Manchester's on the Hell Ship Hofuku Maru.

[mack]

For more information on the 1st Battalion The Manchester Regiment Japanese POW's See also:

Manchester's of Singapore and their Fate:
http://themanchesters.org/forum/index.php?topic=10125.

Liberation of Formosa (Taiwan):
http://themanchesters.org/forum/index.php?topic=11005.msg70963#msg70963

HMS Dragon Fly and the 1st Manchester's:
http://themanchesters.org/forum/index.php?topic=9658.msg70526#msg70526

[rafboy]

3527621 Cpl. Charles Stott of the 1st Battalion The Manchester Regiment is pictured here (second from left, kneeling) on 30th January 1945.
Somehow he had swum ashore When the Hell Ship Hofuku Maru was sunk. He evaded capture, traversed the Zambales Mountain range to join up with a guerrilla group lead by a small cadre of Americans who had fought on Bataan, and then took part as a combatant fighting against the Japanese in the recapture of the Philippines.

Henry (CLAY) Connor was the leader of this group, operating near the Zambales mountains.

[mack]

Captain Nigel Keith Evans older brother Major Michael Patrick Ernest Evans was also in the 1st Battalion The Manchester Regiment, he was the brigade major of 1st Malay Brigade, captured the same day. Their father Wilfred Keith Evans was a captain in the 2nd Battalion The Manchester Regiment at mons in 1914, later promoted to Brigadier. Before he died, he was proud to see that his two sons had joined his old regiment.

When Major Evans was eventually repatriated he was in a very emancipated condition, his family would never have anything more to do with anything that was made in Japan.

5949700 Sgt James Winstanley 5th Battalion The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment. 272 Leigh Road, Hindley Green, Wigan.
Made the following statement:
I was part of 69 group under the command of Captain Nigel Evans of the Manchester Regiment. This officer in the finest traditions of the British Army was an officer and gentleman. During the voyage on the Hell Ship Hofuku Maru this officer on several occasions tried to steal or buy food for us without success, many times he helped carry me even though he was weak himself. After the sinking he was taken to Formosa with some others on a destroyer, we followed later. When we arrived at Formosa, he was there to meet us, there were many occasions when he was insulted, prodded and kicked by the yellow monkeys but not once did he react. His only consideration was for his men. I hope he feels that those of us who had the good fortune to be associated with him have the greatest admiration possible for him.

[rafboy]

The Hell Ship Hofuku Maru was attacked and sunk by American carrier based aircraft on 21st September 1944.
All the Manchester Regiment POW's on board at the time had previously been with "H" Force on the Burma Railway.

These lists of Manchester's POW's on the Hell Ship Hofuku Maru are probably the complete list. Captain Nigel Keith Evans left Chungkai Thailand for Japan with over 60 men.

