Maloney-Joseph

To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

830440

Sergeant

Joseph Maloney

Known as Danny

1915/12/24 - Born Bradford, Yorkshire

Son of Joseph and Minnie Maloney

1933 - Married Elsie Bussey in Bradford

1933/12/27 - Joseph and Elsie were blessed with son Kevin Maloney

Next of Kin - Wife: Elsie Maloney, 21 Mulberry Street, Bradford, York

Royal Artillery

270th Battery, 85 Anti Tank Regiment

Service

1941/09/23 - The 85th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery was formed.

Four batteries were detached from other regiments and joined the 85th Regiment on the dates mentioned below:-

1941/09/23 - 270th Battery

1941/09/27 - 251st Battery

1941/09/27 - 281st Battery

1941/09/29 - 45th Battery

After training in Essex, the 85th and their equipment were loaded on to the SS Narkunda, a ship in Convoy William Sail 12Z.

1941/11/12 - Sailed from Liverpool and the Clyde.

1941/11/13 - The convoy formed off Oversay as below:

*11L* *ADRASTUS*	*21L* *MATAROA*	*31C* *NARKUNDA* *(Commodore)*	*41L* *ORDUNA*	*51C* *DEUCALION*

*12L* *EMPIRE STAR* Â	*22L* *DUCHESS OF BEDFORD* *(Vice Commodore)*	*32C* *AORANGI* *32C* *EMPRESS OF JAPAN* *(same position number)*	*42L* *MONARCH OF BERMUDA*	*52C* *ABBEKERK*

*13L* *SUSSEX*	*23L* *EMPRESS OF ASIA*		*43L* *CAPETOWN CASTLE*	*53C* *RIMUTAKA*
		*34C* *ARUNDEL CASTLE*

When the convoy departed the docks, the 85th were heading for the Middle East via the Cape of Good Hope. The 85th equipment was painted in desert camouflage. The convoy sailed south to Durban, South Africa.

1941/12/08 - The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour and invaded the Philippines.

The 85th were diverted from their original desert destination to Singapore in Convoy DM 1 (Durban Military):-

AORANGI

MOUNT VERNON

NARKUNDA

SUSSEX

They became part of the 53rd Battalion. as reinforcements of the Singapore Garrison.

Escorted by EMERALD, a rendezvous was made at the fuelling stop at Addu Atoll from where the escort was reinforced by the cruisers Durban and Exeter.

1942/01/09 - Sloop Jumna joined convoy

1942/01/10 - The Dutch cruiser De Ruyter was present for the next three days. The destroyers Encounter, Jupiter and Vampire joined the convoy until the convoy reached Singapore.

1942/01/13 - Convoy DM 1 arrived Singapore

Taken from ‘Missing’ KEW File

MS Abbekerk - In the winter of 1941/42 she was in one of the convoys desperately trying to strengthen the defences of Singapore against the Japanese. With a cargo of mainly ammunition, anti aircraft guns and 12 Hurricane fighters she sailed in the heavily escorted convoy DM.01 to Singapore. The crew even put anti aircraft guns from her cargo on deck as extra defence.

By the time the convoy arrived in Singapore the harbour was under constant attack. The Hurricanes and guns were quickly unloaded but harbour workers simply refused to unload the ammunition. The crew then unloaded part of it but after a couple of days no empty barges came anymore. By that time there were no bombers left in Singapore for the heavy bombs Abbekerk was carrying. Abbekerk then sailed alone to Oosthaven were she helped to destroy (sink) barges and unloaded some more cargo. But she also had to unload all her bofors guns and the English troops that manned it. (From MS Abberkerk )

By the time the MS Abbekerk sailed from Singapore, it was obvious Singapore was about to fall to the Japanese. The guns from the 85th Regiment which were placed on the ships deck wanted manning, maybe this is the reason Joseph sailed with the ship.

1942/02/15 - Singapore surrendered to the Japanese

1943/01/16 - WO 417/56, Casualty List No. 1034. Previous casualty list No. 807. Previously shown with Army No. as 833440. Now reported ‘ Not Missing’.

1943/06/03 - WO 417/62, Casualty List No. 1151. Previously posted Missing, 01/02/1943, Casualty List No. 1081. Now reported ‘Prisoner of War’.

Japanese PoW

1942/03/08 - Captured Java

PoW No. 2500

Japanese Index Card - Side One

Japanese Index Card - Side Two

1942/10/21 - When the draft for transportation was assembled, there were many stretcher cases and many of the PoWs collapsed on the march to the docks. At the Tandjong Priok Docks the Tanjong Priok P.O.W. Camp draft of 1000 ( 90 Officers and 910 O.R.s approx ) was joined by a draft of 300 R.A.F., under command of Wing Commander Frowe, and 500 R.A. personnel under command of Lt. Col. Saunders Royal Artillery.

At 1600 hours the daft of 1800 PoWs embarked onto the Yoshiba Maru and were crammed into the holds.

1942/10/22 - The Yoshida Maru sailed from Batavia with the 1800 PoWs to Singapore in very bad conditions as the tarpaulins leaked and the water entered the holds.

