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6286502
Gunner
William Donald Martin
1921/05/29 - Born High Halden, near Ashford, Kent
Son of John Walter and Jessie Francis (nee Skinner) Martin
Occupation Civil Servant
Next of Kin Parents, J W and J F Martin, Hillside Farm High, Halden, Kent.
Royal Artillery
6th Heavy Anti Aircraft Regimen
12th Battery
Service
1938/10/17 - Enlisted
The 12th Battery, 6 Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment was formed in September 1935 at Lichfield, later moving to Blackdown Barracks near Aldershot.
The 6 Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment were in France and Belgium as part of the British Expeditionary Force, embarking for France on 14th September 1939 and escaping France at Dunkirk.
Monarch of Bermuda
1941/11/14 - Transported aboard the Monarch of Bermuda from the UK with Convoy William Sail 12Z, the regiment was sailing for the Middle East.
RMS Aorangi
On reaching Durban they were transferred from the Monarch of Bermuda to the Aorangi and diverted to Singapore, as Japan had entered the war by bombing Pearl Harbour and attacking Hong Kong and Malaya on the 8th December 1941.
1941/12/24 - The regiment detached WS12Z at Durban and was diverted with DM1 to Singapore.
1942/01/13 - Arrived Singapore.
Batteries 12 and 15 of 6 Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment were moved to Sumatra at the end of January to defend the airfields and oil refineries at Palembang.
The Japanese used their parachutists to outflank the defences at Palembang and the 6 Heavy Anti Aircraft were were forced to destroy their guns and retreat to Java. They fought as infantry from 28th February 1942, till Java surrendered to the Japanese on the 8th March 1942.
1942/04/22 - WO 417/42, Casualty List No. 804. Reported ‘Missing’.
1942/12/08 - WO 417/49, Casualty List No. 923. Reported ‘Missing’.
1943/03/30 - WO 417/58, Casualty List No. 1096. Reported ‘Missing’.
1945/10/29 - WO417/98, Casualty List No. 1896. Previously reported on Casualty List No. 1191 as Prisoner of War now Not Prisoner of War. Previous Theatre of War, Netherlands East Indies.
Japanese PoW
1942/03/08 - Captured Java
1942/03/28 - Tanjung Priok, Java (Camp Leader Col. Lane)
1943/04/17 - Batavia, Java (Camp Leader Col. Dobbin)
PoW No. 1112
Japanese Index Card - Side One
Japanese Index Card - Side Two
1943/09/11 - Transported with Java Party 16 in the Harugiku Maru to Singapore.
1943/09/14 - Arrive Changi, Singapore.
1943/09/20 - Transported from Singapore in the Seishin Maru to Japan
1943/09/29 - Via Manila Bay
1943/10/08 - Via Takao, Taiwan
1943/10/12 - Arrived Moji, Japan.
Transported to Fukuoka 6D - Tanoura Camp, Japan. British 4 officers, 383 other ranks.
New PoW No. 380
Prisoners worked at Tokai Denkyo a local carbon electrode plant, filling and emptying kilns.
1945/06/30 - Camp closed and 100 remaining POWs transferred to Fukuoka 25B.
Camp Leader Capt. Wilkie.
Working at a carbide manufacturer. plant, Denki Kagaku Kogyo.
1945/07/27 - Major fire from bombing raid- camp saved by POWs
1945/08/15 - On Fukuoka 25B roll
1945/09/16 - Liberated Fukuoka 25B - Omuta
Liberation Questionnaire as filled in by William after being liberated
Repatriated
USS Marine Shark
1945/10/10 - Departed Manila.
Destination San Francisco, California.
1945/11/01 - Arrived.
British then entrained to the East Coast and transported in Queen Mary to Southampton.
Post War
1946/07/18 - Discharged
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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
Lee Martin
Convoy William Sail
Fall of Malaya and Singapore
Japanese Transports
Repatriation Rolls
FEPOW Family
KEW Files:- WO 392/25, WO 361/2009, WO 361/2217, WO 361/1940, WO 361/1978, WO 361/1254, WO 345/34,
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