KNOWN SURVIVORS

3529539 Sgt. Robert Bell. 53 Grey Street, Burnley, Lancashire.  RC   
Liberated from Cabanatuan on 4th February 1945 suffering from tropical ulcers.
Recovering in ward C7 Fitzsimmons General Hospital Denver, Colorado on 14th July 1945.
3522358 Cpl. John Frederick Bennell. 22 Bedford Street, Hulme, Manchester.  RC
When liberated his family had moved to 7 Arbor Drive, Burnage. Manchester.   
He also survived the attack on the Hell Ship Oryoku Maru. Liberated from POW Camp 10B (Maibara), Osaka, Japan.
3534885 Pte Isaac Berner. 193 Great Cheetham Street, Higher Broughton, Salford, Lancashire. H'Force.
Liberated from Bilibid Prison Manila, Philippines.
He had transferred from the Manchester Regiment to the Loyal Regiment before becoming a POW.   
3524817 Cpl. William Bird. 14 Melvern Crescent, Wigan.
Liberated from Bilibid Prison Manila, Philippines in poor health and suffering from dysentery.
He had transferred from the Manchester Regiment to the Loyal Regiment before becoming a POW.
4613327 Pte. Alfred Blodwell. 113 Wakefield Road, Stalybridge, Cheshire.  LQ
Liberated from POW Camp 9B (Myiata) Kyushu, Japan.                         
Died in Kirkcaldy, Scotland in 1995.
3529445 Cpl. James Clarey. 22 Percival Street, Collyhurst, Manchester.
liberated from bilibid prison 1945
3526013 Pte. John Cunliffe. 41 Alice Street, Bradford, Manchester.
Liberated from Bilibid prison Manila in poor health. Died in1972 aged 58.
He was not listed on Roll of Honour as being on this Hell Ship.
77678 Captain Nigel Keith Evans. Barrington Hall, Cambridge.  LQ
Sent to Taiwan then on to Manchuria, China. Liberated from POW Camp Hoten (Mukden) Manchuria.
3528289 Pte. Thomas Holmes. 5 Pitt Street, Oldham, Manchester. Sent to Taiwan then on to Japan.
Liberated from Fukuoka 17B POW Camp Omuta, Japan.
3527679 Pte. John Henry Jones. 126 Lord Street, Hindley, Wigan, Lancashire. (Now Greater Manchester).
Taken off the ship sick in August, liberated from Billibid prison Manila on 4th February 1945.
3527792 L.Cpl John Mahoney. 27 Bloom Street, Werneth, Manchester.  RC
Taken off the ship sick, liberated from Bilibid prison Manila. 4th February 1945.  Died in January 2000.
3527680 Cpl. George Newman. 35 Peel Street, Hulme, Manchester.
Taken off the ship sick, liberated from Bilibid prison Manila on 4th February 1945.
3534743 Pte. Thomas Pendlebury. 12 Levine Avenue, Blackpool.  RC  LQ
He also survived the attack on the Hell Ship Oryoku Maru. Liberated from POW Camp 17B (Fukuoka), Japan.
Died in 1967.
3523809 Signaller. Thomas Potter. 122 Bridgewater Street, Farnworth, Bolton, Lancashire. H'Force.
He transferred from the Manchester Regiment to the Royal Signals and served with the 27th Line Section (Telegraph) before becoming a POW.
Survived the sinking of the Hell Ship Hofuku Maru and was taken to Bilibid Prison.
Liberated from Cabanatuan POW Camp Philippines in poor health on 2nd April 1945.
3528022 Pte. James Henry Pringle. 54 Bradshaw Street, Moss Side, Manchester.  RC Front Only
He also survived the attack on Hell Ship Oryoku Maru. Died 26th March 1945.
3525331 Sgt. George Ernest Shardlow. 40 Wigston Street, Leicester.
He was up on deck employed by the Japanese on police duty when the attack happened.
Liberated from Carbanatuan POW Camp Philippines in poor health.
3528819 Pte. Fred Sutcliffe Shaw. 126 Clopton Street, Hulme, Manchester.  RC                                                 
3529123 Pte. Leslie Arnold Steele. 11 Eccles Street, Gorton. Manchester.
Survived the sinking of the Hell Ship Hofuku Maru and was taken to Bilibid prison Manila then put on to the Hell Ship Enoura Maru and died on 9th January 1945 when the Enoura Maru was bombed and sunk in the harbour at Formosa (Taiwan).
Remembered on Column 77 of the Kranji War cemetery Singapore Memorial.
3527621 Cpl. Charles Stott. Headquarters Company. Clarksfield, Oldham, Manchester.
3527462 Pte. David Leopold Walton. 226 Moorside Road, Swinton, Manchester.  LQ
Sent to Taiwan and held in Inrin Temporary POW Camp. Then sent to Japan on 24th January 1945 on the Hell Ship Enoshima Maru arriving at Moji on 30th January 45.
Held in POW Camp Sendai 3B (Hosokura), Japan.
Liberated from  POW Number 3 Branch Camp Sendai, Japan.

