Anyone have any information on 250 MRU or 307 AMES in Singapore prior to the surrender on 15th Feb 1942. My father, Stanley Stewart Pyke, served with them from 6th Jan 1941. He was killed off Pompong Island when the Kuala was bombed. I am trying to get as much information about him as I never new him being only 6 month old when he was killed. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Hi Stan, and welcome to Chat 250 MRU = Mobile Radio Unit 307 AMES = Air Ministry Experimental Station Both were radar systems You may find this report of interest (be patient as it is a big file - 266 pages) http://www.radarreturns.net.au/archive/EchoesRRWS.pdf
It sounds like the whole units were captured, with many dying in POW camps Advanced Refine Search 307 AMES - POWS (including those who died) Surname First Names Service Rank Service No BALDWIN Ernest Edward John AF Cpl. 1163540 BELL Frank Coyle AF A.C. 1/c 1101958 BOUGOURD Lloyd Francis AF A.C. 2/c 552725 CANARD Henry John AF Air. 907728 CAPON Walter Stanley AF Air. 1256149 CLEVES Stanley Irwin AF Cpl. 1071426 DOWN Aubrey John AF L.A.C. 1084986 HAYNES Edwin AF L.A.C. 1134761 HORNE Charles William Bertram AF A.C. 2/c 1275851 JONES Eirfin Lewis AF L.A.C. 974647 JONES William Eric AF Cpl. 1018824 KENNEY Lionel Meneer AF A.C. 1/c 1194732 LADD Charles Henry AF Cpl. 924782 LANDER Harry AF L.A.C. 1153813 LLEWELLYN Harry Cuthbert AF Cpl. 1004392 MAGGS John Reginald AF Cpl. 907800 MAIR George AF A.C. 2/c 1366673 McLELLAN Robert Crosbie AF A.C. 1/c 1367192 MERRIMAN Ronald AF Air. 1014312 MORLING Hugh Riches AF Air. 1209502 NEWMAN Arthur Cyril AF L.A.C. 638073 NOAKES Henry Thomas Alfred AF Cpl. 1133980 NOTT Hubert William AF Air. 1375971 RYDER Reginald Edward AF F/Off. 86907 SPRIGGS Samuel Cecil AF Air. 1376263 STEGGLES George William AF Air. 1174887 SUTER Percival Rudolph AF A.C. 1/c 1375724 WARDELL Maurice Thomas Holiday AF L.A.C. 1072655 WILLIAMS Ronald Harry AF A.C. 1/c 1089246 CARROLL Daniel P AF Cpl. 1154111 PARROTT Gerald William AF Cpl. 969416 DURNE Joseph Edward AF Air. 1123370 PHILLIPS Dennis AF A.C. 2/c 1103174 WATSON William Gemel AF Cpl. 1105454 RICHARDS Bertram AF A.C. 1/c 1214865
According to Unsung Heroes of the RAF - the Far Fast Prisoners of War by Stubbs and Stubbs, 250 MRU and 250 AMES were the same thing so the following list is correct: Advanced Refine Search Surname First Names Service Rank Service No BROADBENT Gerald B A Lt. 77799 ARMSTRONG Ronald William AF No record 77799 BAKER William AF L.A.C. 1101227 BARLEY Albert AF L.A.C. 1173871 BOOTH Harold Leslie AF A.C. 1/c 978946 BOWLER Leonard Stanley AF L.A.C. 947573 BRETT Alfred Clive AF Air. 1375782 BROWN Henry Vivien AF L.A.C. 1180564 BULLOCK Leslie William Matthew AF W.O. 2/c 915503 COKER Arthur AF Air. 1261651 DAVEY John Edwin AF Cpl. 915792 DOBSON Frederick Harold AF L.A.C. 1169985 GERRISH Albert Edward AF A.C. 1/c 1159920 GREEN George Cyril AF A.C. 1/c 1274844 GUNNER Ronald Charles Ernest AF L.A.C. 575627 HAIG Edward Hugh Stuart AF Air. 1195599 HALL James AF A.C. 1/c 1006471 HARGEST Arthur James AF Cpl. 1165619 HILL William Reid AF Sgt. 946736 HODGKINSON Donald Christie AF Cpl. 992162 HULL Trevor George AF Air. 1195308 INGRAM Edward Albert AF A.C. 1/c 1108888 JONES Raymond AF A.C. 1/c 991811 KELLY Denis Matthew AF L.A.C. 970610 LANSDOWNE Reuben Herbert AF Air. 1283315 McGAHAN Terence Philip AF Cpl. 545748 NETTLETON Hubert AF Cpl. 702301 PHILLIPS Albert Percy AF L.A.C. 1182935 PLEAVIN Basil AF Cpl. 968522 REITH Alexander AF Air. 1179228 RICHARDS William AF A.C. 1/c 1205627 ROLPH Walter Arnold AF L.A.C. 940543 SIMMONDS Albert Bernard AF L.A.C. 754741 STARLING Eric Downs AF Cpl. 909248 STRIKE Henry AF L.A.C. 981358 VERRILL Addison William George AF Sgt. 550562 WEBB James Henry AF A.C. 1/c 1002665 WEBB Geoffrey Herbert George AF A.C. 1/c 1286184 WHITE Joseph George AF L.A.C. 981363 FRAZER Raymond AF L.A.C. 942533 HALL Robert Arthur AF Cpl. 9011306 McKENZIE Arthur Ashton AF L.A.C. 634144 SAVIDGE James Windslade AF L.A.C. 907012 Note that this list is of those who were taken POW (and those who died in captivity)
Hi Kyt, Thanks for the quick reply, very informative. Certainly answers a few queries. Picked the bones out of it and will get it all read in the near future. I know he was not taken prisoner and was believed drowned. Going to Pompong for the 14th Feb next year. Cheers, Stan
