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6029161
Private
Herbert James Gregory
1912/02/13 - Born Tyford Lodge, Willesdon, London
Son of Herbert Henry and May Lilian Gregory
1938/04/28 - Married Margaret Stride at Willesdon Register Office
They made their home at Stonebridge Park, London and were blessed with two children, Shirley and Tony
Next of Kin Wife, Margaret, Melville Road, Stonebridge Park, London
Suffolk Regiment
5th Battalion
‘C’ Company
18th Division
Service
5th Battalion
The 5th Battalion were formed with territorials from the Suffolk area. After some basic training at North Walsham they were put on guard duty in coastal Villages which included the seaside villages of Hemsby and Caister both on the Norfolk Coast, where they occupied holiday accommodation.
They also patrolled the dry docks where Allied submarines were serviced. Further moves were to Fulbourn near Cambridge, Hawick, Scotland, Liverpool, Isle of Anglesey and then Leominster in Herefordshire.
Reina del Pacifico
Once more as part of the 18th Division, they were on the move by train from Leominster to Liverpool where they boarded the Reina del Pacifico, it was believed their destination was the Middle East as they had been equipped with khaki drill tunics for desert use.
The Reina del Pacifico passage was to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, across a very rough sea.
USS Wakefield
The 5th battalion, being part of the 54 Infantry Brigade, then changed ship to the American liner ‘USS Wakefield’ and became part of the Convoy William Sail 12X.
The convoy sailed to Trinidad and then on to Cape Town in South Africa, berthing on the 9th December for a three stay, shore leave was granted. The Japanese had invaded Malaya the day before the convoy reached Cape Town.
Convoy William Sail 12X continued with six American troopships, two cruisers, eight destroyers and the aircraft carrier Ranger, the Convoy William Sail 12X was under way, destination still unknown.
Convoy William Sail 12X
Above Photo supplied by the late Maurice Rooney
Detailed Account by Thomas M. Allison
A reproduction of an account by Thomas M. Allison who is understood to be serving as an American Naval officer in the convoy.
Aircraft
Vought SB 2U Vindicator Scout Bomber - USS Ranger which was flying an Anti Submarine patrol over the convoy.
Ships Front Line, Top to Bottom:-
USS West Point - USS Mount Vernon - USS Wakefield - USS Quincy (Heavy Cruiser)
Ships Back Line Top to Bottom:-
USAT Leonard Wood - USS Vincennes (Heavy Cruiser) - USS Joseph T Dickman
The convoy passed through the Mona Passage between Puerto Rico and St Domingo.
Arrived at Trinidad 17th November in glorious sunshine so troops changed to tropical kit, but no shore-leave, left Trinidad after two days of taking on supplies. The equator was crossed soon after leaving Trinidad on the 24th, there was a crossing the line ceremony.
After a month the convoy arrived at Cape Town, and soon after on the 8th December news reached the regiment that Japan had attacked Pearl Harbour and Malaya.
Britain and America were now at war with Japan and the rumours were that the convoy was now heading for the Far East and not the Middle East as first thought.
Up till now the destination of the convoy was the Middle East but with Japan entering the war, it became obvious that the 18th Division would be sent to the Far East.
At this point the convoy was split with one part going to Mombassa and then on to Malaya and the Wakefield going to India, arriving at Bombay on the 5th January 1942, then on by train to Ahmenager, which was inland from Bombay where more training took place for the Far eastern climate. The 54th Infantry, which included the 5th Suffolks stayed at Ahmenager for three weeks, then back to Bombay where the Wakefield had waited, sailing once again this time to Singapore arriving 29th January, just two days before the causeway was blown between Malaya and Singapore.
Singapore by this time was under siege and the battalion found themselves in old tents in a rubber plantation along Tampines Road. With the departure of the RAF to Sumatra and Java there was very little air cover and slit trenches were a necessity.
The 5th Battalion were moved to take up positions along with other regiments of the 18th Division along the North-East Coastline overlooking the Straits of Johore between Singapore and the South Coast of Malaya at Ponggol Point. The Japanese attack on Singapore was suspected to be made in this area, the assumption was thought to be correct as the Japanese had these regiments under constant Mortar and air attacks.
