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5828429
Lance Corporal
Thomas Ivan Brett
1920/08/22 Born Mendelsohn, Stowmarket.
Son of Ernest and Alice (Maiden Name Hearn) Brett.
Occupation Labourer.
Next of Kin Parents, Ernest and Alice Brett, Council House, Mendlesham, Suffolk.
Suffolk Regiment
5th Battalion
18th Division
Service
1939/05/12 - Enlisted
5th Battalion
The 5th Battalion were formed with territorials from the Suffolk area. After some basic training at North Walsham they were put on guard duty in coastal Villages, which included the seaside villages of Hemsby and Caister both on the Norfolk Coast, where they occupied holiday accommodation.
They also patrolled the dry docks where Allied submarines were serviced. Further moves were to Fulbourn near Cambridge, Hawick, Scotland, Liverpool, Isle of Anglesey and then Leominster in Herefordshire.
Reina del Pacifico
Once more they were on the moved by train from Leominster to Liverpool where they boarded the Reina del Pacifico in late October 1941, it was believed their destination was the Middle East as they had been equipped with khaki drill tunics for desert use.
The Reina del Pacifico passage was to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, across a very rough sea.
USS Wakefield
At Halifax, the 5th battalion, being part of the 54 Infantry Brigade, changed ship to the American liner ‘USS Wakefield’ and became part of the Convoy William Sail 12X.
Convoy William Sail 12X continued with six American troopships, two cruisers, eight destroyers and the aircraft carrier Ranger, the Convoy William Sail 12X was under way, destination still unknown.
Convoy William Sail 12X
Above Photo supplied by the late Maurice Rooney
Detailed Account by Thomas M. Allison
A reproduction of an account by Thomas M. Allison who is understood to be serving as an American Naval officer in the convoy.
Aircraft
Vought SB 2U Vindicator Scout Bomber - USS Ranger which was flying an Anti Submarine patrol over the convoy.
Ships Front Line, Top to Bottom:-
USS West Point - USS Mount Vernon - USS Wakefield - USS Quincy (Heavy Cruiser)
Ships Back Line Top to Bottom:-
USAT Leonard Wood - USS Vincennes (Heavy Cruiser) - USS Joseph T Dickman
The convoy passed through the Mona Passage between Puerto Rico and St Domingo.
Arrived at Trinidad 17th November in glorious sunshine so troops changed to tropical kit, but no shore-leave, left Trinidad after two days of taking on supplies. The equator was crossed soon after leaving Trinidad on the 24th, there was a crossing the line ceremony.
After a month the convoy arrived at Cape Town, and soon after on the 8th December news reached the regiment that Japan had attacked Pearl Harbour and Malaya.
Britain and America were now at war with Japan and the rumours were that the convoy was now heading for the Far East and not the Middle East as first thought.
Up till now the destination of the convoy was the Middle East but Japan entered the war on 8th December 1941, it became obvious that the 18th Division would be sent to the Far East.
Landing Places of Japanese Forces
Japan landed troops at Singora and Patani in Thailand, plus Kota Bhara in Malaya. Soon taking the Kota Bharu airfield which limited air cover for the Allied forces who were pushed back towards Singapore by the already battle hardened Japanese troops.
At this point the convoy was split with one part going to Mombassa and then on to Malaya and the Wakefield going to India, arriving at Bombay on the 5th January 1942, then on by train to Ahmenager, which was inland from Bombay where more training took place for the Far eastern climate. The 54th Infantry, which included the 5th Suffolks stayed at Ahmenager for three weeks, then back to Bombay where the Wakefield had waited, sailing once again this time to Singapore arriving 29th January, just two days before the causeway was blown between Malaya and Singapore.
Battle of Malaya
Singapore by this time was under siege and the 5th Battalion found themselves in old tents in a rubber plantation along Tampines Road. With the departure of the RAF to Sumatra and Java there was very little air cover and slit trenches were a necessity.
The 5th Battalion were moved to take up positions along with other regiments of the 18th Division along the North-East Coastline overlooking the Straits of Johore between Singapore and the South Coast of Malaya at Ponggol Point. The Japanese attack on Singapore was suspected to be made in this area, the assumption was thought to be correct as the Japanese had these regiments under constant Mortar and air attacks.
