 2003)
3) George Brown's letter
"Dear Alex,
I have your letter and list of names, and
will endeavour to set out for you, my recollection of
matters, people and places as they were in 1942.
I was among one of the first groups to leave
Changi in 1942, for work in Singapore. I was ensconced at
Serangoon Road (St. Andrews School), by mid March 1942, as I
have a copy of a long letter, which I wrote to my brother,
at that time, and it is dated March 1942.
My party of 60 men and 1 Officer, and 1
Sergeant was in Serangoon Road, till November '42, when we
moved into Singapore to what I remember was River Valley
Road camp.
Let me deviate a bit here. When we left
Changi in early march, our convoy travelled towards
Singapore, until a point was reached, adjacent to St.
Andrews School, which was set back off the road.
The Japanese unloaded several trucks (about
150 men), and endeavoured to form them up into 3 files,
covered off, so they could be counted.
The Japanese officer in charge was losing his
temper, because things were not happening as he wanted. I
was still in my truck and from my elevated position could
see the dangerous situation developing.
When the Jap Officer drew his sword and began
using it to push the ranks one way and another I thought it
was time to intervene. So I jumped down and took over the
organisation of the ranks (2 blocks of 60 men) and promptly
found myself landed with the 120 men.
The main group of the convoy moved off and we
were left standing on the footpath probably 10 minutes
before a Jap sergeant arrived and said, "Follow me".
This group now (120 men and 2 Officers) was
led up into the school grounds, and halted outside the
School building.
A Japanese Lieutenant came out, and in good
English, said that he wanted 60 men plus 1 Officer to remain
there, with the remaining 60 men and 1 Officer, to be ready
to move to Nee Soon Village that same day.
As I appeared now to be in charge, and
besides I liked the look of St. Andrews, I organised for
myself to remain at the School with the party and 1 Officer
to go to Nee Soon. The Officer with this party was Lt. Ted
Weller, 2/26 Bn. (QX16116 - Lieut. Edwin Samuel WELLER)
I did not have any further contact with them.
In fact I had no contact with anyone either
in Changi, or Singapore, whilst we were at Serangoon Road.
(March-Nov. 42)
We stayed at Serangoon Rd till November 42
when we were shifted out to River Valley Road Camp, prior to
movement back to Changi for Christmas '42.
The photograph which
you mention, was taken in September 42, so my dates of Nov.
42 at Serangoon Rd. is borne out.
I have managed to I.D. 30+ names from your
list, Alex, and I will continue to put names to faces. The
problem is that I had members of other units (transport,
2/20, 2/18, 2/29, etc.) with me, so thirty + 2/30 names is
not too bad. (On second thoughts, and reviewing the detail
of the photo, I conclude
that 90% of the men are 2/30 Bn.).
I trust this info will help you set the
record straight. I've known for 50 years that my party was
not accounted for in the 2/30 Bn. reckoning during 1942, as
we had just disappeared off the map. There is not doubt that
we did not marry up with the Battalion till we arrived at
the River Valley Rd camp in Singapore Nov. 42.
Let me know if I can be of further help.
Cheerio,
Yours sincerely.
George Brown"
(Source: George Brown, Letter to Alex
Dandie, 21/8/1995)
4) George Brown's photograph
"As a matter of interest I have a rather
remarkable
photograph
hanging on my dining room wall, and I'm sure that there are
many Association Members, who would be interested in the
photo.
I am enclosing a copy for you to handle, as you see fit.
There are many memories, for many men in this photo. (We
will try to print it in the "Makan" on some occasion,
George, and we thank you for it. Ed).
The original
photograph was taken about August 1942 at a
Japanese bulk breaking down unit, located at St. Andrews
School, Serangoon Road.
While most of the 2/30 Bn was at Thomson Road and at Holland
Road, I had a
mixed party of 60 men at St. Andrews, where we
had a very good stand for about six months. I don't think B.J. even knew we were there. We certainly had no outside
contact, until we went in to River Valley Road, prior to
returning to Changi, about November.
I managed to bring the original photo home with me. I had
copies taken for each man in the photo (still alive, then,
that is, discounting the Japs) and posted them out.
The copy I'm sending down is a copy of a copy, but it is
still very good, I hope that you and others find it
interesting.
My kind regards to all, George Brown.”
(This is an interesting letter because it seems that George
and his team might have been sent originally under Bob
Morrison to the Great World, and detached from there to St.
Andrews, as his name appears on a list of "Personnel 2/30
Infantry Battalion A.I.F. attached to THE TOMI No. 2302
DETACHMENT P.O.W. CAMP GREAT WORLD. Strength 4 Officers, 29
N.C.O.'s., 179 O.R.s, 212 Total as at 4 June '42". Another
interesting item of memorabilia pinned to that List is part
of a Pay Chit - "PAY DUE TO A.I.F. PERSONNEL RETURNED TO
CHANGI FROM Tomi No. 2302 DETACHMENT, GREAT WORLD - Period
21-30 Jun '42". Three of the named men were A.E. STAADER
(Carrier Pl.), W. KEIGHLY (A Company) and A.J. SUMMERS (A
Company) of 2/30 Bn., others being 18, 19, 20, 29 Bns and 4
Anti Tank men.
Description of the parties, to which all the men, who are
named on the chit, were attached each day, were "Hygienic
Materials, Wharf, Storehouse, Supplying, Collecting,
Delivery, Kitchen", so it would appear that they were from
the main part of the Great World Party and not with George
Brown at St. Andrews School. Ed.)
(Source: George Brown, Makan No. 261,
May/June 1981)
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Last updated
29/08/2022 |
