Hunter-Robert

To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

2361479

Corporal

Robert Hunter

Known as Bob

1917/03/18 - Born Stranrear, Scotland

Son of Alexander and Margaret Hunter

1940/05/14 - Enlisted

Royal Corps of Signals

Southern Area

Service

1941 - Transported to Malaya

Robert on the right with a mate

1942/02/15 - Singapore Surrenders to the Japanese

1942/05/15 - WO 417/43, Casualty List No. 824. Reported ‘Missing’.

1944/01/18 - WO 417/70, Casualty List No 1345. Previously reported on Casualty List No 824 as Missing now reported Prisoner of War in Japanese Hands.

Japanese PoW

1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore

River Valley Camp

Japanese Index Card - Side One

Japanese Index Card - Side Two

Hunter-Robert-02

1943/03/22 - Transported overland to Thailand,’D’ Force, train 8

57th train to Thailand

Commander Lt-Col. G.G. Carpenter, 1st Battalion Cambridgeshires

Group 4 16(Y) Work battalion

Commander Major Henry John Marsh R.A.S.C.

Thailand Camps:-

Kanchanaburi, 50km from Nong Pladuk

Kannyu Area where he worked at Kannyu 1, 150km from Nong Pladuk

Two more camps before being sent down river sick to:

Kanchanaburi No.3 Hospital

1943/12 - Arrived Chungkai Hospital

1944/05 - Left Chungkai Hospital

Tha Muang, 38km from Nong Pladuk

1944/06/24 - Transported back to River Valley Camp, Singapore with Captain Robert Douglas Wilkie.

1944/09/04 - Transported oversea in Kachidoki Maru to Japan

Commander Captain Robert Douglas Wilkie

The Japan party consisted of 2,250 prisoners, 1,500 were British the remainder Australian, the number who actually sailed with the convoy was 2,217. The Kachidoki Maru held 900 PoWs (all British) and The Rakuyo Maru a further 1317 (Australian and British).

On 4th September 1944, the two ships joined convoy HI-72 and sailed from Singapore.

On the 12th of September the convoy was attacked by US submarines, The Rakuyo was hit.

The Kachidoki Maru left the scene of attack but was hit by the US submarine, Pampanito.

Three torpedoes were fired at the Kachidoki Maru at 22.40, the target was 3,700 away, two hitting the ship, one at the stern and the other amidships. Both blew holes in the hull plates, flooding the entire aft end of the ship.

Most of those rescued from the Kachidoki Maru were picked up by Japanese trawlers and continued their journey to Japan on the Kibitsu Maru.

Commander Captain Robert Douglas Wilkie stayed with the Kachidoki Party to Japan and then onto Fukuoka 25B.

Fukuoka 25B - Omuta

PoW No. 79

1944/09/31 - Fukuoka - Omuta established with 289 men; 11 of the Wilkie’s party were left at Moji Hospital

1944/11/01 - Six men arrive ex Moji Hospital; camp now has 291 men.

1945/01/16 - Five more men arrive from Moji Hospital; camp total now 296

1945/07/27 - Major fire bombing raid- camp saved by POWs

1945/08/17 - Informed war is over

1945/08/21 - Announcement war has ended.

1945/08/28 - first food drops

1945/09/04 - British & American Flags raised

1945/09/16 - POWs depart by train for Omuta

1945/09/16 - Liberated Fukuoka 25- Omuta

Liberation Questionnaire

1945/10/29 - WO417/98, Casualty List No. 1896. Previously reported on Casualty List No. 1345 as Prisoner of War now Not Prisoner of War. Previous Theatre of War, Malaya.

Repatriation

Transported to Manila and taken into the 5th Replacement Depot, run by the 3rd Australian POW Reception to to recuperate.

1945/10/10 - Robert embarked on USS Marine Shark

Passenger number 215

Sailed via Pearl Harbour

1945/11/01 - Arrived San Francisco

There is no actual document for Robert thereafter, but assuming his journey was as per fellow POWs he stayed at Fort McRowan overnight.

Next day he boarded a train at Oakland for Seattle, arriving at Fort Lewis , Tacoma on 3rd November.

After 4 days on 7th November he boarded the Canadian Rocky Mountain train and for 5 days passed through Jasper, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Ottawa and arrived New York on 12th November.

Sailed on the Queen Mary on 13th arriving Southampton on 18th November 1945.