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6918678
Trooper
Francis Cullen
Known as Frank
1914/01/12 - Born Mostrim, Longford Ireland
Son of Patrick and Kathleen Cullen
Occupation Labourer
Next of Kin, Parents,P and K Cullen, Bracklin Road, Mostrim Longford, Ireland
Reconnaissance Corps
(5th Battalion, Loyal Regiment)
18th Battalion
18th Division
Service
Formed from 5th Loyals at Madeley Heath, Staffordshire on 30th April 1941 the battalion's personnel officially transferred from The Loyal Regiment to The Reconnaissance Corps on 9th May 1941.
Training continued through that summer and the issue of tropical kit indicated a move to North Africa. With no Reconnaissance Corps cap badges the battalion made do with Corps flashes, issued in early June, and with painting Reconnaissance Corps markings in a diamond shape on their helmets.
Following inspection by the King on 22th October the battalion embarked in Convoy CT.5, destination unknown. The CT.5 convoy included several troopships and a naval escort which had set sail on the 30th October 1941 from Liverpool setting a zigzag course across the Atlantic. At the time the destination was thought to be the Middle East. During the route the British escort was replaced by an American Escort and the British escort ships returned to the Britain.
USS Leonard Wood
The convoy arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia where the 18th Reconnaissance Corps was transferred to the US Army transport ‘USS Leonard Wood’ and sailed from Halifax in Convoy William Sail 12X protected by the aircraft carrier, USS Ranger.
Convoy William Sail 12X continued with six American troopships, two cruisers, eight destroyers and the aircraft carrier USS Ranger, the Convoy was under way, but the destination still remained 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:-
USS Leonard Wood - USS Vincennes (Heavy Cruiser) - USS Joseph T Dickman
The convoy passed through the Mona Passage between Puerto Rico and St Domingo. On 18th November Leonard Wood was accidentally rammed by Joseph Dickenson and its fuelling tanker. Next day the convoy left Port of Spain in Trinidad but Leonard Wood soon fell behind, although a destroyer escort was still provided. The equator was crossed soon after leaving Trinidad on the 24th, there was a crossing the line ceremony.
Cape Town was reached after the main body of the convoy, on 9th December and were told that Japan had attacked Pearl Harbour and Malaya.
Thirteen days later, the Battalion learned that its destination was now Bombay.
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.
At this point the 53 Infantry Brigade departed the Convoy William Sail 12X in the DM1 Convoy, which also carried:- 232 squadron RAF, 6th Heavy and 35th Light AA regiments and the 85th Anti-tank regiment, in total 9100 troops destination Singapore.
The Leonard Wood finally reached India on 27th December and the troops disembarked on the last day of 1941 to move by train to Ahmednagar for training. After the next two weeks of training they were entrained back to Bombay. Because of the worsening situation in the Far East, the 54 and 55 Infantry Brigades of the 18th Division sailed from Bombay for Singapore on the 19th January in Convoy BM11
Empress of Asia
The 18th Reconnaissance Corps embarked in the Empress of Asia which became part of the BM12 Convoy and sailed from Bombay on the 23rd January 1942. The BM12 Convoy consisted of the Empress of Asia, Felix Roussel (Royal Northumberland Fusiliers), Plancius, Devonshire and City of Canterbury (detached from DM2)
It was a glorious sunny morning on the 5th February and with just 10 miles to go to reach Singapore, that bastion of the East, with its so-called impregnable defences. The troops on board the Empress of Asia were in good humour with not a cloud in the sky and a calm sea. At about 1100 hours, when the leading ships were close to Singapore and the slowest ship, the Empress of Asia, was south-west of the Sembilan Islands, the convoy was attacked by enemy dive-bombers arriving from every angle and had a field day.
The Empress of Asia received several direct hits and soon began to sink.
Troops took to the water trying to escape the fires which now raged on the ship. Some great acts of gallantry were performed, especially by members of the hospital staff. Rescues were quickly effected by HMAS Yarra and the Royal Navy. The loss of life fortunately was small as craft picked up the survivors, but nearly all weapons and equipment on board were lost. The Reconnaissance Corps had lost two Captains and five Troopers in the sinking.
As some of the units aboard the Empress of Asia landed without their equipment, they were re-equipped as far as possible with small arms and fought there after as infantry until the 15th February when Singapore eventually surrendered to the Japanese, just ten days after the Reconnaissance Corps had landed in Singapore and losing a further 51 men in the defence of Singapore. Many of the men were lost fighting with the 4th Royal Norfolks, near Water Tower Hill and Adam Park.
Late on the 15th February the men were told to put their guns out of action as Singapore had surrendered.
Surrender of Singapore
1943/10/28 - WO 417/67, Casualty List No. 1276. Previously reported Missing on Casualty List No. 795, 15/02/1942 now reported Prisoner of War. (Previously shown with Rank as Private, now Trooper). Now reported a ‘Prisoner of War’.
1945/12/05 - WO417/100, Casualty List No. 1928. Previously shown on Casualty List No. 1276 as reported Prisoner of War. Previous Theatre of War, Malaya. Previously shown with unit as Reconnaissance Corps. Now reported ‘Died’.
Japanese PoW
1942/02/15 - Captured Bukit Timah Road, Singapore
PoW No. 3/5569
Japanese Index Card - Side One
Japanese Index Card - Side Two
1943/04/27 - Transported overland to Thailand with ‘F’ Force, train 10
73rd overland train to Thailand
The route in cattle trucks to Thailand:-
Kuala Lumpur (0300 hrs), had rice and dried fish at Ipoh
Reached Pai (0200 hrs), arrived Haadyi (1700 hrs)
Water in cattle trucks very short, heat stifling in trucks all day..
1943/05/02 - Reached Ban Pong
The PoWs were ordered off the Cattle trucks on arrival and after a walk of nearly a mile to a transit camp where they were then informed they would be marching North West along the railway route in 14 mile stages. Many of the PoWs tried to sell their possessions to the Thais but not at a good price as the Thais knew the the PoWs from ‘F’ Force were already in bad shape and could not carry their baggage for long.
After two days of walking through the night, as it was too hot in the daylight sun, they reached the small town of Kanchanaburi. Many who tried to carry their possessions left them at this staging camp.
Walking at night caused many problems as the track was uneven with bamboo shots cutting into their feet, in time tropical ulcers would form.
Reached Kami Songkurai, many of the PoWs had dropped out along the route.
New PoW No. IV-3443
Died
Age 29
2nd September 1943
Cause of death Colitis causing Dysentery
Died before arrival at Apalon Hospital, Burma
Buried at Apalon Hospital
After the war Francis body was laid to rest at Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery
Loved Ones
Son of Pat and Kate Cullen, of Edgworthstown. Co. Longford. Irish Republic
Memorial
B1. F. 5.
Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery
Burma (Myanmar)
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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
Information
Tony Cullen
Convoy William Sail 12X
Fall of Malaya and Singapore
Japanese Transports
18th Btn, Reconnaissance Corps
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
KEW Files:- WO 361/2070, WO 361/2234, WO 367/2, WO 361/2025, WO 361/2201, WO 392/23, WO 361/2176, WO 361/1946, WO 304/17, WO 361/2058, WO 367/2, WO 345/13,
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