This was a Japanese bluff as they attacked the North-East Coast and not the North-West Coast. Being of little use in these positions the 5th Battalion was moved by the RASC bus company on the 10th February to Thomson Road, taking over positions of the 1st Cambridgeshires who moved further along towards the Japanese attack positions on Bukit Timah Road.
On the 15th February from their positions at Battalion HQ, near Raffles College clouds of smoke could be seen as the oil tanks of Singapore were destroyed. To the Battalion it seemed just a matter of time before a surrender was called and in late afternoon they were told to destroy their weapons.
Surrender of Singapore
by Leo Rawlings
Percival surrendered, just 18 days after the USS Wakefield had docked at Singapore.
1942/04/21 - WO 417/42, Casualty List No. 803., Reported ‘Missing’.
1943/09/21 - WO 417/66, Casualty List No 1244. Previously posted on Casualty List No 803 as Missing. Now reported, ‘Prisoner of War’.
1945/10/27 - WO417/98, Casualty List No. 1895. Previously reported on Casualty List No. 1244 as Prisoner of War now ‘Not Prisoner of War’. Previous Theatre of War, Malaya.
Japanese PoW
1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore
Changi Camp
Japanese Index Card - Side One
Japanese Index Card - Side Two
1942/10/17 - Overland to Thailand, under the command of Lt-Col. Roland Frederick Baker of the 5th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment.
Work Group 1
New PoW No. I 26679
As Thomas Liberation Question has no camps listed, it is most likely he went with Lt-Col Baker to Wang Takhain and Ban Khao then back to Chungkai in March 1943. Then in May 1943, Lt-Col Baker’s party were transported back up country to Bhatona.
In September 1943 they were transported to Nong Pladuk.
There are a number of hospital admissions for the 5th Suffolks on 1943/09/15 when they travelled back from Bhatona.
1943/10/25 - The rail lines from Thailand and Burma joined near Konloita, Thailand.
From Nong Pladuck, Thomas, with about 1000 PoWs, were transported back to Singapore with Major Seekings of the 2nd Cambridgeshire Regiment
1944/07/11 - Arriving at River Valley Camp, Singapore
About 1,000 PoWs, left Thailand for Japan under Major Seekings, arriving Singapore on 5th June, 1944. When they arrived at Singapore the Japanese were worried about their convoys were being attacked by the American blockade, so they camped at River Valley camp and worked on the docks. The food situation at this time was dire and the Japanese badly treated the work parties with many beatings.
In late January 1945, when things couldn't get any worse, the PoWs were told they were being moved to Saigon, French Indo China.
1945/02/02 - Oversea to French Indo China
New PoW No. I 40253
On 2nd February 1945 the Haruyasa Maru sailed under Major Seekings and Captain Spooner with 218 English POWs, it was like heaven compared with the last two years.
Camp 10 was situated on the Rue Catinat, which was a main thoroughfare between the native quarter and the French quarter. The huts were of timber construction except for the hospital which was of bamboo structure with an attapi roof. All the huts had electric light.
Rice was still their main diet, but they also got meat twice a week and eggs to buy in the canteen. There was also a remarkable change in the way the Japanese treated them.
Germany had surrendered and the Japanese knew the end of the war was near. The PoWs had gathered the end was near when the Japanese started to go missing. The PoWs officially found out the Japanese had surrendered when Allied parachutists landed at the camp and took control.
1945/09/12 - Liberated
The PoWs were flown to Rangoon’s Rehabilitation Centres, examined and fed before eventually being shipped home.
Liberation Questionnaire as filled on by Thomas after Liberation
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Pacific Star
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War Medal
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1939-1945 Star
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Far East Medals
Post War
1950 - Married Sheila Huffey at Gipping, Suffolk
They were blessed with two sons Ralph and Kerrin.
1990 - Thomas passed away at Gipping, Suffolk
Information
Kerrin Brett - Son of Thomas and Sheila
Andrew Snow - Thailand Burma Railway Centre
Convoy William Sail 12X
Fall of Malaya and Singapore
Thailand Burma Railway
5th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
KEW Files:- WO 361/2166, WO 345/06, WO 361/2027, WO 39/23, WO 361/2165, WO 361/2005, WO 361/2176, WO 361/2058,
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