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Re: PoW Convoy attacked off Moulmein 15-1-1943
Hi Laurent,
Thanks for that. Will chase up the various links.
Truth is, there were Japanese troops and PoW's on board.
On 11 October 1942, a party of Australians, American and Dutch under the command of Lt-Col Tharp US Army, left Batavia for Singapore on the DAI NICHI MARU. They arrived in Singapore after a hellish trip on 16 October 1942. They stayed in Changi until 7 January 1943. Then, basically the same party of men, except for a few sick left behind and a few recovered from Lt-Col Williams/Lt-Col Chris Black's party plus some Dutch to make up the numbers, departed Singapore by train. They were taken to Prai and then embarked on the MOJI MARU at Prai on the 9th January 1943. They waited in the harbour until 12th January 1943, when they were joined by another transport (the MITMEI MARU/NICHIMEI MARU), with Dutch PoWs and Japanese on board, and a small naval escort vessel.
On 15th January 1943, at 1530 hrs (Japanese time), the convoy was attacked by Allied long-range aircraft. At least one Liberator was sighted. The MITMEI MARU (NICHIMEI MARU) was sunk with the loss of some 400-500 Japanese and about 40 Dutch PoWs, of about 1,000 on board. MOJI MARU was twice near missed by bombs. 7 PoWs killed, and many others wounded. Many Japanese (on MOJI MARU), killed and wounded. Aft gun blew up, killing its crew, forward gun, trained aft, narrowly missed blowing the bridge to smithereens. Aircraft departed... MOJI MARU circled round picking up survivors from other vessel. Sunday, 17th January 1943, MOJI MARU put in to Moulmein.
Diary of Major L J Robertson, RAE. OC Australian personnel of the Thai POW Branch 5A (working in) Burma 1943-44.
AWM PR87/0158
The above (slightly edited account), kindly supplied to me by Mrs Ann Holland, of Melbourne, Australia.
Thanks once again.
Col.
Last edited by Col Bruggy; 9th February 2011 at 00:59.
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