Wadsley-William-James

To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

940876

Gunner

William James Wadsley

1919/03/04 - Born Peterborough

Son of William and Elsie Wadsley

William married Olive Flemming in Peterborough

Next of Kin Wife, Olive, Westwood Street, Peterborough, Northamptonshire

Royal Artillery

135 Field Regiment

Anti-Aircraft Z Battery

18th Division

Service

135th Field Regiment was being formed on the outbreak of war and became independent of 86th Field Regiment on 7th September 1939 with two batteries the 336 (Northampton) and 344 (Hitchin), the 135 Field Reg. became part of the 18th Division.

The Regiment initially comprised of Regimental Headquarters and two Batteries 336 and 344. The Batteries consisted of two Troops, each with four guns. A detachment of six gunners manned each gun with a driver and gun tractor for mobility. Each Troop had a Gun Position Officer who would site the guns.

Gun Mobility with 25-Pounder

The 135 Field Reg. served in the East Coast defences until it was fully equipped in 1941 with 25 Pounders, and a third battery 499 was formed. The regiment undertook mobile training in preparation for overseas service in Scotland, now with a total armament of 24 guns.

SS Sobieski

In October the 135 Field Regiment, commanded by Lt Col P J D Toosey, embarked the SS Sobieski at Gourock on the Firth of Clyde and sailed on the 31st October to join up with the CT.5 convoy as part of the 53 Infantry Brigade, 18th Division, their destination was unknown.

USS Mount Vernon

On arrival at Halifax, Nova Scotia, the Battalion re-embarked in the U.S.S. Mount Vernon, and began the long voyage to Capetown.

Convoy William Sail 12X continued with six American troopships, two cruisers, eight destroyers and the aircraft carrier Ranger, the Convoy William Sail 12X was under way, destination still unknown.

Convoy William Sail 12X

Above Photo supplied by the late Maurice Rooney

Detailed Account by Thomas M. Allison

A reproduction of an account by Thomas M. Allison who is understood to be serving as an American Naval officer in the convoy.

Aircraft

Vought SB 2U Vindicator Scout Bomber - USS Ranger which was flying an Anti Submarine patrol over the convoy.

Ships Front Line, Top to Bottom:-

USS West Point - USS Mount Vernon - USS Wakefield - USS Quincy (Heavy Cruiser)

Ships Back Line Top to Bottom:-

USAT Leonard Wood - USS Vincennes (Heavy Cruiser) - USS Joseph T Dickman

The convoy passed through the Mona Passage between Puerto Rico and St Domingo.

Arrived at Trinidad 17th November in glorious sunshine so troops changed to tropical kit, but no shore-leave, left Trinidad after two days of taking on supplies. The equator was crossed soon after leaving Trinidad on the 24th, there was a crossing the line ceremony.

After a month the convoy arrived at Cape Town, and soon after news reached the regiment that Japan had attacked Pearl Harbour and Malaya on 8th December. Britain and America were now at war with Japan and the rumours were that the convoy was now heading for the Far East and not the Middle East as first thought.

Shore leave was granted before sailing for Bombay on the 13th December, only to be diverted to Mombasa arriving on the 25th. USS Mount Vernon, escorted by the cruiser HMS Emerald then sailed from the latter place on 29th December, joining Convoy DM1 at sea for Singapore. The convoy reached Singapore on 13th January 1942 and disembarked in heavy rain and moved to Tyersall Park Camp by truck.

The 135 Field Regiment guns were still at Bombay stored on other ships so they were equipped with what was available from the Singapore Ordnance Depot:-

336 Battery - eight 4.5 inch howitzers
344 Battery - eight 25 pounders
499 Battery had no guns
Mobility for the guns was from a Chevrolet 4 x 4 Half Ton Truck

Preparations for moving the troops from the Tyersall Camp to Malaya, were made on the 14th January. Four experienced Federated Malay States Volunteers officers were attached for communication with the Malays as interpreters and interrogators they were equipped with civilian vehicles as reconnaissance and staff cars. Together with 53 Infantry Brigade the regiment was attached to the 11th Indian Division.

