Wolfe-Leslie-Ernest

To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

Private

Leslie Ernest Wolfe

1921/06/19 - Born Stretham, Cambridgeshire

Son of Thomas Henry Victor and Edith Maud Wolfe

Above photo is Leslie with Mum (Edith)

1925 - Baptised Stretham, Cambridgeshire

Occupation Driver

Next of Kin Parents, Victor and Edith Wolfe, Westwick, Oakington, Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire Regiment

1st Battalion

Service

1939/04/17 - Leslie enlisted

The Cambridgeshire Regiments had a fighting reputation and were nicknamed ‘The Fen Tigers’, the photo above was taken at Lichfield in 1941

‘Orcades’

The 1st Battalion left Liverpool on the 30th October 1941 in the ‘Orcades’ with Convoy CT.5 and sailed for Halifax, the final destination was unknown but was thought to be the Middle East.

‘USS West Point’

On reaching Halifax on November 10th, they were transferred to USS West Point as part of the 55th Infantry Brigade and departed Halifax in Convoy William Sail 12X.

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 on the 8th December news reached the regiment that Japan had attacked Pearl Harbour and Malaya.

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.

On the 13th December the convoy left Cape Town and sailed along the coast of East Africa past Madagascar and into the Indian Ocean heading for Bombay.

After 17,011 miles at sea Bombay was reached on 27th December and were transported by train to Ahmednagar for further training. After a few weeks of training they were transported back to Bombay and again boarded the USS West Point.

Embarking on the West Point on the 17th January it formed part of Convoy BM 11 which sailed from Bombay on 19th January, sailing with a British escort. The escort included HMS Exeter and HMS Glasgow with British and Australian destroyers, destination was now the Far East.

Passing Colombo, (Ceylon), crossing the equator for the third time, the convoy passed through the Sundra Straits between Java and Sumatra and then the Banka Straits. The convoy was then bombed by Japanese Planes, there was no damage.

The convoy reached the safety of Keppel Harbour, Singapore on 29th January. 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.

The day after the 1st Battalion arrived the causeway over the Strait of Jahore which linked Singapore to Malaya was destroyed. This did not delay the Japanese who landed at the North West of Singapore Island on the 8th February.

On the 9th February the Battalion were ordered to the Seletar Airfield and the Japanese shelled their transports on the way. On arriving the defences were found to be very poor and work was needed to strengthen them. The site they were now defending overlooked the Straits to the mouth of the Seletar River and beyond to the mouth of the Punggol River.

On the 10th February the battalion were ordered to move to Thompson Village in Royal Army Service Corps trucks. The journey was under Japanese air attacks and in heavy traffic, no casualties occurred the journey. Arriving mid afternoon the battalion had to start digging trenches close to Thompson Village. This was stopped when the battalion were ordered to the reservoirs to attack the Japanese flank which was attacking Bukit Timah Village. The action was to help ‘Tomforce’ which was made up of the 4th Norfolks, 4th Suffolks and the Divisional Royal Army Ordnance Corps who were now two rifle companies.

On the morning of the 12th February the 1st Cambridgeshires moved to positions on Adam Road, which linked Sime Road and Lornie Roads to the main Bukit Timah Road.

Bukit Timah Map

The Battalion fought at Sime Road Camp in Singapore defending Adam Park for three days ‘The Fen Tigers’ held up the Japanese 41st Fukuyama, Regiment, which was part of the Japanese 5th Division. The fighting was intense but on the 15th February the 1st Battalion CO, Lt-Col. Carpenter, finding the Japanese bypassing his position, requested permission to withdraw from Brigade HQ. as he had lost 81 of the battalion ‘Killed in Action’ he was told to hold the position and lay down their arms as Singapore had surrendered.

The Japanese later confessed to putting one of their crack regiments in the attack on Adam Park because of the fierce opposition.

1942/05/02 - WO 417/42, Casualty List No. 813. Reported ‘Missing’.

1944/01/14 - WO 417/70, Casualty List No 1342. Previously posted on Casualty List No 813 as Missing now reported ‘Prisoner of War in Japanese Hands’.

