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4983994
Private
Stanley Alonzo Gutteridge
1915/03/18 - Born Hyson Green, Nottinghamshire
Son of Harry and Florence (nee Walker) Gutteridge
Brother to Eric and Brenda
Occupation Wholesale Grocer Foreman
1941 - Married Annie May (Nancy) Greatorex
They married at St. Giles Parish Church, Ilkiston, Derbyshire, Stan was on leave from the Sherwood Foresters.
1940/07/23 - Enlisted
Next of Kin:- Wife Mrs A. Gutteridge, Sandiacre, Nottinghamshire
Sherwood Foresters
1/5 Battalion
Service
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Stanley on left in photo
The Sherwood Foresters as now part of the 55 Infantry Brigade, 18th Division, received orders to be mobilised to Liverpool for oversea duty.
‘Orcades’
The 1/5 Battalion left Liverpool on the 30th October 1941 in the ‘Orcades’ with Convoy CT.5 and sailed for Halifax, the final destination was unknown but was thought to be the Middle East.
‘USS West Point’
On reaching Halifax on November 10th, they were transferred to USS West Point as part of the 55th Infantry Brigade and departed Halifax in Convoy William Sail 12X.
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, Hong Kong and Malaya.
The Japanese Landed at Singora and Patani in Thailand and Kota Bharu in 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.
On the 13th December the convoy left Cape Town and sailed along the coast of East Africa past Madagascar and into the Indian Ocean heading for Bombay.
After 17,011 miles at sea Bombay was reached on 27th December. Travelling up country by train to Ahmednagar, near Poona where they trained for the next twelve days, route marching in the sun to get used to the heat and wondering what all this was for, they were soon to find out.
The Battalion embarked on the 17th January and the convoy sailed with a British escort on January 18th January 1942, with the H.M.S. Exeter and H.M.S. Glasgow with British and Australian destroyers. Destination was the Far East. Passing Colombo, (Ceylon), crossing the equator for the third time, the convoy passed through the Sundra Straits between Java and Sumatra and then the Banka Straits. The convoy was then bombed by Japanese Planes, there was no damage.
The convoy reached the safety of Keppel Harbour, Singapore on 29th January. Ships were ablaze in the harbour, clouds of smoke drifted across the sky and the smell of fumes was overpowering, this was not the best of greetings. The Japanese had taken most of Malaya in the last three weeks and were only thirty miles away from Singapore.
The day after the 1/5 Battalion arrived the causeway over the Strait of Jahore which linked Singapore to Malaya was destroyed. This did not delay the Japanese who landed at the North West of Singapore Island on the 8th February.
They stayed two days in the suburbs of Singapore after arriving re-packing everything wintery and not needed was put back in trunks and stored in a school to be reclaimed later. They were moved that evening up to the Northeast area of the island - two full brigades and artillery, all trained men, but not trained in jungle warfare. Defensive positions on the Northeast were taken, the coast being very similar to Norfolk. Two battalions of each brigade forward, dug in and wired round. They were the mobile reserve to the Division. The Australians were on the Northwest side of the island. The next two days after arrival they wired and dug ourselves in. Coy.Cos. made reconnaissance of various routes we should have to take if needed. By this time the R.A.F. had departed to Sumatra and Java. The Japanese aircraft never bombed by night always by day, having complete mastery of the air. Their 5th Column was extraordinary strong. A 100 yards near the Headquarters or gun position, washing hung in a glade in a shape, paddy fields were beaten down in the same way to give directions. In the North, the 5th Column acted as guides, many stayed in the villages using wireless, signs etc,. and acted as informants. The Singapore island “Fortress” was a myth.
The Japs started shelling in the Northeast, being well dug in the Sherwoods had only had two injuries, always keeping well underground. The Australians on the West coast were surprised and the Japs quickly gained ground.
