To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

Royal Artillery-tn

963808

Gunner

Wilfred Ellis

Wilfred Ellis

1919/01/09 - Born Sowerby, Yorkshire

Son of Irvin and Maria Ellis

Occupation French Polisher

Royal Artillery

122 Field Regiment

 

Service

1939/06/01 - The 122 Field Regiment was formed in Bradford as a Territorial unit

Empress_of_Japan

1941/01/03 - Departed Glasgow in Empress of Japan.

1941/03/03 - Arrived Singapore.

Now part of 12th Indian Brigade.

1941/12/08 - Japan invades Malaya from  landings on the Malayan border with Thailand.

The 278 Battery of the 122 Field Regiment were transported to North Malaya and the 280 Battery took positions in Southern Area, Singapore.

1942/02/15 - Singapore surrenders to Japanese

 

1942/03/26 - WO 417/40, Casualty List No. 781. Reported ‘Missing’.

 

Japanese PoW

1942/02/15, Captured Singapore

PoW No. 2592

Japanese Index Card - Side One

Ellis-Wilfred-01

Japanese Index Card - Side Two

Ellis-Wilfred-02

1943/05/15 - Transported oversea with ‘J’ Force with ‘Special Parties’ in Wales Maru.

WALES MARU_tn

Wales Maru carried 950 PoWs

(600 British, 300 Australians, 50 Americans)

Voyage Via:-

Cape St. Jacques, French Indo-China

(stayed for three days)

1943/05/23 - Departed Cape St. Jaques

 1943/05/29 - Takao, Tawain

1943/06/05 - Convoy attacked by submarine, Wales Maru not hit.

1943/06/07 - Arrived Moji, Japan. Sick taken to Moji Hospital.

Moved to POW Camp 1st Division Holding Site

1943/06/20 moved to Hakodate - Bibai-Machi, Japan

New PoW No. 3210

Breakdown of Nationalities at Hakodate Main Camp

British

283

Americans

50

Dutch

53

Australians

8

Canadians

1

Esth

1

Total

396

 

1945/09/11 - Liberated Hakodate.

PoWs at Liberation - Group One

(Photo From British POW Jim Crinion)

hak_main_1

PoWs at Liberation - Group Two

(Photo From British POW Jim Crinion)

hak_main_2

PoWs at Liberation - Group Three

(Photo From British POW Jim Crinion)

hak_main_3

Wilfred is 3rd row from front, 2nd from right (white boiler suite)

 

1945/09/14 - Transferred at Hakodate, Chitose Prefecture, Chitose District, Chitose Naval Air Station, to American Army Major Sutter.

 

1945/10/31 - WO417/98, Casualty List No. 1898. Previously reported on Casualty List No. 1140 as Prisoner of War now Not Prisoner of War. Previous Theatre of War, Malaya.

 

Repatriation

1945/11/03 - Departed  Manila in the USS Perida

Boarding No. 719

Via Hawaii

To Vancouver

Then Home

 

Those of the 122 Field Regiment remembered in the Far East:-

Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore

17

Singapore Memorial, Singapore

43

Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Thailand

41

Chungkai War Cemetery, Thailand

13

Yokohama War Cemetery, Japan

10

 

pacific-star-tn

war-medal-1939-1945-tn

1939-1945 Star-tn

Pacific Star

War Medal

1939-1945 Star

 

Information

Sharon Ellis - Grandfather

Tan DingXiang

Mike Heather

Jim Crinion - Ex PoW

 Japanese Transports

Roll of Honour - Hakodate Main Camp

 Roger Mansell - Hakodate Main Camp

KEW Files:- WO 392/24, WO 345/16, WO 367/2, WO 361/2067, WO 361/2059, WO 361/2185, WO 361/1969,

*

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

 

 

 

Keeping The Candle Burning

 

Fepow Family

In Memory of Fred Taylor, Arthur Lane and John Wheedon  
Designed and Maintained by Ron Taylor.

 

Honorary Life Member-1tn

Honorary member of COFEPOW

 

Email Ron Taylor 

 

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