This was a Japanese bluff as they attacked the North-East Coast and not the North-West Coast. Being of little use in these positions the 5th Battalion was moved by the RASC bus company on the 10th February to Thomson Road, taking over positions of the 1st Cambridgeshires who moved further along towards the Japanese attack positions on Bukit Timah Road.
On the 15th February from their positions at Battalion HQ, near Raffles College clouds of smoke could be seen as the oil tanks of Singapore were destroyed. To the Battalion it seemed just a matter of time before a surrender was called and in late afternoon they were told to destroy their weapons.
Surrender of Singapore
by Leo Rawlings
Percival surrendered, just 18 days after the USS Wakefield had docked at Singapore.
1943/08/24 - WO 417/65, Casualty List No. 1220. Previously posted Missing. Now reported a ‘Prisoner of War’.
1945/07/18 - WO417/94-2, Casualty List No. 1811. Previously reported on Casualty List No. 1220 as Prisoner of War. Previous Theatre of War, Malaya. Reported ‘Died’.
Japanese PoW
1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore
PoW Number M-2731
Japanese Index Card - Side One
Japanese Index Card - Side Two
1942/10/17 - Transported Oversea to Thailand with a group of 4th and 5th Suffolk's under Lt Col Baker.
On arrival in Thailand he was attached to Group 2.
Camps in Thailand:-
Wang Takhain, 81 km from Non Pladuk
Ban Khao, 87.93 km from Nong Pladuk
Tha Khanun, 223.40 km from Nong Pladuk
1943/10/25 - The rail tracks from Thailand and Burma were joined near Konkoita, Thailand.
Returning to Chungkai before being returned to Singapore.
Sime Road Camp, Singapore.
Hofuku Maru
1944/07/04 - Transported Oversea in the Hofuku Maru from Singapore in Convoy SHIMI-05 to Miri, Borneo. The convoy consisted of 10 ships, 5 of which carried, in total, 5,000 PoWs, all in appalling conditions.
On arrival at Borneo, the Hofuku Maru left the convoy with engine problems, and stopped at Miri whilst repairs were carried out to the engines. Convoy SHIMI-05 sailed on to the Philippines without the Hofuku Maru. The PoWs remained on board whilst the repairs were carried out, suffering terribly from disease, hunger, and thirst.
After the engines were repaired, the Hofuku Maru sailed on July 14th for Manila Bay in the Philippines with another convoy, arriving in Manila on July 19th. Once again they were informed that the engines were still unsatisfactory and that they would stay there while further repairs were carried out. Part of the cargo was unloaded and the Japanese civilians who were on board were disembarked. During the stay in Manila Bay a total of ninety four deaths occurred on board all of which were due to malnutrition. The dead were buried at sea in Manila Bay.
1944/08/26 - Herbert was transferred with 49 others to the Bilibid American Prisoner of War Hospital, all suffering from Malnutrition and Dysentery.
On the 20th September 1944, the Hofuku Maru left Manila Bay with Convoy Mata-27, leaving the 50 ill in Bilibid Hospital. The following morning, the convoy was attacked 80 miles north of Corregidor by more than 100 American carrier planes. All eleven ships in the convoy were sunk. Of those on the Hofuku Maru, over 75% of the 1,289 British and Dutch PoWs on board died.
In Bilibid Hospital, Herbert was recorded as suffering from severe bloody Diarrhoea and extreme loss of weight and strength which he could not overcome. Herbert passed away in October 1944.
Died
Age 32
24th October 1944
Caused by Dysentery, Malnutrition, Malaria and Pellagra
Herbert was buried at North Cemetery, Manila
After the war Herbert was reburied at Sai Wan Cemetery, Hong Kong
Loved Ones
Son of Herbert Henry and May Lilian Gregory
Herbert’s Wife Margaret Gregory, Stonebridge Park, Willesden, London
Memorial
I. H. 15.
Sai Wan Cemetery
China
Medals
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Pacific Star
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War Medal
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1939-1945 Star
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Far East Medals
Information
Glenda Godfrey
Andrew Snow - Thailand Burma Railway Centre
Convoy William Sail 12X
Fall of Malaya and Singapore
Thailand Burma Railway
Hell Ships
Suffolk Regiment 5th Battalion
Commonwealth War Grave Commission
KEW Files:- WO 345/21, WO 361/2167, WO 361/2177, WO 361/1616, WO 361/1623, WO 361/2053, WO 392/24,
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