Tarling-Arthur-Stanley

To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

1482803

Bombardier

Arthur Stanley Tarling

1906/02/06 - Born Clacton-on-Sea, Essex

Son of Joseph and Alice Tarling

Occupation Baker

Royal Artillery

95/48 Light Anti Aircraft

Service

1941/12/06 -The Territorial Chester area 21st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment together with the 77 H.A.A. and 18 L.A.A. Regiments of the Royal Artillery left the Clyde for the Middle East in Convoy William Sail 14X.

1941/12/08 - Japan attacked Malaya entering the war against Britain

1942/01/13 - By the time WS 14X had reached Durban, South Africa their destination had changed to the Singapore and they sailed in Convoy DM-2 (Durban Malaya -2).

1942/01/19 - Off Mombasa at 01.05 N, 91.28 E they merged with Convoy Bm-12 (Bombay Malaya -12) and were re-routed to Batavia, Java with their supplies.

1942/02/03 - Arrived Batavia in Empress of Australia.

The 21 L.A.A Regiment deployed one battery to Surabaya airfield defence in the east of Java and a further battery was sent to Koepang, Timor.

1943/04/03 - WO 417/59, Casualty List No 1100. Missing

Now reported a Prisoner of War

Japanese PoW

1942/03/20 - Captured

PoW No. 5456

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 Yoshida 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. As the Yoshida draft stayed at the Keppel docks, they were not given a Java Party number at Changi and were known as a Mystery Party.

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 Dainichi Maru. 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).

1942/10/30 - 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

500 of the PoWs from the Dainichi Maru disembarked to Taiwan 4G, Taichu ad 300 Americans from the Lima Maru embarked.

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 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 Arthur Stanley Tarling was on the Singapore Maru or Dainichi Maru as his Japanese Index Card - Side One does have at the top left Fukuoka 11 and is known that 100 PoWs were transferred from the Dainichi Maru to Fukuoka 11, but these are understood to be RAF, plus there is no information that any PoWs were transferred from Fukuoka 11 to Hiroshima 6B and that is where Arthur Stanley Tarling was 27th November 1942.

The Singapore Maru PoWs were split into camps as follows:-

Fukuoka 4B, Moji-Hospital

1942/11/25

280

Hiroshima 9B, Ohama

1942/11/25

167

Hiroshima 6B, Sanyo

1942/11/27

184

Hiroshima 7B, Ube

1942/11/27

170

Hiroshima 8B, Motoyama

1942/11/28

200

Total

1001

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)

1942/11/27 - Hiroshima - Sanyo Group

It was noted Arthur had Veracious Veins

Work for Sanyo Corporation.

Using a coal mine declared unsafe before the war.

Wooden Blocks were PoW Identification at Hiroshima 6B

(Japanese Index Card - Side One, number shown top right)

1943/01/01 - Renamed Fukuoka - Ube - Sanyo Detached Camp

1943/03/01 - Renamed Fukuoka 6-B - Omine

1943/12/01 - Renamed Fukuoka 1D

1945/04/14 - Control transferred to Hiroshima POW Camp 4D

1945/08/10 - Renamed Hiroshima 6B - Omine, Yamaguchi

1945/09/20 - Liberated

*PoWs in Omine at Liberation*
*American*	*288*
*British*	*184*
*Total*	*472*

Repatriated

1945/10/09 - Embarked HMS Glory at Manila, Philippines

Embarkation No. 1304 - Camp No. 13043

Arrived Esquimalt Naval Base, Vancouver Island

1945/12/15 - WO417/100, Casualty List No. 1937. Previously shown on Casualty List No. 1148 as reported Prisoner of War now Not Prisoner of War. Previous Theatre of War, Netherlands East Indies.

Post War