Mullinder-Thomas-Henry

To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

1555273

Gunner

Thomas Henry Mullinder

1919/12/14 - Born Wrockerwood

Son of Thomas Henry and Gertrude Mullinder

Occupation Steel Worker

1938 - Enlisted

1941 - Married Margaret E Mundin

Royal Artillery

21st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment

Head Quarters

Service

1941/12/06 -The Territorial Chester area 21st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment together with the 77 H.A.A. and 18 L.A.A. Regiments of the Royal Artillery left the Clyde for the Middle East in Convoy William Sail 14X.

1941/12/08 - Japan attacked Malaya entering the war against Britain

1942/01/13 - By the time WS 14X had reached Durban, South Africa their destination had changed to the Singapore and they sailed in Convoy DM-2 (Durban Malaya -2).

1942/01/19 - Off Mombasa at 01.05 N, 91.28 E they merged with Convoy Bm-12 (Bombay Malaya -12) and were re-routed to Batavia, Java with their supplies.

1942/02/03 - Arrived Batavia in Empress of Australia.

The 21 L.A.A Regiment deployed one battery to Surabaya airfield defence in the east of Java and a further battery was sent to Koepang, Timor.

1943/03/31 - WO 417/58, Casualty List No. 1097. Missing.

1943/04/27 - WO 417/59, Casualty List No.1119. Previously shown on Casualty List No.1097 as Missing, 01/02/1943. Now reported a Prisoner of War.

Japanese PoW

1942/03/20 - Captured Koepang, Timor

PoW No. 5042

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, Royal Artillery.

At 1600 hours the daft of 1800 PoWs embarked onto the Yoshiba Maru and were crammed into the holds.

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 (glass 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 being transferred 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 onto the Quay and were disinfected. 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"

Commander Lt-Col. E.R. Scott and the Singapore Maru group were known as the Scott Party (Mystery Party 2).

1942/10/27 - The Singapore Maru (1100 PoWs), Dainichi Maru (1200 PoWs) and Tofuku Maru (1200 PoWs) set sail to Japan in a convoy. 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.

1942/11/03 - Arrived Saigon, French Indo-China

Lt-Col. Scott asked for the sick to be taken off the Singapore Maru but his request was refused.

1942/11/13 - Arrived Takao, Taiwan

8 bodies sent ashore for cremation from the Singapore Maru.

600 Japanese Soldiers embarked on the Singapore Maru.

Departing Taiwan was delayed as there was a bad storm.

1942/11/25 - Arrived Moji, Japan

There are some unknown facts:-

When the Yoshida Maru reached Singapore it stayed in the dock area and no roll was carried out at Changi, so this Java Party is known as Mystery Party 2.

At the dock area we understand 500 PoWs of this 1,800 Mystery Party were transferred from Lt-Col. Saunders party of Royal Artillery and a further 200 RAF, from Wing Commander Frowe’s Party to another ship in the convoy.

It is not clear if Thomas Henry Mullinder was on the Singapore Maru or Dainichi Maru as his Japanese Index Card - Side One does have at the top left FM 6.

Information on the Singapore Maru:-

The Singapore Maru was overcrowded with poor toilet facilities. The holds were not ventilated and dysentery took hold. There were 60 deaths on the voyage.

It is reported that on reaching Moji 280 PoWs were very sick, out of these a 127 died within weeks.

(Read Hell Ship also Affidavit by Lt-Col.Eric Kenneth Scott)

1942/11/27 - Arrived Moji, Japan.

Taken to 1B - Kumamoto, Japan with 23 other officers and 242 other ranks.

On the day they arrived at Kumanoto they were in tropical clothing and it snowed. They were not supplied with warmer clothing until March 1943. By that time 31 men had died due to lack of warm clothing, poor food and almost no medical supplies.

The huts, made of thin wood, had leaky roofs and walls patched with newspaper. The damp mud floors were subject to flooding, and fires, for drying purposes were only permitted on very rare occasions. The windows consisted of wooden shutters which were opened in all weathers at 05.00 hrs daily.

The PoWs worked digging trenches round Kengun Airfield and making a road.

1943/01/01 - Renamed Fukuoka PoW Camp Ube Branch Camp Sanyo Detached Camp

(Later renamed Hiroshima 6-B (Omine)

1943/08/25 - Transferred to Fukuoka 3B Yahata / Tobota / Kokura

New PoW No. III 3502

Worked at at the Yahata Steel Mills.

Fukuoka 3B PoW Location Map by Sergeant Davis

The Roll in August 1945

*British*	*193*
*American*	*616*
*Dutch*	*211*
*Australian*	3
*Indonesian*	*132*
*Chinese*	22
*Portuguese*	9
*West Indian*	4
*Malay*	2
*Arab*	2
*South Afican*	1
*Total*	*1195*

1945/09/17 - Liberated.

At Nagasaki Harbour, transferred to Colonel Griffin.

1945/10/31 - WO417/98, Casualty List No. 1898. Previously reported on Casualty List No. 1119 as Prisoner of War now Not Prisoner of War. Previous Theatre of War, Netherlands East Indies.