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1866895
Warrant Officer Class 2
Ernest George Summers
1910/09/10 - Born Devonport
Son of Ernest Joseph and Gertrude Wilmot Summers
1924/12/31 - Enlisted
Royal Engineers
40th Fortress Company
WO 417/37 - 1942/02/02, Casualty List No.736. Reported to War Office Casualty Section for the 48 hours ending at 09:00. Missing
WO 417/52 - 19/10/1942, Casualty List No. 958. Correction to entry on Casualty List No. 915. Rank should read Staff Sergeant. Now a Prisoner of War.
WO417/84 - 30/10/1944, Casualty List No. 1590. Correction to Casualty List No's 736, 915 Corrected by 958. Rank should read Warrant Officer Class 2 (Quartermaster Sergeant). Now a Prisoner of War.
WO417/98 - 25/10/1945, Casualty List No. 1893. Previously reported on Casualty List No. 915 (Corrected by Casualty List No. 958 and 1590) as Prisoner of War now Not Prisoner of War. Previous Theatre of War, Hong Kong.
Japanese PoW
1941/12/25 - Captured Hong Kong
1941/12/25 - Stanley Camp
Commander Brigadier Wallace
1942/01/01 - North Point
Commander Brigadier Wallace
1942/02/01 - Shamshuipo Camp
Commander Major Boon, Royal Army Service Corps
Japanese Index Card - Side One
Japanese Index Card - Side Two
1942/09/04 - Transported Shi Maru 1st Draft to Japan, the PoWs were mainly from Shamshuipo Camp. These were mainly men who refused to sign the ‘No Escape’ document, considered ‘Hard Men’.
1942/09/15 - Tokyo Main Camp - Yokohama 3B
Commander Squadron Leader Leonard J. Birchall
New PoW No. 3672
1944/03/26 - Yokohama 13D
Commander Squadron Leader Leonard J. Birchall
1945/05/13 - Sendai - Kamaishi 5B
Commander Captain Marsden
Camp Contained:-
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Canadian
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1
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New Zealanders
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5
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Australians
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13
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Americans
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85
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British
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86
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Dutch
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168
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Total
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351
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Liberated Kamaishi
Awards
WO102_43 - 1947, A.O. 27 - With Gratuity
1948/12/03 - Palestine 1945-48. Entitled to the General Service Medal with Clasp awarded under Army Order 146 of 1947. Served with the Royal Engineers at the Royal Engineers Establishment, Haifa during the qualifying period.
Post War
The son and wife of Ernest George Summers, escaped from Singapore before the fall to the Japanese. The were evacuated to Australia and then returned to England.
Died
1953
Died at H.Q. Chatham Garrison
Buried 1953/11/07
Gillingham, Grange Road & Woodland Road Cemeteries
Section CH. Number 4545
The Wiltshire Gazette, Thursday, November 5, 1953.
FOUND HANGING. R.S.M.'s Suicide At Devizes
A 43 years old Regimental Sergeant Major in the Royal Engineers, who was trying to sign on for a further period of service, was "unreasonably afraid of his health." It appeared to have become an obsession with him," stated an Army Medical Officer at an inquest at Devizes on Tuesday.
The County Coroner (Mr Harold Dale) recorded a verdict of "Suicide whilst his mind was unbalanced" on Ernest George Summers, on the posted strength of the Commander, Royal Engineers, North Wiltshire, who was found hanging in a lavatory at Prince Maurice Barracks, Devizes, on Monday.
R.S.M. Summers was a married man and lived with his wife and three children, aged 15, seven and two, at 3, Claredon Terrace, South Tidworth.
"It seems extraordinary that a man of this calibre should take his life in this way." commented the Coroner. "One can only think that his mind must have been unbalanced and somehow he yielded to an impulse on this particular morning."
"Valuable Warrant Officer."
Lieut. Col, J. G. O Ferrall, of the Royal Engineers, said: "I consider theat the Army and the Corps to which R.S.M. Summers belonged have lost a very valuable warrant officer."
Mrs. Vera Millicent Summers, the R.S.M.'s wife, told the Coroner that he kissed the children before he left home for work on Monday morning and seemed quite well. She said he had not been worried about his health. He had told her he was having a medical check-up with a view to signing on for a further period. A prisoner of war in Japan for four years, he was a very reserved man, but was quite happy at his work and she did not know he had anything on his mind at all.
James Neal Dixon, of 14a New Park Street, Devizes, a cleaner at Prince Maurice Barracks, described how he found R.S.M. Summers.
Major Albert Pitt said he had known Summers since September, 1952. Artificial respiration was given but there was no sign of life. He said the R.S.M. was a quiet reserved man, but was a willing, conscientious worker. He was due to complete his time in the Army in December. He had undertaken certain duties on the morning that he died.
Lieut. Terence Lunch, Garrison M.O. said that about a week previously Summers had told him he was worried about his health, but he could find no reason to believe that there was any foundation for his worries.
Mr B.M. Stphenson expressed sympathy with the relatives on behalf of the War Office.
Information
David Summers - Grandson
Tony Banham
Japanese Transport
Liberation Questionnaire (COFEPOW)
Japanese Homeland
Japanese Homeland
KEW:- WO 361/1970, WO 392/26, WO 345/50, WO 361/1983, WO 417/37, WO 417/52 , WO417/84, WO417/98, WO102_43,
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