Campbell-Joseph-Mcfall

To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

6978483

Signalman

Joseph McFall Campbell

1919/11/27 - Born Belfast, Northern Ireland

Son of Clifford and Annie Campbell

1937/02/12 - Enlisted

Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

Royal Corps of Signals

Fortress Signals

Southern Area

Service

Regular Army

Next of kin - Parents: C & A Campbell, 5 Bapaume Avenue, Cregagh, Belfast, Northern Ireland

1941/12/08 - Japan entered the war, attacking Malaya.

1942/02/15 - Singapore and Malaya fell to the Japanese.

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

Japanese PoW

1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore

Japanese Index Card - Side One

Japanese Index Card - Side Two

1942/10/25 - Transported overland to Thailand with ‘X’ Letter Party, train 1

Work Party 2

Commander Lt-Col. C.E. Morrison, Leicestershire Regiment

Work Group 2 - Worked Chungkai, Wang Takhain , Ban Khao, Wang Pho then Tha Khanun and Chungkai.

1944 - Transported back to Singapore

1944/09/04 - Transported in the Rakuyo Maru with Convoy HI-72 to Japan.

With 600 British, 718 Australians and a few Americans.

1944/09/12 - At 5.30 am the convoy was attacked and the Rakuyo Maru was damaged by the US Sealion. At 6.15 am the ship was still a float, many of the PoWs had jumped into the water. The US Growler then dropped charges amongst the convoy. At 7.10 am the Rakuyo Maru was still a float, with many of those who had jumped into the water returning to the ship. 5.30 pm the ship was now near sinking and all those on board left the ship, but the Japanese who had been rescued, only left two lifeboats leaving many men in the water.

1944/09/14 - Many PoWs were then rescued and taken to Hainan Island before being shipped in the Kibitsu Maru to Japan.

1944/09/15 - The US Pampanito arrived and realised that there were PoWs in the water, many were rescued.

Joseph was reported ‘Missing’ after Rakuyo Maru sinking.

Survived the Rakuyo Maru Sinking

1944/09/14 - Rescued by Japanese and taken to Hainan Island. Then sailed in the Kibitsu Maru to Japan and onto Osaka, Japan.

1945/05/16 transferred to Tokyo 13B, Japan

New PoW No. 6589

Photo - Liberation Tokyo 13B for the British Battalion and some R.C.O.S.

1945/09/06 - Liberated Tokyo 13B and the men entrained to Yokohama, Japan .

Liberation Questionnaire

Repatriation

'Empress of Australia’

The Empress of Asia departed Hong Kong 1945/09/12 to Manila

PoWs embarked, then onto Singapore where Internees embarked.

Sailing via Colombo, Suez and Port Said.

Arriving Liverpool 1945/10/27

1945/10/08 - WO417/98, Casualty List No. 1878. Previously shown on Casualty List No. 1512 as reported Prisoner of War now Not Prisoner of War. Previous Theatre of War, Malaya.