On the Sunday ‘A’ and ‘D’ Coys. were given orders to go across the straights and land, destroy enemy guns in a certain area, and come back Monday night. They were prepared as well as they could for but no reconnaissance had been made of the coast, no practice in embarking and disembarking. At the last moment, it was cancelled and the Battalion were moved to the west side of the island for a counter attack. They started this at 900 hours Tuesday, all Coys. on a different axis. Marched 10 miles through grass 7ft tall, through paddy, across country by compass. The Japs sniped them most of the way. They arrived nearly at the objective and met ‘C’ Company. They had suffered 10% and had been knocked off the objective by their own artillery. ‘B’ Coy. hadn’t gone so far and had inflicted a fair number of casualties on the Japanese. They moved into a camp and then given the order to withdraw. Taking up a position in the morning astride the Bukit Teman Road, with no trenches and no wire. Wednesday morning, the Japs attacked with infantry and Mortar, although not dug in the line held with the Japs sending a few men behind our lines to let off crackers, which sound like machine guns and mortar fire.
B.H.Q. (Battalion Headquarters) had moved under heavy fire, they had been hit hard. Then about 300 yards on the road ahead six Jap tanks started firing two pounders and machine gunning the Company, not being dug in ‘C’ and ‘D’ Coys, withdrew into the wood in batches. The Brigade were told to withdraw to the line of Adams Road. ‘B’ Coy. went through, ‘C’ and ‘D’ went another way. ‘A’ Coy. were temporary lost in the affray.
A position was set behind the Norfolks , and ‘A’ Coy, being found, were then put in reserve. The Japs were dive bombing and the tanks gaining ground, they had little hope of holding their position.
Singapore surrendered to the Japanese on the 15th February 1942
Official Missing in Action Letter
Stan was reported missing in action and Nancy was advised to hold a memorial service for him. She refused as she firmly believed he was still alive. She said that he regularly appeared at her bedside and told her he was still alive. She eventually received news that he was a PoW.
1943/09/06 - WO 417/65, Casualty List No. 1231. Previously reported Missing on Casualty List No. 791, 15/02/1942. Now reported a ‘Prisoner of War’.
Japanese PoW
1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore
1942/02/16 - Changi
Japanese Index Card - Side One
Japanese Index Card - Side Two
1943/03/21 - Transported overland to Thailand with ‘D’ Force, train 7
Under Lt-Col.. Col Carpenter 1 st Bn The Cambridgeshire Regiment.
Work Group Four
PoW No. IV 11118
Thailand Camps:-
1943/05/05 - Kinsayok, 161 Km from Nong Pladuk
1943/08/10 - Tha Sao, 125 Km from Nong Pladuk
1943/10/25 - The Thailand Burma lines were joined near Kinsiyok. Thailand
1944/03/30 - Nakom Paton Hospital
New PoW No. IV 7767
1944/08/23 - Tha Muang, 38 Km from Nong Pladuk
1945/04/04 - Nakom Nyok
Letter Home
1945/08/30 - Liberated Nakom Nyok, Thailand
Flown to Rangoon and shipped home to the UK.
Liberation Questionnaire filled in by Stanley
1945/10/12 - WO417/98, Casualty List No. 1882. Previously shown on Casualty List No. 1231 as reported Prisoner of War now Not Prisoner of War. Previous Theatre of War, Malaya.
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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
Post War
Waiting for Stan to return home, Nancy patiently waited at the station holding a rose, when Stan didn’t appear she would give the rose to another returning soldier who didn’t have family to welcome them home. Many trains came and went but her patience was finally rewarded, many months after the War had finished, when Stan finally made it home.
Stanley and Nancy were blessed with two children a son, Trevor Gutteridge who was born 1st July 1942, who Stan didn’t meet until he was around four years old. On Stan’s return, daughter Janet Gutteridge was born 16th May 1947.
Both children married and went on to have children of their own, making Stanley and Nancy very happy grandparents.
Stan and Nancy were happily married until Stan’s death in April 1996 at Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire.
Information
Louise St Dennis - Granddaughter
Andrew Snow - Thailand Burma Railway Centre
Glenda Godfrey
Convoy William Sail 12X
Fall of Malaya and Singapore
Thailand Burma Railway
Sherwood Foresters Killed in Action
KEW Files:- WO 345/22, WO 361/2169, WO 361/1987, WO 392/24, WO 361/2172, WO 361/2177, WO 361/2070, WO 361/2196, WO 361/1954, WO 361/1979,
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