Roberts-Edwin-John-George

To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

5721788

Bombardier

Edwin John George Roberts

1907/04/14 - Born Falmouth, Cornwall

1908/12/08 - Edwin Baptism at Plymouth, St Peter

Son of Charles Henry and Emily (nee Gawler) Roberts

Brother to Louisa Emily and Richard Stanley

1934 - Married Ellen M. Egg at Poole, Dorset

Next of Kin Wife, Legion Road, Hanworthy, Dorset

Royal Artillery

85 Anti-Tank Regiment

Service

1941/09/23 - The 85th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery was formed.

Four batteries were detached from other regiments and joined the 85th Regiment on the dates mentioned below:-

1941/09/23 - 270th Battery

1941/09/27 - 251st Battery

1941/09/27 - 281st Battery

1941/09/29 - 45th Battery

SS Narkunda

After training in Essex, the 85th and their equipment were loaded on to the SS Narkunda, a ship in Convoy William Sail 12Z.

1941/11/12 - Sailed from Liverpool and the Clyde.

1941/11/13 - The convoy formed off Oversay as below:

*11L* *ADRASTUS*	*21L* *MATAROA*	*31C* *NARKUNDA* *(Commodore)*	*41L* *ORDUNA*	*51C* *DEUCALION*

*12L* *EMPIRE STAR* Â	*22L* *DUCHESS OF BEDFORD* *(Vice Commodore)*	*32C* *AORANGI* *32C* *EMPRESS OF JAPAN* *(same position number)*	*42L* *MONARCH OF BERMUDA*	*52C* *ABBEKERK*

*13L* *SUSSEX*	*23L* *EMPRESS OF ASIA*		*43L* *CAPETOWN CASTLE*	*53C* *RIMUTAKA*
		*34C* *ARUNDEL CASTLE*

When the convoy departed the docks, the 85th were heading for the Middle East via the Cape of Good Hope. The 85th equipment was painted in desert camouflage. The convoy sailed south to Durban, South Africa.

1941/12/08 - The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour and invaded the Philippines.

Japanese troops landed at Singora and Patani, Thailand, plus Kota Bharu in Malaya. They soon took control of the Kota Bharu airfield denying air cover for the defending troops.

The 85th were diverted from their original desert destination to Singapore in Convoy DM 1 (Durban Military):-

AORANGI

MOUNT VERNON

NARKUNDA

SUSSEX

They became part of the 53rd Battalion. as reinforcements of the Singapore Garrison.

Escorted by EMERALD, a rendezvous was made at the fuelling stop at Addu Atoll from where the escort was reinforced by the cruisers Durban and Exeter.

1942/01/09 - Sloop Jumna joined convoy

1942/01/10 - The Dutch cruiser De Ruyter was present for the next three days. The destroyers Encounter, Jupiter and Vampire joined the convoy until the convoy reached Singapore.

1942/01/13 - Convoy DM 1 arrived Singapore

Singapore Surrender by Leo Rawlings

1942/02/15 - Singapore surrendered to the Japanese

1942/04/24 - WO 417/42, Casualty List No 806. Reported ‘Missing’.

1944/02/08 - WO417/71, Casualty List No. 1363. Previously posted Missing. ‘Now reported a ‘Prisoner of War’.

1945/09/05 - WO417/96-2, Casualty List No. 1852. Previously reported on Casualty List No. 1363 as Prisoner of War, Malaya. Now reported ‘Missing at Sea’

1946/01/16 - WO417/101, Casualty List No.1961. Previously shown on Casualty List No.1852 as Missing whilst Prisoner of War. Presumed Killed in Action whilst Prisoner of War, ‘Died at Sea’.

Japanese PoW

1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore

PoW No. M-3111

Japanese Index Card - Side One

Japanese Index Card - Side Two

1942/10/29 - Transported overland to Thailand with ‘T’ Letter Party, train 5

‘Train to Thailand’ by Jack Chalker

Commander Lt-Col. J. Dean, 125 Anti-Tank Regiment, RA

Work Group 2

New PoW No. II-6733

Edwin’s likely work camps would have been Wang Lan Tha Kilen, Wang Pho South and Tha Khanun.

1943/10/25 - The Thailand and Burma rail tracks were joined near Konkoita, Thailand

Returned to Chungkai before being transported back to Singapore

New PoW No. 44179

Hofuku Maru

Embarked the Hofuku Maru 26th June, sailing from Singapore to Miri, Borneo as part of convoy SHIMI-05. The convoy consisted of 10 ships, 5 of which carried, in total, 5,000 POWs, all in appalling conditions.

At Borneo, the Hofuku Maru left the convoy with engine problems, and sailed on to the Philippines, arriving on 19th July. She remained in Manila until mid-September while the engines were repaired. The POWs remained on board, suffering terribly from disease, hunger, and thirst.

On September 20, 1944, the Hofuku Maru and 10 other ships formed Convoy MATA-27, and sailed from Manila to Japan. The following morning, the convoy was attacked 80 miles north of Corregidor by more than 100 American carrier planes. All eleven ships in the convoy were sunk. Of those on the Hofuku Maru, 1047 of the 1289 British and Dutch POWs on board died.

Died

Age 38

21st September 1944

In the sinking of the Hofuku Maru

Loved Ones

Parents Charles Henry and Emily Roberts

Husband of Ellen May Roberts, of Hamworthy, Poole, Dorsetshire

Memorial