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1907093
Sergeant
John Brian Oliver
1919/05/10 - Born Seaham Harbour, County Durham
Son of John Bell and Jane (nee Hedley) Oliver
Brother to Elizabeth Ann and Lillian
Royal Engineers
43 Field Park Company
Att. 3 Field Company, Sappers and Miners
11th Indian Division
Service
1940/01/16 - Enlisted
Stationed Singapore
Now part of 11th Indian Division
1941/12/08 - Japan enters the war by Bombing Pearl Harbour and attacking Hong Kong and Malaya. Japanese troops land the Malayan border with Thailand at Kota Bharu (Malaya), Singora and Patani (Thailand).
As the Japanese had taken the airfield at Kota Bharu, the Allied troops had very little air cover and by the 31st of January 1942, Allied Troops were pushed back to Singapore. The causeway joining Singapore to Malaya was blown to stop the Japanese advance.
On the 9th February the Japanese attacked the North West coast of Singapore. General Percival had set his main defence on the North East coast line, and the Japanese quickly gained the advantage.
By the 15th February the Japanese were in danger of taking control of the water supply at the reservoirs, which would endanger the Singapore City water supply. General Percival had no alternative but to surrender.
1942/02/15 - Singapore surrendered to the Japanese
1942/06/24 - WO417/45, Casualty List No. 858. Reported ‘Missing’.
1943/08/13 - WO 417/64, Casualty List No. 1212. Previously shown on Casualty List No. 858 as Missing. Now reported a ‘Prisoner of War’.
Japanese PoW
1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore
Changi Camp
POW No. 435
Japanese Index Card - Side One
Japanese Index Card - Side Two
1942/08/16 - Transported oversea in Fukkai Maru to Korea with ‘B’ Party
1942/10/30 - Korea
New PoW No 4882
1943/09/30 - Kobe
Camp Leader Major Patterson
1945/05/13 - Fukuoka 27B
Camp Leader Major McArthey
New PoW No. 34011
PoWs used by Mitsui Mining Company to build barracks for a new camp. The camp was not finished. In July 1945 the PoWs were assigned to mining coal.
1945/08/17 - Camp Terminated- PoWs moved to Fuk-22 Honami for clearance.
1945/09/22 - Liberated
Liberation Questionnaire filled in by John after being liberated
1945/11/03 - WO417/99, Casualty List No. 1901. Previously shown on Casualty List No. 1212 as reported Prisoner of War now Not Prisoner of War. Previous Theatre of War, Malaya.
Repatriation
USS Marine Shark
1945/10/10 - Departed Manila. Destination San Francisco, California.
1945/11/01 - Arrived.
British then entrained to the East Coast and transported in Queen Mary to Southampton.
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Pacific Star
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War Medal
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1939-1945 Star
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Far East Medals
Information
Rosanne Raw
Fall of Malaya and Singapore
Japanese Transports
British Repatriation Rolls
KEW Files:- WO 361/2020, WO 361/2067, WO 361/2191, WO 392/25, WO 345/39, WO 361/1967, WO 361/2060,
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