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979500
Gunner
Malcolm Cockburn
1920/20/23 - Born Midlothian, Scotland
Son of Ninian and Margaret Cockburn
Occupation Ploughman
Royal Artillery
9 Coast Regiment
Fixed Defences Southern Area
Service
Between the two World Wars there was a major reorganisation of the Royal Artillery, where it had been decided in 1926 that all Home Coastal defence Regiments would become Territorial Army and all overseas units would be Regulars. It is almost impossible to separate the 7th Coast and the 9th Coast Regiments as they worked so closely together.
By 1933 the Coast Defence Unit in Singapore was designated 7th Heavy Brigade RA with 11th and 22nd Heavy Batteries RA and 3rd Heavy Battery HKSRA. In addition the Hong Kong Coast Defences had a Hong Kong Singapore Brigade with its HQ in Hong Kong and 3 Batteries stationed in Singapore - 2nd, 4th and 5th Heavy Batteries RA.
Due to the expansion of Coast Defences in Singapore a new Heavy Brigade, the 9th was raised in 1934 consisting of 7th and 22nd Heavy Batteries. In 1938 the term Brigade was replaced as Regiment.
On the outbreak of War in September 1939 the Singapore defences consisted of:-
- 7th Heavy Regiment RA - 11th and 31st Batteries RA and 5th and 7th Batteries HKSRA
- 9th Heavy Regiment RA - 7th, 22nd and 32nd Batteries RA
In the summer of 1940 Coast Units had their title changed from Heavy Regiments to Coast Regiments. Re-Designated 9th Coast Regiment 14th December 1940.
Both the 7th and 9th Coast Regiments were formed in situ. The 7th lost one of its Batteries to form the 9th Heavy and additional personnel were sent out from the UK to form the extra Batteries.
In February 1942 the Singapore Fixed Defences consisted of the following Units:
- Commander Fixed Defences Singapore - Brigadier AD Curtis
- 7th Coast Regiment RA - 11th & 31st Batteries RA 5th and 7th Batteries HKSRA
- 9th Coast Regiment RA - 7th, 22nd and 32nd Batteries RA
- 11th Coast Regiment RA - 8th Coast and 20th Heavy AA Batteries HKSRA
- 16th Defence Regiment RA 966 Battery RA and 967 and 968 Batteries HKSRA.
On the 12th February 1942 the Coastal Batteries were destroyed and at 01.30 hours on the 13th February 1942 the garrison was marched to the Indian Recreation Ground in Singapore where the Unit is formed into an Infantry Battalion and used as support troops.
At 16.30 hours o the 15th February 1942 the Regiment ceased to exist as a fighting unit and was Disbanded - Lost at Singapore.
1942/03/11 - WO 417/39, Casualty List No.768. Reported ‘Missing’.
1943/05/11 - Casualty List No 1131. Previously posted on Casualty List No 768 as Missing now reported ‘Prisoner of War’.
Japanese PoW
1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore
PoW No. M-3305
Japanese Index Card - Side One
Japanese Index Card - Side Two
1942/10/12 - Transported overland to Thailand with River Valley Party, train 4
9th Train to Thailand with 650 PoWs
Group 4 12 (H) Work Battalion
Commander Major Jackson, 7th Coast Regiment
New PoW No. IV 4202
Thailand Camps:-
Tonchan, 131km from Nong Pladuk
Tonchan South, 131km from Nong Pladuk
Tha Sao, 125 km from Nong Pladuk
Tha Muang, 38km from Nong Pladuk
Transported back to Singapore
New PoW No. IV 40725
1944/09/04 - On 4th September 1944, convoy HI-72 sailed from Singapore. Two of these ships, Rakuyo Maru and the Kachidoki Maru carried PoWs. The Rakuyo Maru carried 1317 Pows (British and Australian) and the Kachidoki Maru a further 900 (all British). Malcolm was aboard the Kachidoki Maru.
1944/09/12 - The convoy was attacked by US submarines North East of Hainan Island off China, and both the PoW carrying ships were hit. The Kachidoki Maru was torpedoed by the US submarine Pampanito at 22:40 hours.
The Japanese rescued some of the POWs from these two ships and they continued their journey to Japan on the Kibitsu Maru.
All of those who survived the sinking of the Kachidoki Maru jumped within the first ten minutes of the ship being hit.
Malcolm did not survive.
1945/03/29 - WO417/90.1, Casualty List No 1718. Previously reported on Casualty List No 1131 as Prisoner of War in Japanese Hands now reported ‘Missing’, Malaya.
1946/11/06 - WO417/100, Casualty List No. 1957. Previously reported on Casualty List No. 1718 as Missing whilst Prisoner of War. Presumed Killed in Action whilst Prisoner of War.
Died
Age 24
1944/09/12
Died in sinking of Kachidoki Maru
Loved Ones
Son of Ninian and Margaret Cockburn of Gourlaw Farm Cottage, Rosewell, Midlothian
Memorial
Column 15.
Singapore Memorial
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Pacific Star
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War Medal
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1939-1945 Star
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Information
Glenda Godfrey
Andrew Snow - Thailand Burma Railway Centre
9 Coast Regiment
Thailand-Burma Railway
Japanese Transports
Kachidoki Maru - Hell Ships
Commonwealth War Grave Commission
KEW Files:- WO 361/1742, WO 361/2057, WO 392/23, WO 345/11, WO 361/2005, WO 361/1987, WO 361/2169, WO 361/2058, WO 361/2184,
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