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All the Information in the ‘FEPOW Family’ belongs to the writer and are not ‘Public Domain’. Permission must be obtained before any part is copied or used.
Killed in Action
287 Field Company
Royal Engineers
History
Compiled by Ron Taylor
The 18th Division
by Mary Michael
"For their country they did serve and recognition do so deserve"
On the William Sail they came
Proud and longing to fight with hearts aflame
To the Far Eastern Shores of Singapore
Where many a man would be the same no more
Oh how hard they fought
But victory was not to be bought
The Battle of Bukit Road raged
Til it was realized it just couldn't be saved
Young and brave the fear crept in
Why were we sent too late to win
For the men of the 18th this was their fame
Did they deserve to take history's blame
For they were trained for the desert not over here
Why they were there they sure weren't clear
The men of the 18th try as they might
There was no way they could win this fight
The fight over there sure wasn't fair
What's a Jap, what does he wear
How could they know about jungle warfare
This was their first battle but who did care
Alas no victory for the 18th would there be
Instead part of the Singapore surrender history
With all of the rest of the brave heroes over there
With no chance or hope to escape the Jap's brutal care
Why were our men left over there
With not a thought or a care
Where were the planes and rest of the supplies
Nothing appeared from out of the skies
In these words the truth can be seen
How unfair and unjust it all has been
Time now to honour and acclaim
And give these brave men finally their fame
August 1939 - 8th December 1941
The duties of Royal Engineers were numerous in World War 2, tunnelling, trench-building, forestry, quarrying, gas warfare, inland water transport, aerial survey, topographical photography, camouflaging techniques, bomb disposal, mine clearance, demolition, airfield construction, building Bailey Bridges, and the use of tanks adapted for battlefield engineering known as AVREs (Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers).
The 287 Field Company were a Company of Field Engineers (Sappers) who worked within an the 53 Infantry Brigade and were engineers to the infantry of that Brigade:- the 2nd Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment, and 5th and 6th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment. The 53 Infantry Brigade was one of three Infantry Brigades making up the 18th Division.
The 287 Field Company undertook defensive work in Norfolk before undertaking training in preparation for overseas service in Scotland. In October 1941 they were ordered to Gourock to be shipped oversea.
SS Sobieski
At Gourock on the Firth of Clyde they embarked on the Polish troop ship Sobieski with the 2nd Batt. Cambridgeshire Regiment and sailed on the 31st October to join up with the CT.5 convoy which sailed from Liverpool.
USS Mount Vernon
On arrival at Halifax, Nova Scotia, the 287 Field Company together with the rest of the 53 Infantry Brigade changed ships to the USS Mount Vernon, and they began the long voyage to Capetown.
Convoy William Sail 12X continued with six American troopships, two cruisers, eight destroyers and the aircraft carrier Ranger, the Convoy William Sail 12X was under way, destination still unknown.
Convoy William Sail 12X
Above Photo supplied by the late Maurice Rooney
Detailed Account by Thomas M. Allison
A reproduction of an account by Thomas M. Allison who is understood to be serving as an American Naval officer in the convoy.
Aircraft
Vought SB 2U Vindicator Scout Bomber - USS Ranger which was flying an Anti Submarine patrol over the convoy.
Ships Front Line, Top to Bottom:-
USS West Point - USS Mount Vernon - USS Wakefield - USS Quincy (Heavy Cruiser)
Ships Back Line Top to Bottom:-
USS Leonard Wood - USS Vincennes (Heavy Cruiser) - USS Joseph T Dickman
The convoy passed through the Mona Passage between Puerto Rico and St Domingo.
Arrived at Trinidad 17th November in glorious sunshine so troops changed to tropical kit, but no shore-leave, left Trinidad after two days of taking on supplies. The equator was crossed soon after leaving Trinidad on the 24th, there was a crossing the line ceremony.
After a month the convoy arrived at Cape Town, and soon after news reached the troops that Japan had attacked Pearl Harbour and Malaya on 8th December. Britain and America were now at war with Japan and the rumours were that the convoy was now heading for the Far East and not the Middle East as first thought.
Acknowledgements
Proofread by Tim Lloyds
This information was collated using:-
The ‘Roll of Honour’ FEPOW Family
Convoy William Sail 12X
Thailand- Burma Railway
‘Towards the Setting Sun’ by James Bradley (287 Field Company)
‘To the Kwai and Back’ by Ronald Searle (287 Field Company)
Information supplied by the late David Langton
Commonwealth War Grave Commission
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