DEATHS

3529611 Pte. Arthur Anderson. 5 Inglesby Place, Armley, Leeds.
3527273 L.Cpl. (Signaller). Walter Blakeley. 49 Hardwood Road, Crumpsall.
3529530 Pte. William Barry. 201 Great Jackson Street, Manchester.  RC
3529831 Pte. James Beckett. 27 Appleton Street, Collyhurst, Manchester.  RC
3535979 Pte. Roland Bommer. 306 Blackburn Road, Bolton, Lancashire.
3532682 L.Cpl. Alan Booth. Bramley Edge, Main Road, Sheffield.
3523473 L.Cpl. Joseph Simpson Chatterley (Battallion Police). 57 Byrom Street, Wigan, Lancashire.
3524474 Bandsman. James Christian. 48 Quay Street, Stalybridge, Cheshire.
3534723 L.Cpl. Norman Eric Clarke. 55 Dyson Street, Newton Heath, Lancashire.
He had died of malnutrition earlier that day.
3534727 Pte. Edward Clayton. 43 Spencer Street, Clayton, Lancashire.
3525478 L.Sgt. James Joseph Coogan. 13 Nook Lane, Ashton.
3534715 Pte. Alfred Cooper. 16 Bradley View, Nelson, Lancashire.  RC
3528345 Pte. Jack Charles Cooper. 121 Sanderson Street, Newton Heath, Lancashire.  RC
3526175 Pte. Mervyn Creese. 6 Birbeck Grove, Acton, London.  RC
3527531 Pte. John Cronshaw. 272 Eccles New Road, Salford, Manchester.
3525595 Pte. Albert Stanley Dawson. 1 Wellington Road, Ashton Under Lyne, Lancashire.
3528806 Cpl. Cyril Dermott. Bath Springs Hotel, School Lane, Wigan, Lancashire.
3526533 Pte. James Henry Dodd. 26 Furlong Road, Southwark, London.
3527281 Pte. George Edwards. 3 Poplar Street, Audenshaw, Lancashire.
3529689 Pte. John Flanagan. 134 Sycamore Street, Miles Platting, Manchester.
3527020 Cpl. Thomas Patrick Foote. 24 Kent Street, Belfast.
3522539 L.Cpl. John Halliwell. 4 Barwick Place, Blackley, Lancashire.
3525825 Pte. Peter Harrison. 31 Bramwell Street, St. Helens, Lancashire.
56921 Pte. Leonard Tournai Harvey. 85 Embankment Road, Plymouth, Devon.
3532874 L.Cpl. Reuben Healey. 16 Ambergate Street, Newton, Manchester.
3526592 Pte. Thomas Bernard Healey. 59 Chatham Road, Birkdale, Southport, Lancashire.
3533023 Cpl. Norman Holland. 11 Stonecroft Terrace, Ashton in Makerfield, Wigan, Lancashire.
3527515 Pte. Felix Hughes. 10 Nicholson Court, Newry,  Northern Ireland.
3530315 Pte. Frank Hughes. 15 Mellor Street, Chadderton, Lancasher.
3529602 Pte. Matthew Jeffers. 32 Brook Street, Hyde, Cheshire. .
3526960 Pte. Andrew Kerr. 14 Molkte Street, Belfast, Northern Irleand.  Grave 1. E. 3  GP
He died at Sea between 1st and 31st August 1944. Originally buried in the American Number 2 Cemetery Manila, later reburied in Sai Wan War Cemetery Hong Kong.
3534642 L.Cpl. Joseph Edward Mahon, 34 Hope Street, Ardwick, Manchester.  RC
3526710 Pte. George Millward. 42 Tamworth Street, Hulme, Manchester.
3525959 L.Cpl. Thomas Owen. 96 Husband Street, Collyhurst, Manchester.
3528632 Bandsman. Harry Vincent Reeves. 18 Bold Street, Altrincham, Cheshire.   RC
3532875 Pte. Henry Vincent Ridgway. 36 Hargreave Street, Hulme, Manchester.  RC 
2568332 Pte. James Riley. 6 Rose Bank Road, Miles Platting, Manchester.  RC
3534689 Pte. John Robert Robe. 37 Lister Street, Manchester.
3529473 Bandsman Charles Rogerson. 28 Canterbury Avenue, Lancaster.
3534665 Pte. Charles Edgar Soderburg. 9 Thursby Avenue, Withington, Lancashire.
3533802 L.Cpl. Alexander Szarkow. 5 Cliff Street, Cheetham Hill, Manchester.
3523626 Pte. Cecil Gerard Taylor. 65 Mount Street, Dublin.
3527507 L.Cpl. David Taylor. 25 Walker Road, Newcastle.
3529720 Pte. Robert Watson. Salford, Lancashire.
3533697 L. Cpl. Kenneth William Francis White. 1 Sydney Road, Rochester, Kent.
3527645 L.Cpl. Stanley Wilkes. 301 South Street, Openshaw, Manchester.  RC
3536005 Pte. John Henry Wilson. 2 Mount Street, Denton, Lancashire.

The POW's above who died when the Hell Ship Hofuku Maru was sunk by American aircraft are remembered on Columns 75,76,77 and 78 of the Singapore Memorial in Kranji War Cemetery Singapore .

3533878 Pte. Frank Willis. 18 Chapel Street, Dukinfield, Cheshire. Grave 1. H. 8  GP 
Died on 11th September 1944 while the ship was under repair in Manila Bay.
Buried in Sai Wan Military Cemetery, Hong Kong.

3529668 Pte. James Ashton. 20 Cotton Street, Salford.  RC  Grave L. J. 8  GP
Born 10th March 1918. Was also a prisoner on the Hell Ship Hofuku Maru whilst the ship was under repair in Manila Bay Pte. Ashton was taken off and taken to Bilibid prison Manila and admitted to the isolation ward in building 12 suffering from Dysentery. He died at 1600hrs on 27th August 1944.
At first he was buried in the USAF Cemetery Manila in Row 4 Grave 39.
Reburied in Sai Wan War Cemetery Hong Kong on 28th October 1947.