Davies-Henry

To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

4455067

Gunner

Henry Davies

1911/06/19 - Born Wales

Son of John and Margaret Davies

Brother to Sarah Jane, John, Gladys and Mary

Next of Kin Wife, Garden Street, Wingate, County Durham

Royal Artillery

241/77 (Welsh) Heavy Anti-Aircraft regiment

Service

1939/06/01 - Enlisted

The 77 Welsh Light Anti-Aircraft Brigade, RA (TA) was formed in November 1938.

It was re-designated as 77 (Welsh) Anti-Aircraft Regiment in January 1939.

In June 1940 it was re-designated as 77 (Welsh) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA (TA).

The 77 H.A.A. Regiment was a Welsh TA Regiment, comprising of four Batteries, 239, 240, 241 and 242.

June, 1941 - The 77 H.A.A. were now down to three Batteries 239, 240 and 241.

The Territorial Chester area 21st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment together with the 48th L.A.A Regiment, 77 H.A.A. and 18 L.A.A. Regiments of the Royal Artillery left the Clyde for the Middle East in Convoy William Sail 14

1941/12/08 - Japan attacked Malaya and Hong Kong entering the war against Britain.

1942/01/13 - By the time WS 14 had reached Durban, South Africa their destination had changed to the Singapore and they sailed in Convoy DM-2 (Durban Malaya -2).

1942/01/19 - Off Mombasa at 01.05 N, 91.28 E they merged with Convoy Bm-12 (Bombay Malaya -12) and were re-routed to Batavia, Java with their supplies.

1942/02/03 - Arrived Batavia in Empress of Australia.

The 48 L.A.A Regiment was formed in 1940 and comprised of 49, 95 and 242 Batteries.

The 77 H.A.A Regiment less 239 Battery, were transported by train to Surabaya setting up their guns to defend Eastern Java against enemy aircraft. The 239 battery stayed in defence of Batavia.

1942/02/06 - At 0300 hrs a troop train carrying part of 77 HAA Regiment crashed into an ammunition train on a single track bridge just outside Surabaya, 30 were killed and 100 were injured.

1942/02/28 - A strong Japanese force landed on the North Coast of Java at Eretenwetan. Using tanks they soon reached Kalidjati airfield, destroying the 49th Battery of the 48 L.A.A. Regiment.

1942/03/04 - By this time the Dutch forces in Java were being severely hit by the Japanese advance. The 239 Battery, 77 H.A.A and the 242 Battery, 48 L.A.A were ordered to move and defend the Bandoeng area.

1942/03/08 - Java surrendered to the Japanese.

1943/03/20 - WO 417/58, Casualty List No. 1088. Reported ‘Missing’.

Japanese PoW

1942/03/08 - Captured Java

Tanjon Priok

PoW No. 3041

Japanese Index Card - Side One

Japanese Index Card - Side Two

Left Batavia in Java 1942/10/17 for Singapore with 3000 prisoners

1942/10/25 - Arrived Singapore

1942/10/30 - Transported oversea from Singapore to Japan in the Singapore Maru

108 PoWs died on the journey or as a direct result from the deplorable conditions the prisoners endured.

1942/11/27 - The Singapore Maru arrive Japan.

New PoW No. 2983

Henry is listed in the first roll Branch Camp Ohama. The Camp was established 6th November 1942. It was near Ube, Honshu, Japan.

The British soldiers were picked as they were from the coal mining villages of Wales and Northumberland, becoming Work Group 4.

Their expertise and leadership were vital to the safety underground.

They worked for Ube Kosan Ohama Coal Mining Company.

1943/01/01 - The camp was renamed Fukuoka PoW Camp Ube, Branch Camp Ohama Detached Camp

1943/03/01 - Renamed Fukuoka 9B

1943, June - The following disaster took place at Fukuoka 9B

4455067 Gunner DAVIES H. 77 (Welch) H.A.A. Regt.

Royal Artillery

240

This man while a prisoner of war working in a coal mine undoubtedly: saved his own and 13 other lives by giving orders and advice when they were trapped for 48 hours on a collapsed coal conveyor face, at Ohama, Honsha, Japan, in June, 1943.

The conveyor face was about 12 miles under the sea at approximately 80 metres depth and the coal face 75 yards in length with height varying from 2'6" to 4'6" at extreme with blank end to face. The first sixty yards were worked by Japanese and Koreans and the remainder by Gunner Davies and five other British prisoners of war.

The accident was a complete collapse of the face and old workings in rear, from 10 yards in, to within 20 yards of the blank end, due to the continual dripping of water, old workings nearby and lack of sound timbering to support. The result was that the six British, five Japs and three Koreans were trapped at the blank end, with no timber, slight air through collapsed air pipe and one lamp.

Davies organized the building of a wall of "sandstone" to take the brunt of the further inevitable squeeze on the remainder of the coal face, saving further collapse and thereby the lives of the entombed party. After 48 hours, 24 of which were spent without light, release came through a tunnel built under the collapsed sandstone and coal 45 yards in length approximately and in no place wider or higher than 2'6". The whole workings collapsed thirty minutes after release.

The award of the ‘British Empire Medal’ is recommended.

Report 1946/11/19

1943/12/01 - Renamed Fukuoka 4D

1945/04/14 - Renamed 7 D and Jurisdictional control transferred to Hiroshima PoW Camp 7D.

1945, August - Renamed Hiroshima 9B

1945/09/01 - Liberated Hiroshima 9B - Onoda-Shi, Yamaguchi-Ken

Liberation Questionnaire filled in by Henry after he was liberated

Repatriation

HMS Glory

1945/10/09 - Embarked Manila as a Hospital Walking Patient.

Destination Esquimalt Naval Base, Canada.

British then entrained to the East Coast and transported to UK.

1945/12/08 - WO417/100, Casualty List No. 1931. Previously shown on Casualty List No. 1146 as reported Prisoner of War now ‘Not Prisoner of War’. Previous Theatre of War, Netherlands East Indies.