To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

Northumberland Fusiliers-tn

4274634

Fusilier

James Alexander

Known as Jim

Alexander-James-03tn

1921/04/02 - Born North Seaton, Northumberland

Son of Joseph and Mary Alexander

Occupation Labourer

1939/09/03 - Enlisted

Next of Kin - Parents, J & M Alexander, 1 Chapel Row, North Seaton, Northumberland

Royal Northumberland Fusiliers

9th Battalion

 

Service

The 9th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers were formed in 1939 as an offshoot of the 7th Battalion. In August of that year 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.

Warwick Castle-2

1941/10/30 - Equipped for Middle East the 9th Royal Northumberland Fusiliers left Liverpool in the Warwick Castle, Convoy CT.5.

Orizaba-1

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 William Sail 12x

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.

Japan had entered the war by attacking Malaya on 8th December 1941, destination was now the Far East.

1941/12/13 - The convoy left Cape Town and sailed along the coast of East Africa past Madagascar and arrived Mombassa where the troops disembarked and trained with route marches.

USS West Point-1

From Mombassa they changed ships to the West Point across the Indian Ocean heading for Bombay.

1941/12/27 - After 17,011 miles at sea Bombay was reached and the troops disembarked for training.

Felix Rousell-tn

1942/01/22 - 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.

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

1942/02/05 - The Convoy reached the safety of Keppel Harbour, Singapore. 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 City.

1942/02/15 - Singapore surrendered to the Japanese

 

1942/04/15 - WO 417/41, Casualty List No. 798. Reported ‘Missing’.

1943/08/17 - WO 417/65, Casualty List No. 1214. Previously posted Missing, 15/02/1942, Casualty List No. 798. Now reported a ‘Prisoner of War’.

 

Japanese PoW

1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore

PoW No. M-6205

Japanese Index Card - Side One

Alexander-James-01

Japanese Index Card - Side Two

Alexander-James-02

1942/011/03 - Transported overland to Thailand with ‘O’ Letter Party, train 10

28th Train to Thailand with 650 poWs

Commander Lt-Col, F.I.F. Ostrich, 18th Division

Group 2

New PoW No. II 5305

Thailand Camps:-

1942/11/11 - Chungkai, 60km from Nong Pladuk

Commander Col. Outram

Tamrong Patho, 244.19km from Nong Pladuk

Commander Captain Barrett

1943/10/ - Lines joined near Konkoita, 262.87km from Nong Pladuk

New PoW No. II 1905

Chungkai, 60km from Nong Pladuk

1944/10/13 - Tha Sao, 125km from Nong Pladuk

Commander Lt. Westercamp

1945/09/06 - Liberated Thailand

Liberation Questionnaire

 

1945/09/26 - WO417/97_1, Casualty List No. 1868. Previously reported on Casualty List No. 1214 as Prisoner of War now Not Prisoner of War. Previous Theatre of War, Malaya.

 

pacific-star-tn

war-medal-1939-1945-tn

1939-1945 Star-tn

Pacific Star

War Medal

1939-1945 Star

 

Information

Chris Beer-Hall

Andrew Snow - Thailand Burma Railway Centre

Convoy William Sail 12X

Japanese Transports

Thailand - Burma Railway

Liberation Questionnaire - COFEPOW

KEW Files:- WO 361/2172, WO 392/23, WO 345/1, WO 361/1979, WO 361/2196, WO 361/2058, WO 361/2167, WO 361/2176, WO 361/2069,

*

''Our Thanks are for being a Chapter in Life.''

 

 

 

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