1945/02/12 - WO417/88.1, Casualty List No. 1679. Previously posted as Missing 15/02/1942. Correction to previous Casualty List - both List Nos. 1342. and 813. referred to in original source. Initials should read L. E.. Reported ‘Prisoner of War in Japanese Hands’.

1945/10/09 - WO417/98, Casualty List No. 1888. Previously shown on Casualty List No. 1342 (Corrected by No. 1679) as reported Prisoner of War. Now Not Prisoner of War. Previous Theatre of War, Malaya.

Japanese PoW

1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore

Changi PoW Camp, Singapore

PoW No. 7956

Salarang Barracks Incident

In August 1942, the Japanese issued instructions that all officers and men were to sign a "non-escape" form. On signing this form thw PoWs were promising not to escape or help anyone else to escape, and it was understood that the penalty for any contravention of this promise was death. This order was opposed by Col. Holmes and his staff officers. On refusal to sign, all troops in Changi Camp were to be concentrated in Selarang Barracks, which was the peacetime home of 2nd Battalion The Gordon Highlanders. The Japanese threat was put into effect as only 4 PoWs signed. The same day all PoWs, both fit and sick were ordered to Selarang Barracks, with reserves of rations, cooking utensils and containers, kits, bedding, etc.

Owing to lack of transport, anything on wheels was commandeered to assist with the move. Perambulators, bogeys, home-made carts, wheelbarrows, all were utilised. R.A.S.C. The scenes on the roads leading to Selarang must have looked strange. Thousands of troops making their own way there, laden with all their belongings, and in many cases with the belongings of sick or weaker comrades who could not manage to carry them. By evening of the same day, all troops (less Roberts Hospital) were confined in the new area. Seven double-tier barrack blocks, and a barrack square some 250 x 150 yards, were allotted for the accommodation of approximately 14,000 troops. The peacetime accommodation of one of these barrack blocks was approximately 100 men. Selarang was now required to house 1,600 or 1,700 men, several hundreds being required to sleep on the flat roofs of the buildings. About half the barrack square was filled with temporary kitchens, stores, sleeping accommodation, etc., the remainder being dug up to provide latrine accommodation. The space available for latrines would be exhausted within a few days. The guards were mainly Free Indian troops, and they, together with the Japanese guards, took every opportunity to hand out beatings on the slightest excuse. Machine-gun posts were erected at all points covering the area, and the penalty for stepping on to the roadway was instantaneous death.

Selarang Incident by Charles Thrale

After a couple of days, the Japanese threatened a refusal to sign would bring all the ill, which amounted to all 3,000 patients and staff to Selarang. Things were bad enough already, and to have brought so many sick and diseased men into such a crowded and insanitary community would have been nothing short of criminal. Disease was spreading rapidly, dysentery and diphtheria being among those most likely to cause epidemics. On the third day the PoWs were ordered by their officers, to sign under duress. After signing they were all ordered to return to the Changi camp area.

Japanese Index Card - Side One

Japanese Index Card - Side Two

19423/11/06 - Transported overland to Thailand with ‘L’ Letter Force.

Work Group One

New PoW No. 13496

Camps in Thailand:-

Ban Pong

Nong Pladuk Camp 1

The Postcard Home was sent from Nong Pladuk 1

Kinsaiyok, 161,40 Km from Nong Pladuk

Konkoita - 252.90 Km from Nong Pladuk

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

Nong Pladuk Camp 2

Then returned to Singapore

Transported to Japan in a Hell Ship

1944/06/24 - Established as Osaka PoW Camp No. 16 Branch Camp. Prior camp of P0Ws unknown.

300 British POWs arrived from Thai-Burma Railway. 284 POWs (British) were rescued at the end of the war. 16 men died in this camp. Only British camp.

Work included Chemical manufacturing for Ishihara Industries

1945/04/06 - Control transferred to Nagoya PoW Camp Camp 4-B- Iruka

1945/08/15 - Nagoya 4B POW Camp, Japan - On Roll

New PoW No. 45581

1945/09/09 - Liberated

Liberation Questionnaire ad filled in by Leslie after being liberated