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1064001
Aircraftman 1st Class
William Briggs
1920/05/01 - Born Durham
Son of John William and Elizabeth Briggs
Occupation Motor Mechanic
1940/08/15 - Enlisted at Padgate
Royal Air Force
41 Air Stores Park
Service
1940/08/14 - Enlisted as Mechanical Transport
Stationed at RAF Weeton
1941/01/03 - Stationed at Morecambe
1941/04/04 - Obtained R.A.F. 8 Service Technical Training
William completed a course and is given ‘Home Holding’ as he had an overseas posting but the transport was not available so home on leave.
1941/07/22 - Stationed at Leeming, North Yorkshire
1941/11/29 - Oversea Service Posting
1941/12/06 - Far East
1942/03/08 - Java surrendered to the Japanese
Japanese PoW
1942/03/08 - Captured Java
PoW No. 10238
Japanese Index Card - Side One
Japanese Index Card Side Two
1942/10/21 - When the draft for transportation was assembled, there were many stretcher cases and many of the PoWs collapsed on the march to the docks. At the Tandjong Priok Docks the Tanjong Priok P.O.W. Camp draft of 1000 ( 90 Officers and 910 O.R.s approx ) 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.
At 1600 hours the daft of 1800 PoWs embarked onto the Yoshiba Maru and were crammed into the holds. They including men from the 12th and 15th Batteries
1942/10/22 - The Yoshida Maru sailed from Batavia with the 1800 PoWs to Singapore in very bad conditions as the tarpaulins leaked and the water entered the holds.
1942/10/25 - Yoshida Maru arrived at the Roads of Singapore.
1942/10/26 - Reached Keppel Harbour, Singapore. 32 sick PoWs were taken to Changi-Hospital. The remaining PoWs were herded onto the quay, disinfected and tested for dysentery and cholera (rod test). Then herded back aboard the Yoshida Maru
1942/10/28 - 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 Camp were then transferred to Singapore Hospital.
1942/10/27 - The Singapore Maru (1100 PoWs) and the Dainichi Maru (1200 PoWs) set sail to Japan. Some of Java Party 5a, 5b and 5c who had sailed earlier from Java and taken to Changi, joined the PoWs in this Japan daft.
1942/11/25 - Arrived Moji, Japan
Many of the PoWs were then hospitalised at Moji
1942/11/30 - Hakadate 2D - Ohasi, Japan
New PoW No. III 3667
1943/10/17 - Fukuoka 3B - Yawata, Japan
Work at Yahata Steel Mills
Hyama was the foreman of the steel works and was responsible for beating the prisoners until they collapsed. He also made them kneel for several hours and hold iron bars over their heads. Men incapable of working were still made do very heavy work. Later on, many of those men died in hospital.
The Camp Commander was Maj. Rikitake for the last twelve months and was held responsible for the deaths of approximately 150 mainly dying from pneumonia. Other deaths were caused by malnutrition and starvation.
1944/08/20 - The camp was bombed, no loss of life.
1945/08/08 - Camp bombed again an American was killed and another lost his arm.
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Nationality at Camp
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Numbers
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British
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193
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American
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616
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Dutch
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211
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Australian
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3
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Indonesian
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132
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Chinese
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22
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Port
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9
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West Indian
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4
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Malay
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2
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Arab
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2
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South African
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1
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Total
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1195
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1945/09/17 - Liberated at Fukuoka 3B (Service Record 106)
Repatriation
Embarked HMS Implacable
Boarding No. 633, Camp No. 3726
Ex-PoWs Boarded - 2000 Men and 135 Officers
1945/09/25 - Departed Manila
1945/05/10 - Americans departed ship US Naval Base, Pearl Harbour, Ford Island
1945/10/11 - Arrived Vancouver, ‘A’ Pier
Post War
1946/01/28 - Security Briefing (Service Record 116)
1946/08/10 - Date of Release from Royal Air Force (Service Record 104)
1947/09/03 - Married Elizabeth Donald
He joined his father Williamin’s coal merchants business.
Had two daughters Sheila (Tracey’s mum) 1949/02/04,
and Brenda 1953/07/10.
Two grandchildren, Tracy and her brother Geoff.
Three great grandchildren, but unfortunately William only met two before he died.
Died
16th June 2014
Information
Tracy Crow - Granddaughter
Cliff Phillips
Glenda Godfrey
Roger Mansell - Centre for Research - Fukuoka 3B
KEW Files:- WO 361/2009, WO 392/23, WO 345/6, WO 361/1254,
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