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John Angus Mackinnon
Merchant Navy
S.S. Willesden
Japanese POW
After leaving New York the ‘S.S. Willesden’ sailed to St Thomas in the West Indies to load coal. On 1st April 1942 a plan from the ‘Thor’, a German raider, intercepted her and a plan from the raider took out the radio mask using hook and line, leaving the Willesden with no power to transmit for help. The ‘Thor’ fired salvos demanding that the crew of the ‘Willesden’ abandon ship, the ‘Willesden’ then opened fire on the ‘Thor’ with its old 4 inch gun. The ‘Willesden’ was hit several times and the crew took to the lifeboats, being picked up by the Thor.
They found themselves in a 18 by 12ft room with the crew of the ‘S.S. Wellpark’ which had been sunk two days before. Later on the 10th the crew of the ‘Kirkpool’ joined them when that ship was intercepted. On 4th May the Thor was in the Indian Ocean and transferred captured seamen to the ‘Regensburg’
On 7 July 1942 the ship arrived in Yokohama Harbour and the prisoners were transferred to the ‘Ramses’. On the 25th August they found themselves Japanese POW’s when handed over to the Japanese. They were transferred to Kawasaki POW camp. John survived the next three and a half years of captivity.
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Crewman who died onboard S.S. Willesden:
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Name
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Rank
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Died
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MacMillan, Murdo
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Sailor
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Age 20, 1943/04/01
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Crew mates who died in Japanese camps:
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Donaldson, John
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Able Seaman
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Age 31, 1942/12/31
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James, Joe
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Fireman and Trimmer
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Age 57, 1942/12/30
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Mendi, Joe
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Greaser
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Age 50, 1943/05/08
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Owen, Robert
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Fireman
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Age 47, 1943/12/23
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Runcie, Alex
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Third Officer
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Age 24, 1945/07/25
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Williams, Alfred
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Donkeyman
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Age 48, 1943/09/08
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Crew of Willesden at Tokyo 23-D Kawasaki (Daishihon):
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Name
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Rank
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Pow No
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Alexander, George
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Civilian
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51
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Apare, John
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Civilian
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75
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Bawden, Derek
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Civilian
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64
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Campbell, John
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Civilian
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60
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Cornish, William
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Gunner
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91
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Cox, Percy
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Able Seaman
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87
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Currie, William
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Civilian
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54
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Dunlop, Michael
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Gunner
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92
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Edwards, Clarence
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Civilian
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78
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Gardiner, John
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Civilian
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49
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Garner, William
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Gunner
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89
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Griffiths, Richard
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Civilian
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48
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Heron, Joseph W.
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Gunner
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88
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Joyce, Arthur H.
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Civilian
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63
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Lewis, Phillip
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Civilian
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73
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Mackinnon, John, Angus
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Civilian
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53
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MacLennan, Donald
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Civilian
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66
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MacNeil, Roderick
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Civilian
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58
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Marshall, Adam
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Civilian
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82
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McDougall, John
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Civilian
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59
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McNeill, Thomas
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Civilian
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55
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Miller, Archie
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Gunner
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90
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Morris, Alan
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Civilian
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57
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Morris, William
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Able Seaman
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85
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Perkins, John
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Civilian
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80
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Prentice, Edward
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Civilian
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79
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Silva, Elvin
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Civilian
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83
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Williams, Edward
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Civilian
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61
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Wilson, Ronald D.
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Civilian
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62
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Zimmerman, Ernest
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Civilian
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84
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