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6028554
Private
Richard Banks
1912/01/31 - Born
Son of Richard and Bess Banks
Occupation Labourer
His father Richard, Coldstream Guards, died in Sanctuary Wood just outside Ypres on 11 November 1914
Suffolk Regiment
4th Battalion
Richard was a powerful athlete, discus, javelin and Rugby
Richard pictured second from left in Rugby team
Service
Andes
The 4th Battalion embarked on the Andes, which was part of Convoy CT.5, destination unknown.
USS Wakefield
Arriving at Halifax 8th November the men were then moved across to the transport ship tied along side, the 27,000 ton Wakefield.
On November 10th the voyage 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.
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, we left after two days of taking on supplies. On 24th we crossed the equator, there was a crossing the line ceremony.
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.
On December 13th 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 December 27th 1941.
Embarked on 17th January back onto the Wakefield. 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 Sumatra and then the Banka Straits. The convoy was then bombed by Jap Planes, there was no damage, the Wakefield was the first of our convoy to reach 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
Japanese PoW
1942/15/02 - Became Japanese PoW
PoW No. IV 2067
Japanese Index Card - Side One
Japanese Index Card - Side Two
Transported overland to Thailand
New PoW No. IV 2429
Died
Age 32
1944/03/12
Cause of Death Amoebic Dysentery, Avitaminosis and Malaria
Chungkai Grave 1225
Memorial
2. C. 2.
Chungkai War Cemetery
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Pacific Star
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War Medal
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1939-1945 Star
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Information
Ricard Banks - nephew of Richard
Convoy William Sail 12X
KEW:- WO 361/1529, WO 361/2172, WO 361/2053, WO 392/23, WO 345/3, WO 361/1954, WO 361/1979, WO 361/2169, WO 361/1623, WO 361/1987, WO 361/2235,
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