To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

Merchant Navy-tn

John Angus Mackinnon

jcross

Merchant Navy

S.S. Willesden

 

Japanese POW

After leaving New York the ‘S.S. Willesden’ sailed to St Thomas in the West Indies to load coal. On 1st April 1942 a plan from the ‘Thor’, a German raider, intercepted her and a plan from the raider took out the radio mask using hook and line, leaving the Willesden with no power to transmit for help. The ‘Thor’ fired salvos demanding that the crew of the ‘Willesden’ abandon ship, the ‘Willesden’ then opened fire on the ‘Thor’ with its old 4 inch gun. The ‘Willesden’ was hit several times and the crew took to the lifeboats, being picked up by the Thor.

They found themselves in a 18 by 12ft room with the crew of the ‘S.S. Wellpark’ which had been sunk two days before. Later on the 10th the crew of the ‘Kirkpool’ joined them when that ship was intercepted. On 4th May the Thor was in the Indian Ocean and transferred captured seamen to the ‘Regensburg’

On 7 July 1942 the ship arrived in Yokohama Harbour and the prisoners were transferred to the ‘Ramses’. On the 25th August they found themselves Japanese POW’s when handed over to the Japanese. They were transferred to Kawasaki POW camp. John survived the next three and a half years of captivity.

 

Crewman who died onboard S.S. Willesden:

Name

Rank

Died

MacMillan, Murdo

Sailor

Age 20, 1943/04/01

 

 

 

Crew mates who died in Japanese camps:

Donaldson, John

Able Seaman

Age 31, 1942/12/31

James, Joe

Fireman and Trimmer

Age 57, 1942/12/30

Mendi, Joe

Greaser

Age 50, 1943/05/08

Owen, Robert

Fireman

Age 47, 1943/12/23

Runcie, Alex

Third Officer

Age 24, 1945/07/25

Williams, Alfred

Donkeyman

Age 48, 1943/09/08

 

 

 

Crew of Willesden at Tokyo 23-D Kawasaki (Daishihon):

Name

Rank

Pow No

Alexander, George

Civilian

51

Apare, John

Civilian

75

Bawden, Derek

Civilian

64

Campbell, John

Civilian

60

Cornish, William

Gunner

91

Cox, Percy

Able Seaman

87

Currie, William

Civilian

54

Dunlop, Michael

Gunner

92

Edwards, Clarence

Civilian

78

Gardiner, John

Civilian

49

Garner, William

Gunner

89

Griffiths, Richard

Civilian

48

Heron, Joseph W.

Gunner

88

Joyce, Arthur H.

Civilian

63

Lewis, Phillip

Civilian

73

Mackinnon, John, Angus

Civilian

53

MacLennan, Donald

Civilian

66

MacNeil, Roderick

Civilian

58

Marshall, Adam

Civilian

82

McDougall, John

Civilian

59

McNeill, Thomas

Civilian

55

Miller, Archie

Gunner

90

Morris, Alan

Civilian

57

Morris, William

Able Seaman

85

Perkins, John

Civilian

80

Prentice, Edward

Civilian

79

Silva, Elvin

Civilian

83

Williams, Edward

Civilian

61

Wilson, Ronald D.

Civilian

62

Zimmerman, Ernest

Civilian

84

 

 

 

*

''Our Thanks are for being a Chapter in Life.''

 

 

 

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