Griffin-James-Joseph

To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

6147383

Private

James Joseph Griffin

1914/09/04 - Dungarvan, Ireland

Next of Kin, Miss E Griffin, Shear Street, Abbeyside, County Waterford

East Surrey Regiment

2nd Battalion

Service

The 2nd Battalion were sent to China in 1938 then Singapore when he was 19 (by their records) and was sent into Malaya to help defend it against the Japanese invasion in December 1941.

During the defence of Malaya the Japanese attacked at Jitra during the night of the 11th December and in doing so suffered heavy losses by the Allied positioning of their machine guns. Saeki then decided to throw everything he had at the centre of the British defences and succeeded in driving a deep wedge into their positions before he came up against the Leicesters and the 2/2nd Gurkhas who stopped the Japanese attack, the 2nd East Surreys then counterattacked to help the Leicesters. By the 12th December Major-general Kawamura commanding the 9th Infantry arrived at Jitra and sent his 41st Regiment down the eastern side of the main road and the 40th Regiment down the western side to assist Saeki who was still being held by the Leicesters. Murray-Lyons ordered the Leicesters to withdraw behind a stream called the Sungei Jitra, the Leicesters had fought bravely and their good positions were argued but they had to obey the order. Later that evening with rumours about positions being over run he signalled Heath that he wanted to withdraw to behind the Sungei Kedah at Gurun. Heath and Percival who were still in Singapore agreed and Percival gave the order. That night the Japanese attacked in numbers and drove a gap in the Punjabi defences and reached the 2nd East Surrey headquarters and then the 6th Brigade headquarters, killing everyone there, when Murray-Lyon saw the damage he immediately ordered a seven mile withdrawal, but finding the numbers of troops left, sent more orders to withdraw behind the Muda River, the troops were left to get there as best they could.

The 2nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment and 1st Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment were then amalgamated to form the British Battalion, because both battalions had suffered heavy losses at Jitra. They were amalgamated on 20th December 1941 as the British Battalion under the command of Lieut. Col. C.E. Morrison, D.S.O., M.C., of The Royal Leicestershire Regiment.

They fought as such till Malaya and Singapore fell to the Japanese on the 15th February 1942.

‘Singapore Surrender’ by Leo Rawlings

1942/03/17 - WO 417/40, Casualty List No. 773. Reported ‘Missing’.

1944/08/08 - WO417/79, Casualty List No. 1519. Previously shown on Casualty List No. 773, 15/02/1942, as posted Missing. ‘Prisoner of War in Japanese Hands’.

Japanese PoW

1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore

Adam Park Camp

PoW No. M-1902

Japanese Index Card - Side One

Japanese Index Card - Side Two

1942/10/24 - Transported overland to Thailand with Letter Party ‘Y’

The PoWs were from Adam Park, Changi Village and Sime Road

Commander Lt-Col. P.S.F Jackson, 7 Coast Regiment, RA

New PoW No. VII 2368

Tha Makham, 56 km from Nong Pladuk

Camp Leader Lt-Col. Toosey

1943/10/25 - Rail tracks from Thailand and Burma joined near Konkoita, Thailand

1944 - Transported back to River Valley, Singapore

1945/02/02 - Transported oversea in Haruyasa Maru to Saigon, French Indo-China (Vietnam) with 10 Group

Commander Lt-Col. Gill

New PoW No. VII 41874

Camp 10 was situated on the Rue Catinat, which was a main thoroughfare between the native quarter and the French quarter. The huts were of timber construction except for the hospital which was of bamboo structure with an attapi roof. All the huts had electric light.

Rice was still their main diet but they now received meat twice a week and eggs to buy in the canteen, within no time their weight improved.

1945/09/12 - Liberated Saigon Camp when English and Dutch paratroopers entered the camp.

1945/09/12 - On roll at Saigon

Flown to Rangoon for recuperation before being shipped home.

Liberation Questionnaire filled in by James after being liberated

1945/10/11 - WO417/98, Casualty List No. 1881. Previously shown on Casualty List No. 1519 as reported Prisoner of War now Not Prisoner of War. Previous Theatre of War, Malaya.