The 9th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers were formed in 1939 as an offshoot of the 7th Battalion. In August of that year they were amalgamated into the 18th Division and transported to Norfolk, defending the coast between Wells-on-Sea and Great Yarmouth.
In January 1941 they moved to the Scottish Boarders for training with their HQ at Bowhill House.
1941/10/30 - Equipped for Middle East the 9th Royal Northumberland Fusiliers left Liverpool in the Warwick Castle, Convoy CT.5.
USS Orizaba
1941/11/08 - Arrived Halifax and after much debate amongst the troop at Halifax the 9th Battalion eventually boarded the USS. Orizaba, which was not a luxurious ship.
1941/11/10 - The 18th Division left Halifax in Convoy William Sail 12X and was escorted by the US Navy.
Convoy Willam Sail 12X
(USS Ranger was flying on antisubmarine patrol for the convoy)
The convoy passed through the Mona Passage between Puerto Rico and St Domingo, arriving at Trinidad on 17th November in glorious sunshine so our tropical kit came out, but unfortunately no shore-leave, the convoy left after two days of taking on supplies. On 24th the equator was crossed and there was a crossing the line ceremony.
1941/12/02 - USS Orizaba was refuelled at sea
After a month the convoy arrived at Cape Town, South Africa. By this time the Americans were in the war as the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbour and attacked Malaya and the rumours were that they were heading for the Far East and not the Middle East as first thought.
Japan had entered the war by attacking Malaya on 8th December 1941, destination was now the Far East.
1941/12/13 - The convoy left Cape Town and sailed along the coast of East Africa past Madagascar and arrived Mombassa.
The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers stayed on board the Orizaba at Mombassa for about a fortnight and had Christmas Day, 1941 on board ship with the temperature very high. Compared with Cape Town the stay was not as hospitable and it was good to be on the move again, heading across the Indian Ocean towards India and Bombay.
1941/12/27 - After 17,011 miles at sea, at Bombay the Fusiliers said their goodbyes to the USS Orizaba before they entrained across India into the hills to Deolali.
The camp at Deolali was a mass of huts with every conceivable amenity the garrison troops required, canteens, barber, tailor, etc. There was also a massive parade square with an adjoining sports complex which the RNF football team were eager to try out being unbeaten back in the UK.
In the cool of the evening, the team took to the field, Kicking off at 90F they were thrashed by a local Deolali team 6-0 and it is said the goalkeeper had a very good game, the score could have been much higher.
Army drill was carried out every day the RNF were at Deolali, evening entertainment was a Naafi canteen or gym, and on one night they had a film.
Entrained back to Bombay Docks the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers embarked on to a Free French ship called the Felix Roussell.
Felix Roussell
1942/01/23 - The Sailing out of Bombay with Convoy BM12, including the Empress of Asia (2235 troops), Plancius (987 troops), Devonshire (1673 troops), and escort HMIS Sutlej, the City of Canterbury(detached from DM2), it was apparent the ship was now heading for the Far East to engage the Japanese.
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 morning before the ships were to berth at Singapore, the sky was full of Japanese Bombers heading for the convoy, which had two troop carriers, the ‘Felix Roussell’ and the Empress of Asia. The ‘Empress of Asia’ seemed to be the Japanese prime target at the beginning of the raid and eventually received a direct hit which stopped her engines, making her a sitting target, the bombers hit her again and again. Nets and lifeboats were lowered over her sides but the ship caught fire, and with the fuel leaking into the sea, caused the sea to wear a blanket of flame.
The Japanese now turned on the ‘Felix Roussell’ and bombs hit their target. The guns of the ship found their targets and at least a half-dozen Japanese planes were downed. Four bombs had hit the ship with little damage but there were deaths. After the Japanese had withdrawn, the dead were buried at sea. The ship then continued onto Singapore. The Commanding Officer was awarded the French Croix-de-Guerre medal for the ships part in this action.
1942/02/05 - The Convoy reached the safety of Keppel Harbour, Singapore. 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 City.
1942/02/15 - Singapore surrendered to the Japanese
1042/04/18 - WO 417/42, Casualty List No. 801. Missing.
1943/09/27 - WO 417/66, Casualty List No. 1249. Previously shown on Casualty List No. 801 as Missing, 15/02/1942. Now reported a Prisoner of War.
Japanese PoW
1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore
PoW No. M-6154
Japanese Index Card 1 - Side One
Japanese Index Card 1 - Side Two
Japanese Index Card 2 - Side One
Japanese Index Card 2 - Side Two
1942/03/11 - Transported overland to Thailand with ‘O’ Letter Party
1943/10/17 - Line from Burma met line from Thailand at Konkoita
New PoW No. IV 15537
Died
Age 26
1945/06/05
Cause of Death - Malaria
Place of Death Nakon Pathom Hospital
Grave E.6, Nakon Pathom Cemetery
After the war William was moved to a Commonwealth War Grave
1946/01/17 - WO417/101, Casualty List No.1962. Previously shown on Casualty List No.1249 as Prisoner of War, with Duty Location as Malaya. Now reported as Died.
Loved Ones
Son of George and Margaret Tait
Husband of Catherine Tait
William’s brother John is also buried at Kanchanaburi War Cemetery
KEW Files:- WO 361/2172, WO 361/1519, WO 361/1519, WO 392/26, WO 345/50, WO 361/1955, WO 361/1533, WO 361/2169, WO 361/1987, WO 361/1623, WO 361/2064, WO 361/2235, WO 361/2179, WO 361/2069,
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In Memory of FEPOW Family Loved Ones Designed and Maintained by Ron Taylor.
