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4275439
Fusilier
Joseph Wall
1919/06/26 - Born Wallsend-on-Tyne, Northumberland
Son of James Henry and Florence Anne Wall
Occupation Heater
Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
9th Battalion
18th Division
Service
‘R’ Recruit Co 1939
At Fenham Barracks, Newcastle in front of Sandhurst Block
Joe Wall is 2nd row from front, 3rd from left
The 9th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers were formed in 1939 as an offshoot of the 7th Battalion. In August of that wear they were amalgamated into the 18th Division and transported to Norfolk, defending the coast between Wells-on-Sea and Great Yarmouth.
In January 1941 they moved to the Scottish Boarders for training with their HQ at Bowhill House.
1941/10/30 - Equipped for Middle East the 9th Royal Northumberland Fusiliers left Liverpool in the Warwick Castle, Convoy CT.5.
1941/11/08 - Arrived Halifax and after much debate amongst the troop at Halifax the 9th Battalion eventually boarded the USS. Orizaba, which was not a luxurious ship.
1941/11/10 - The 18th Division left Halifax in Convoy William Sail 12X and was escorted by the US Navy.
Convoy Willam Sail 12X
(USS Ranger was flying on antisubmarine patrol for the convoy)
The convoy passed through the Mona Passage between Puerto Rico and St Domingo, arriving at Trinidad on 17th November in glorious sunshine so our tropical kit came out, but unfortunately no shore-leave, the convoy left after two days of taking on supplies. On 24th the equator was crossed and there was a crossing the line ceremony.
1941/12/02 - USS Orizaba was refuelled at sea
After a month the convoy arrived at Cape Town, South Africa. By this time the Americans were in the war as the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbour and attacked Malaya and the rumours were that they were heading for the Far East and not the Middle East as first thought.
1941/12/13 - The convoy left Cape Town and sailed along the coast of East Africa past Madagascar and into the Indian Ocean heading for Bombay.
1941/12/27 - After 17,011 miles at sea Bombay was reached and the troops disembarked for training.
1942/01/17 - Embarked Felix Rousell and the convoy sailed the next day with a British escort, the H.M.S. Exeter and H.M.S. Glasgow with British and Australian destroyers. Japan had entered the war by attacking Malaya on 8th December 1941, destination was the far East. The Prince of Wales and the Repulse had both been sunk by the Japanese off Malaya. Passing Colombo, (Ceylon), crossing the equator for the third time, the convoy passed through the Sundra Straits between Java and Samatra and then the Banka Straits. The convoy was then bombed by Jap Planes, there was no damage
1942/01/29 - The Convoy reached the safety of Keppel Harbour, Singapore on the 29th January 1942. Ships were ablaze in the harbour, clouds of smoke drifted across the sky and the smell of fumes was overpowering, this was not the best of greetings. The Japanese had taken most of Malaya in the last three weeks and were only thirty miles away from Singapore.
1942/02/15 - Singapore surrendered to the Japanese
1942/04/18 - WO 417/42, Casualty List No. 801. Missing.
1943/07/29 - WO 417/64, Casualty List No 1199. Previously reported on Casualty List No 801 as Missing now reported Prisoner of War.
Japanese PoW
1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore
PoW No. 616
Japanese Index Card - Side One
Japanese Index Card - Side Two
1942/11/03 - Transported overland to Thailand in Letter Party ‘O’
26th Train from Singapore to Thailand (650 PoWs)
Commander Lt-Col. F.I.N. Ostrich, R.C.O.S, 18th Division
Work Group 4
PoW No. IV 1340
From Bam Pong base camp to Sanbunkensho Aerodrome camp, Kanchanaburi and then Tha Soa.
Transported back to Singapore
Transported to Japan
1944/07/04 - Ships in Japan Party 2, PoW transport to Japan:-
Asaka Maru - Hakushika Maru - Hofuku Maru - Rashin Maru - Sekiho Maru
Out of the ships the Hakushika Maru is the only one of the ships with dates tying in with Joseph’s arrival date in Japan, the other ships were delayed. The Hofuku Maru was sunk off Manila.
Route and dates for Hokushika Maru:-
1944/07/04 - Depart Singapore,
1944/07/08 - Mira, Borneo
1944/07/23 - Manila, Philippines
1942/07/27 - Takao, Taiwan
1942/08/10 - Arrive Kagoshima, Nagasaki
1944/08/11 - Osaka 17B
PoW No. 7020
Work Sulphuric Acid Manufacturing
1945/04/06 - Name and command changed to Nagoya 5B
1945/09/04 - At liberation the Nagoya 5B roll of PoWs included:-
196 Americans - 25 British - 75 Dutch
1945/08/29+30 - Food drop and gifts from crew of HMS Indefatigable took place by parachute on the two days
1945/10/12 - WO417/98, Casualty List No. 1882. Previously shown on Casualty List No. 1199 as reported Prisoner of War now Not Prisoner of War. Previous Theatre of War, Malaya.
Repatriated
1945/09/18 - Arrived Manilla, Philippines
1945/09/25 - HMS Implacable from Manila
1945/10/11 - Arrived Esquimalt, Vancouver
One of these ships from Halifax:-
Queen Elizabeth - arrive Southampton 1945/10/18
Ile de France - arrived Southampton 1945/10/31
Queen Elizabeth - arrive Southampton 1945/11/05
Queen Elizabeth - arrive Southampton 1945/11/27
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Pacific Star
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War Medal
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1939-1945 Star
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Information
Mick Wall
Art Fryling
Tan DingXiang
Glenda Godrey
Alan Hilton
Mike Heather
The information from the members of the FEPOW Family was immense
Japanese Transport
Thailand-Burma Railway
Roger Mansell - Nagoya 5B - Yokkaichi (excellent map of camp)
Repatriation Transport Home
KEW Files:- WO 392/26, WO 345/53, WO 361/1985, WO 361/1987, WO 361/2065, WO 361/2169, WO 361/2179, WO 361/2069,
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