Hi Stan and welcome ! Is this him ? In Memory of Corporal STEWART PYKE 550881, Royal Air Force who died on 14 February 1942 Son of Ezra and Amelia Pyke; husband of Jessie Beattie Pyke, of St. Cyrus, Kincardineshire. Remembered with honour SINGAPORE MEMORIAL
SS Kuala - left 13.02.42 at about the same time as Mata Hari and Vyner Brook. Bomb damaged while waiting to leave Singapore, 2 killed and buried at sea, many casualties. Sunk by bombing while at anchor off Pompong island. 14.02.42. Many searing survivor stories 5/600 people on board including most of Public Works Department, RAF Radio Location Unit with gear, various troops and women and children of many nationalities, large group of nurses and 5, IWM-S says 7 women doctors, ordered to leave. The digitised copy of the 1943 Bulletin of the Malayan Research Bureau in the National Archives of Australia (see NB 2 above) contains a list of 77 names of people whom Japanese Radio claimed to have taken prisoner, after they had sunk Tandjong Pinang on 16/02/42. Tandjong Pinang was heading for Australia, carrying women and children from Pom Pong Island, who had already survived the sinking of their escape ships, including Kuala. There were very, very few survivors of the sinking, so the question remains of how Japanese Radio got hold of the list. It could have been a cruel piece of propaganda or psychological warfare. COFEPOW - Civilian Internees & Evacuees - Women & Children Evacuees
Hi liverpool annie, Thanks for the reply. Yes that is him, I have been to Kranji and seen the Memorial, very moving when you can eventually take it all in. I know from reports and the communications my mother got that he was suspected drowned. My mother can't remember very much, at 93 her memory is not so good these days, and she didn't get much back them. I am trying to make up for lost time especially now there is a lot more info around on the net and available thru the various archives. His service records answered a lot of questions but then generated some new ones, the reason for this posting. Thanks again, Stan
Anyone have any other info on Cpl Stanley Stewart Pyke Hi All, I was wondering it anyone knows of the whereabouts of any survivers from 250 MRU or 307 AMES. I would dearly love to talk to anyone who knew my father, just to find out something about him. I have photos, service record and what my mother can tell me but nothing else. Any info would be appreciated before it is too late. Thanks all for your help, Stan Pyke
I suppose you've already tried here Stan ? COFEPOW - Children of Far East Prisoners of War If it was me ... I would systematically go through the list of POW's that Kyt gave you ... !! or I'd find everything I could on SS Kuala to see if you can find anything to give you clues .... it's a very time intensive job .... but you may get lucky ! Or write to local papers ( where he enlisted etc ! ) Annie
Fall of Singapore Hello Stan, Probably not much here for you but I offer anyway. SS KUALA official number 135004 built in 1911 for the Straits Steamship Co. The ship had skilfully avoided seventeen aerial attacks before a bomb scored a direct hit on the bridge and saloon, penetrating the engine room and splitting the boiler. It was every man, and woman, for themselves. Survivors swam from the burning wreck to Pompong Island, but not content with sinking the KUALA, the planes continued to bombard survivors in the water. The ship that rescued survivors and was herself sunk was the 133-ton ferry boat ss TANJONG PINANG and there is a file at the British National Archives in piece WO 361/462 Regards Hugh
BBC - WW2 People's War - Eight Years in the RAFVR - Part Four - Setting the Singapore Defences BBC - WW2 People's War - Eight Years in the RAFVR - Part Five - The Far East War Starts BBC - WW2 People's War - Eight Years in the RAFVR - Part Six - Escape from Singapore
Hi Annie, Hugh & Kyt, Thanks for the links, I had read them already but I had not tried the COFEPOW as he was not a POW. I am sending off to join them and will post there too. I would like to find out if Dr (Sdn/Ldr) Thomas Carter, who I believe was his boss, is still alive. Thanks, Stan
8 FTS Montrose Hi all, I hope you had a good Christmas, and are looking forward to the New Year. Firstly to answer my last question, I have found and spoken to Dr T C Carter, and I am now awaiting some more details from him. My next request is for information on 8 FTS at Montrose and the site at St Cyrus during the war but I will open a new thread on that. Thanks, Stan
