Barker-Thomas-Arthur

To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

4976190

Private

Thomas Arthur Barker

1921/10/01 - Born Chaddesden, Derby

Son of John William and Elizabeth (nee Hanson) Barker

Occupation Labourer

The Sherwood Foresters

1/5th Battalion

18th Division

Service

1941/10/30 - Sailed in ‘Orcades’ with Convoy CT.5 from Liverpool with the 18th Division

1941/11/08 - Arrived Halifax and transferred to USS West Point with 55th Infantry Brigade, consisting of 1st Cambridgeshires and 5th Beds and Herts (3250 troops).

1941/11/10 - They sailed from Halifax in Convoy William Sail 12X. Sailing via Trinidad and Cape Town.

1941/12/08 - Japan entered the war by attacking Pearl Harbour and Malaya.

1941/12/25 - Mount Vernon left convoy with the 53rd Infantry Brigade, sailing for Singapore in convoy DM1

1941/12/27 - Arrived Bombay, now became Task Force 14.2

1942/01/02 - Sailed from India destination Singapore in Task Force 14.2

1942/01/29 - Arrived Keppel Harbour Singapore

1942/02/15 - Singapore surrendered to the Japanese

Japanese PoW

1942/02/15 - Became a Japanese PoW

Japanese Index Card - Side One

Japanese Index Card - Side Two

1942/10/27 - Transported from River Valley and Havelock Road in ‘Specialist Party’ sailed in unknown ship to Taiwan

1942/11/17 - Arrived Taiwan and the 500 PoWs boarded train to Taichu

Taichu Camp, Taiwan

PoW No. II 2202

Put to work building a diversion to stop the monsoon rains flooding river banks and damaging the important transport bridge. Work carried out by hand with many deaths from mistreatment by the Japanese

Transported to Taihoku 6B Camp, Taiwan

Workforce used to build another camp called Oka.

1945/09/05 - Liberated Taiwan

Repatriation

1945/09/06 - Liberated from Keelung Harbour and transferred to the aircraft carrier USS Block Island. This sailed for Manila.

1945/09/09 - Arriving Manila.

1945/09/14 - Thomas boarded the USS General Langfitt and sailed via Hawaii for Vancouver.

1945/10/03 - Arriving Vancouver.