1942/10/25 - Yoshida Maru arrived at the Roads of Singapore.

1942/10/26 - Reached Keppel Harbour, Singapore. 32 sick PoWs were taken to Changi-Hospital. The remaining PoWs were herded onto the quay, disinfected and tested for dysentery and cholera (glass rod test). Then herded back aboard the Yoshida Maru

1942/10/28 - Wing Commander Frowe was instructed to draft 200 of his men to join Lt. Col. Saunders' party of 500 being transferred to another ship. Fourteen of the more seriously sick from Tanjong Priok Camp were then transferred to Singapore Hospital.

1942/10/29, 1400 hours - The remaining 1086 disembarked onto the Quay and were disinfected. During the day a further 19 went sick and were sent to shore hospital and 14 replacements were received from Changi P.O.W. Camp, making a total of 1081.

1942/10/29, 1900 hours - The 1081 embarked on the S.S. "Singapore Maru"

Commander Lt-Col. E.R. Scott and the Singapore Maru group were known as the Scott Party (Mystery Party 2).

1942/10/27 - The Singapore Maru (1100 PoWs), Dainichi Maru (1200 PoWs) and Tofuku Maru (1200 PoWs) set sail to Japan in a convoy. Some of Java Party 5a, 5b and 5c who had sailed earlier from Java and taken to Changi, joined the PoWs in this Japan daft.

1942/11/03 - Arrived Saigon, French Indo-China

Lt-Col. Scott asked for the sick to be taken off the Singapore Maru but his request was refused.

1942/11/13 - Arrived Takao, Taiwan

8 bodies sent ashore for cremation from the Singapore Maru.

600 Japanese Soldiers embarked on the Singapore Maru.

Departing Taiwan was delayed as there was a bad storm.

1942/11/25 - Arrived Moji, Japan

There are some unknown facts:-

When the Yoshida Maru reached Singapore from Java, it stayed in the dock area and no roll was carried out at Changi, so this Java Party is known as a Mystery Party.

At the dock area we understand 500 PoWs of this 1,800 Mystery Party were transferred from Lt-Col. Saunders party of Royal Artillery and a further 200 RAF, from Wing Commander Frowe’s Party to another ship in the convoy.

It is not clear if Joseph Maloney was on the Singapore Maru, Dainichi Maru or Tofuku Maru.

Information on the Singapore Maru:-

The Singapore Maru was overcrowded with poor toilet facilities. The holds were not ventilated and dysentery took hold. There were 60 deaths on the voyage.

It is reported that on reaching Moji 280 PoWs were very sick, out of these a 127 died within weeks.

(Read Hell Ship also Affidavit by Lt-Col.Eric Kenneth Scott)

1942/11/25 - Arrived Moji, Japan

Many of the PoWs were then hospitalised at Moji

New PoW No. 5159

Work at Moji as taken from Investigation Report 1946:-

1943/06/18 - Dislocated his 12th thoracic vertebra (spinal cord injury), admitted to Kokura Military Hospital’s Ittsu POW Ward.

1943/10/10 - Discharged from hospital

Taken from Capt. (Dr) Allan Berkeley - Moji Hospital - affidavit

Death of Joseph MALONEY: [Maloney, Joseph, Sgt., 85th Anti-Tank Regt]

Sergeant Maloney. Who was often referred to as "Danny", was a British soldier in the Anti-Tank Regiment. In June 1943, while in a working party outside the camp, he was badly injured when a heavy load fell on his back, fracturing his vertebrae and causing paralysis of his legs. I must say that the Japanese helped Maloney quite a lot although at times when I asked for sulphapyridine tablets, I was refused. Maloney developed a very nasty bed sore but the Japs would not let me dress it in my own way and allowed an ignorant medical orderly to decide on the line of treatment. Maloney died in February 1945. On the whole the Japs treated him fairly well, by comparison with the treatment they melted out to others.

Joseph’s ashes were buried in Moji City, within the premises of Daioji Temple cemetery.

After Japan surrendered Josephs ashes were transferred to 108 Graves Reg. U.S.A. Sgt. Thomas B. Fletcher to be taken to Yokohama Cremation Memorial.

1946/04/06 - WO417/102, Casualty List No. 2025. Previously reported on Casualty List No. 1151 as Prisoner of War. Previous Theatre of War, Netherlands East Indies. Reported ‘Died’.

1946/07/02 - WO417/102, Casualty List No. 2037. Correction to entry on Casualty List No. 2025/14. The date of casualty was incorrectly reported and occurred on 01/03/1945.

Died

1945/03/01

(No.78 Date on Japanese Death Report 1945/03/28)

Loved Ones

Son of Joseph and Minnie Maloney of Bradford

Husband of Elsie Maloney of Bradford

Father of Kevin Maloney (1933-2009) and father-in-law of Annie.

Grandfather, of Philip and Nigel, grandfather-in-law to Leanne and Heather.

Much loved Great Grandad of Stacey, Glenn, Alycia, Nathan and Douglas.

Joseph and Kevin are always in our hearts.

Memorial