Hilton-Robert

To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

2373583

Driver

Robert Hilton

1921/08/16 - Born Haydock, Lancashire

Son of William and Amelia Hilton

Royal Corps of Signals

Service

1941/11/04 - Sailed from the Clyde to Freetown on the Empress of Japan convoy WS12Z, signals section 6th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment. Supposed destination was the Middle East.

1941/11/28 - Convoy arrived Freetown with shore leave.

1941/12/08 - Japan entered war and attacked Malaya.

1941/12/18 - Convoy arrived Durban with shore leave. The 6th H.A.A. were now included into the 18th Division and ordered to Singapore.

1941/12/24 - Departed Durban for Singapore SS Narkunda convoy DM.1

1942/01/13 - Arrived Singapore and defended the south coast of Singapore. A mishap had occurred on route as their stocks of ammunition had already been sent ahead to the original destination in the Middle East. The gunners found their stocks very short.

1942/01/31 - Batteries 12 and 15 were re-equipped transported to Palembang, Sumatra, to defend two airfields, P1 - Pangkalan Benteng north of Palambang and P2 - Prabumulith 40 miles south. They also defended oil refineries close by P1. Again they found that they were only equipped with 6 x 3.7” mobile guns and very little ammunition for them. After some delay 10 x 3.7” guns and ammunition arrived with the SS Subadar but again another mishap as the necessary equipment for controlling the guns had been sent to the Middle East. The airfields at P1 and P2 were important to the defence of Singapore by the RAF but when Singapore fell on the 15th February to the Japanese, the 12th and 15th batteries of the 6th H.A.A. were no longer required at the airfields as the RAF moved the planes out of P1 and P2. The defence of the oil refineries was now their only duty but the Japanese heavily attacked them in the air and after dropping paratroopers, on the ground. In an impossible situation the 12th and 15th joined together and under orders destroyed their guns and evacuated to Java on the SS Yoma.

1942/02/17 - Transported to Java. With no artillery guns the battalion became infantry on airfield defence. The survivors of the 12th defending Kalidjati and the 15th Tjilitan, both in the Batavia area.

1942/03/08 - Java surrendered to Japanese

Japanese PoW

1942/03/08 - Captured Java

1942/03/09 - Tandjong Priok Camp

PoW No. 1074

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.

1942/10/29, 1400 hours - The remaining 1086 disembarked and were disinfested. During the day a further 19 went sick and were sent to shore hospital and 14 replacements were received from Changi P.O.W. Camp, making a total of 1081.

1942/10/29, 1900 hours - The 1081 embarked on the S.S. "Singapore Maru"

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

The remainder were split into groups. One group were marched to a large barge and towed across the inland sea to Ube. They arrived at the men groaning in pain from the freezing cold conditions. The camp at Ube was luxury after the transportation from Singapore

1942/11/26 - Yahata Provisional POW CAMP, Ube - Motoyama

New PoW. No. 2698

Work was in Coal Mine

1943/01/01 - Renamed Fukuoka PoW Camp Ube - Motoyama

1943/03/01 - Renamed Fukuoka 8-B

1943/12/01 Renamed Fukuoka 3-D

1945/04/14 - Control changed to Hiroshima 6D - Motoyama

New PoW No. 3397

1945/08/10 - Renamed Hiroshima 8B - (on camp roll at Liberation)

1945/09/02 - Liberated

Robert is pointed out

(To enlarge click on photo)

Repatriation

1945/09/13 - Train from UBE station to Wakayama

1945/09/14 Wakayama to Okinawa Hospital Ship USS Sanctuary

1945/09/22 - Okinawa to Manila USS Bingham

1945/10/09 - Manila to San Francisco USS Marine Shark

1945/11/02 - San Francisco via Vancouver to New York

Letter Home

November 9th 1945

Dear Mum and Dad

Just a few lines to let you know I am very well and hope this finds all at home the same. We arrived at San Francisco on the 1st November and we stayed a couple of days on an island just off San Francisco. We stayed another couple of days in a fort near the town of Tacoma in Washington state, and we are now on our way non stop to New York to catch the Queen Mary. She sails on the 12th, so I should be home easy by the 20th.

We are getting the best of everything. We are in a pullman 1st class on the C.N.R. and we are somewhere near Winnipeg. Well mother I am having a really good time but I am just longing to get home. Well that’s all, I’ll be seeing you soon so keep smiling.

Give my love to all

Your loving son

Bob

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