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3525898
Lance Corporal
George Joseph Maskery
Registered and known as Joseph
Manchester Regiment
1st Battalion
Died
Age 27
1942/02/14
The commanding officer of the Manchesters, Lieut Colonel Holmes, received a secret and confidential message from GOC Malaya which was that in view of the situation he was ordered to select 2 officers and 24 warrant officers and NCOs, issue them with official passes authorising them to leave Singapore and proceed to Australia by any means they could find. They had to be specially selected so that when they reached Australia, their qualifications would fit them to be the nucleus of a new 1st Battalion to be formed round them.
The party managed to get away on HMS Dragonfly, a Royal Navy gunboat which had been operating on the Yangtse River and Hong Kong before the Japanese attacked. They sailed away in the early hours of 14th February, the day before Singapore surrendered. Later that day the H.M.S. Dragonfly was attacked by waves of Japanese torpedo and dive bomber aircraft in the shallow waters of Rusuk Buaja Island. The first two bombs landed amidships right on the Petty Officers mess where the Manchester Regiment NCOs were, killing the majority of the Manchesters immediately, Joseph being amongst those killed, only four Manchesters survived.
Loved Ones
Son of George Joseph & Fanny (Thorpe) Maskery and brother to their five other children. Joseph was born 21st September 1915 at 10, Ibbott Street, Cudworth in the West Riding of Yorkshire.
Joseph is also half brother to three sisters from his fathers second marriage.
Memorial
Column 76.
SINGAPORE MEMORIAL
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