The 53 Infantry Brigade troops and artillery were immediately rushed across the Straits of Jahore into the Malay Peninsula to help communications and cover the retreating forces from Northern Malaya and report any Japanese landings on the coast.

Lt-Col Toosey and the three battery commanders from the 135 Field Regiment, took part in a reconnaissance party, while the guns were being serviced. On the 18th January ‘C’ Troop took positions near Pontian Kechil beach.

53 Infantry Brigade in Malaya

On the 19th January, Battary HQ and the 344 ‘D’ Troop supported the 28th Indian Brigade on the Pontian Kechil Coast Road. A platoon of Gurkha Rifles guarded the battery as it set up an observation post Pulau Pisang Island. They were out of wireless range so they used the sun with Heliograph signalling.

On the 20th, 336 Battery under Major C F W Banham drove to Mount Austin Estate, which was North of Johor Bahru to reconnaissance anti-tank positions.

499 Battery under Major Daltry obtained eight 4.5 inch howitzers guns and requisitioned transport to tow the guns and it joined the other two batteries.

Percival wanted to stop the Japanese advancing along a line between Batu Pahat, Ayer Hitam, Kluang and Mersing On the 23rd of January, the 11th Indian Division were position to defend at Batu Paha, the 135 Field Regiment positioned the guns of the 336 and 344 Batteries at Skudai, while the 499 Battery now obtained some 25 Pounders and moved them and their 4.5 inch howitzers to Batu Pahat to support the 15th Indian Brigade.

While the 6th Royal Norfolks were moving to Senggarang, the Japanese ambushed them, allowing the defensive line Percival had planed to be infiltrated by the Japanese, the defensive line could no longer be held as the troops to either side of the broken defence would have the Japanese at their backs and front.

The only thing left was to retreat to Singapore, so on the night of the 25/26 January the 15 Indian Brigade began its withdrawal down the coast road towards Senggarang and Benut, picking up detachments of the 53 Infantry Brigade as it went.

As the Japanese had bypassed the troops they now held positions on the road cutting off the route the retreat was planned to take, making it impossible.

After disabling their guns, the men of 336 battery managed to reach Benut late on the 27/28th January. At the same time Rengit was also under heavy attack and the Japanese took control of the town during that night. Guns and vehicles were disabled before the survivors made their way to Benut, where they were evacuated by Royal Navy Gunboats

At Singapore, 135th Field Regiment was reunited with its own 25-pounder guns, just arrived with the rest of 18th Division. The regiment formed part of the Northern Area defences between the Naval Base and the causeway.

On the evening of 8th February the Japanese began their landings. The main landings during the night were on the western side of the island and from there the Japanese advanced towards the causeway and the exposed west flank of 11th Indian Division

By the 11th February the Japanese were within three miles of the regiment's gun positions, so 344 and 499 Batteries were withdrawn to join 336 Battery at Nee Soon.

By the 13th the whole city was under Japanese shellfire and air attack, and it was clear that the defence was nearly ended. Toosey was now ordered to join the evacuation of key personnel and cadres from Singapore, but he refused and remained with his men.

Throughout 14 February, with 11th Indian and 18th Divisions held their ground, but field gun ammunition was running short and the city's water supply was breaking down. The following day a ceasefire was arranged, initially the British agreed to hand over all their guns, but orders arrived that they were to be destroyed.

Singapore surrendered to the Japanese on the 15th February 1942.

Surrender of Singapore

by Leo Rawlings

During the Battle for Singapore the 135 Field Regiment lost 59 men.

1942/04/16 - WO 417/41, Casualty List No. 799. Reported ‘Missing’.

1944/02/14 - WO417/71, Casualty List No. 1368. Previously posted Missing. Now reported a ‘ Prisoner of War’.

1945/10/15 - WO417/98, Casualty List No. 1878. Previously shown on Casualty List No. 1368 as reported Prisoner of War now Not Prisoner of War. Previous Theatre of War, Malaya.