To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

Northumberland Fusiliers-tn

4276676

Fusilier

Norman Huston

Huston-Norman-05

1915/04/15 Born Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland

Son of John and Alice (nee Tully) Huston

Brother to Neville, Stanley (Norman’s Twin), John Thomas, Lillian, Winifred and Irene

Occupation Painter and Decorator

1940/06/13 - Enlisted

Royal Northumberland Fusiliers

9th Battalion

 

Service

The 9th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers were formed in 1939 as an offshoot of the 7th Battalion. In August of that year they were amalgamated into the 18th Division and transported to Norfolk, defending the coast between Wells-on-Sea and Great Yarmouth.

Huston-Norman-03th

Norman and his twin brother Stanley enlisted together in 1940 with the Royal Northumberland  Fusiliers.

(From Front Stanley left and Norman right)

 In January 1941 they moved to the Scottish Boarders for training with their HQ at Bowhill House.

Norman’s brother Stanley injured his hand getting into the lorry as they were leaving, so was not transported oversea with the rest of the 9th Battalion of Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.

Warwick Castle-2

1941/10/30 - Equipped for Middle East the 9th Royal Northumberland Fusiliers left Liverpool in the Warwick Castle, Convoy CT.5.

Orizaba-1

1941/11/08 - Arrived Halifax and after much debate amongst the troop at Halifax the 9th Battalion eventually boarded the USS. Orizaba, which was not a luxurious ship.

1941/11/10 - The 18th Division left Halifax in Convoy William Sail 12X and was escorted by the US Navy.

Convoy William Sail 12x

Convoy Willam Sail 12X

(USS Ranger was flying on antisubmarine patrol for the convoy)

The convoy passed through the Mona Passage between Puerto Rico and St Domingo, arriving at Trinidad on 17th November in glorious sunshine so our tropical kit came out, but unfortunately no shore-leave, the convoy left after two days of taking on supplies. On 24th the equator was crossed and there was a crossing the line ceremony.

1941/12/02 - USS Orizaba was refuelled at sea

After a month the convoy arrived at Cape Town, South Africa. By this time the Americans were in the war as the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbour and attacked Malaya and the rumours were that they were heading for the Far East and not the Middle East as first thought.

1941/12/13 - The convoy left Cape Town and sailed along the coast of East Africa past Madagascar and into the Indian Ocean heading for Bombay.

1941/12/27 - After 17,011 miles at sea Bombay was reached and the troops disembarked for training.

Felix Rousell-tn

1942/01/17 - Embarked  Felix Rousell and the convoy sailed the next day with a British escort, the H.M.S. Exeter and H.M.S. Glasgow with British and Australian destroyers. Japan had entered the war by attacking Malaya on 8th December 1941, destination was the far East. The Prince of Wales and the Repulse had both been sunk by the Japanese off Malaya. Passing Colombo, (Ceylon), crossing the equator for the third time, the convoy passed through the Sundra Straits between Java and Samatra and then the Banka Straits. The convoy was then bombed by Jap Planes, there was no damage

1942/01/29 - The Convoy reached the safety of Keppel Harbour, Singapore on the 29th January 1942. Ships were ablaze in the harbour, clouds of smoke drifted across the sky and the smell of fumes was overpowering, this was not the best of greetings. The Japanese had taken most of Malaya in the last three weeks and were only thirty miles away from Singapore.

1942/02/15 - Singapore surrendered to the Japanese

 

1942/04/15 - WO 417/41, Casualty List No. 798. Missing

1943 - WO 417/61 - Casualty List No. 1150, Now reported a Prisoner of War

 

Japanese PoW

1942/02/15 - Captured Chancery Lane, Singapore

Commander Lt-Col. Flowers, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers

Japanese Index Card - Side One

Huston-Norman-01

Japanese Index Card - Side Two

Huston-Norman-02

1942/11/07 - Transported overland to Thailand

30th Train from Singapore to Thailand

Commander Lt-Col. Flowers, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers

New PoW No. I 17375

Under the command of Lt-Col. Flowers, Norman would have been ‘Track Laying’  at camps such as Nong Pladuk, Tha Kilen, Wang Pho, Tha Sao, Tonchan, Tampii, Kinsaiyok, Prang Kasi, and Tha Mayo.

1944/05/27 - Transported back to Singapore

1944/06/29 - Transported to Japan in Japan Party 2

Commander Captain Thornhill, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers

Osaka Pow Camp No.16 - Norman is on the roster

New PoW No. I 42456

Work included Chemical Manufacturing

1945/04/06 - Name and jurisdiction changed to Nagoya 4B - Iruka, Japan

1945/09/09 - Liberated

 

Repatriation

General R.L. Howze

USS General Howze

Evacuated to US - 27th September 1945

 

 

American Military

694

 

 

American Civilians

47

 

 

WD Employees

2

 

 

Norwegian Civilians

3

 

 

British Military

678

 

 

British Civilians

7

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

1431

 

 

1945/09/27  - Safely taken aboard USS General Howze in Manila, boarding No. 469. Departed for San Francisco via Hawaii.

1945/10/15, 08:55 am - Passed under The Golden Gate Bridge on homeward journey.

 

1945/10/19 - WO417/98, Casualty List No. 1888. Previously shown on Casualty List No. 1150 as reported Prisoner of War now Not Prisoner of War. Previous Theatre of War, Malaya.

 

pacific-star-tn

war-medal-1939-1945-tn

1939-1945 Star-tn

Pacific Star

War Medal

1939-1945 Star

 

Post War

1949/03/26 - Married widow Margaret (nee Mustoe) Mackie

At Church of Divine Unity, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Became stepfather to daughter Margaret

They were later blessed with three children Susan, Rosemary and Stephen

Huston-Norman-04tn

1989 - Margaret and Norman Celebrating Ruby Wedding Anniversary Party

 

Died

18th October 1991

Cause of death - cancer of the oesophagus

Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland

 

Information

Sue Huston Dalgliesh

Andrew Snow - Thailand Burma Railway Centre

Mike Heather

Japanese Transports

Thailand-Burma Railway

Roger Mansell - Nagoya 4B - Iruka

Liberation Questionnaire - COFEPOW

KEW Files:- WO 361/2170, WO 392/24, WO 345/27, WO 361/2005, WO 361/2060, WO 361/2166, WO 361/2177, WO 361/2166,

*

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

 

 

 

Keeping The Candle Burning

 

Fepow Family

In Memory of FEPOW Family Loved Ones
Designed and Maintained by Ron Taylor.

 

[FEPOW Family] [Roll of Honour] [H]

 

Honorary Life Member-1tn

Honorary Life Member of COFEPOW

 

Email Ron Taylor 

 

Copyright © FEPOW Family