Hindmarsh-James-Lawson

To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

975802

Gunner

James Lawson Hindmarsh

Known as Jim

1916/05/19 - Born Newcastle

Son of Margaret Hindmarsh

Next of Kin Mother, Margaret Hindmarsh, Fenham, Newcastle

Royal Artillery

9 Coast Regiment

Service

Between the two World Wars there was a major reorganisation of the Royal Artillery, where it had been decided in 1926 that all Home Coastal defence Regiments would become Territorial Army and all overseas units would be Regulars. It is almost impossible to separate the 7th Coast and the 9th Coast Regiments as they worked so closely together.

By 1933 the Coast Defence Unit in Singapore was designated 7th Heavy Brigade RA with 11th and 22nd Heavy Batteries RA and 3rd Heavy Battery HKSRA. In addition the Hong Kong Coast Defences had a Hong â€“ Kong Singapore Brigade with its HQ in Hong Kong and 3 Batteries stationed in Singapore - 2nd, 4th and 5th Heavy Batteries RA.

Due to the expansion of Coast Defences in Singapore a new Heavy Brigade, the 9th was raised in 1934 consisting of 7th and 22nd Heavy Batteries. In 1938 the term Brigade was replaced as Regiment.

On the outbreak of War in September 1939 the Singapore defences consisted of:

7th Heavy Regiment RA - 11th and 31st Batteries RA and 5th and 7th Batteries HKSRA

9th Heavy Regiment RA - 7th, 22nd and 32nd Batteries RA

In the summer of 1940 Coast Units had their title changed from Heavy Regiments to Coast Regiments. [Re Designated 9th Coast Regiment 14th December 1940.]

Both the 7th and 9th Coast Regiments were formed in situ. The 7th lost one of its Batteries to form the 9th Heavy and additional personnel were sent out from the UK to form the extra Batteries.

In February 1942 the Singapore Fixed Defences consisted of the following Units:

Commander Fixed Defences Singapore - Brigadier AD Curtis

7th Coast Regiment RA - 11th and 31st Batteries RA 5th and 7th Batteries HKSRA

9th Coast Regiment RA - 7th, 22nd and 32nd Batteries RA

11th Coast Regiment RA - 8th Coast and 20th Heavy AA Batteries HKSRA

16th Defence Regiment RA 966 Battery RA and 967 and 968 Batteries HKSRA.

On the 12th February 1942 the Coastal Batteries were destroyed and at 01.30 hours on the 13th February 1942 the garrison was marched to the Indian Recreation Ground in Singapore where the Unit is formed into an Infantry Battalion and used as support troops.

At 16.30 hours o the 15th February 1942 the Regiment ceased to exist as a fighting unit and was Disbanded - Lost at Singapore.

(Information supplied by Michael Nellis)

1943/09/29 - WO 417/66, Casualty List No. 1251. Previously shown on Casualty List No. 769 as Missing, 15/02/1942. Now reported a ‘Prisoner of War’.

1946/01/04 - WO417/100, Casualty List No. 1951. Previously reported on Casualty List No. 1251 as Prisoner of War, Malaya. Now reported ‘Missing at Sea’.

Japanese PoW

1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore

Japanese Index Card - Side One

Japanese Index Card - Side Two

In October 1942 there was a lot of activity in the Singapore PoW camps. The Japanese had decided to use the prisoners for labour parties. This began with Java Parties 1 and 2 being taken by rail to Bam Pong, Thailand, with other parties being transported to Taiwan and Japan. One party was made up of 600 Ak. Ak. Gunners from Southern Area under the command of Lt-Col. J. Bassett, R.A. (35th L.A.A. Regt.). This party, now known here as 600 Gunners Party, sailed eastwards from Singapore on 18th October in the Kenkon Maru, being written in the Changi register as ‘Destination New Guinea’€. The Bureau of Records and Enquiry at Changi later were led to believe the ship was torpedoed and all on board lost.

The Gunners 600 Party included 126 officers and men from the 35th’s 144 Battery, 7 Coast Regiment, 9 Coast Regiment, 11 Coast Regiment, 3 Heavy Ak. Ak., 5th Searchlights and the Hong Kong Singapore Artillery. There was also a few from Royal Army Medical and Service Corps.

After the Kenkon Maru reached Rabaul, 512 PoWs were loaded into a ship and departed for Ballale Island. As there were no survivors from the party who left for Ballale, it is impossible to follow their journey, but after the war it was found that the Japanese report of their ship being sunk was a lie. The prisoners were taken to Ballale Island and used to build an airstrip.

The air strip, which the PoWs worked on, was damaged by American bombardment in June 1943 before it was finished. The Japanese could not finish the air strip and had no further use for the prisoners, the prisoners who were still alive at this point were executed. Ozaki’s statement confirms the rough dates of death.

A mass grave was found on Ballale from the help given by Chinese labourers, but again controversy as they believed the prisoners on Ballale were Australians. Artefacts found confirm they were from the Gunners Party. These 435 bodies had no service tags and were moved to a temporary War Cemetery at Torokina, Bouganville. Then later on 13th December 1945 to Bomana War Cemetery, Port Moresby.

May they Rest in Peace.

Died

Age 24

The date of Jim’s death is unknown but all the deaths on Ballale Island are given the date they died as 15th March 1943 by the Commonwealth War Graves.

Memorial