LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWII
Gunner James Walter Rowland
144 Battery, 35 Light Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
Town Memorial World War II
GUNNER
JAMES WALTER ROWLAND
Service Number: 1573039
Royal Artillery
144 Bty., 35 Lt. A.A Regt.
Died 05 March 1943
Age 30 years old
Buried or commemorated at
SINGAPORE MEMORIAL
Column 29.
Singapore
[It is possible he is buried at Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery, Papua New Guinea]
Son of Walter and Hilda Rowland; husband of Frances Rowland, of Leatherhead, Surrey.
The Gunners 600 Roll of Honour records that James Rowland left Changi in Singapore on 18 October 1942, under the command of Lt-Col. J. Bassett, R.A., 35 L.A.A..
What follows is a shortened version of an Official Report.
Most of them ended up on the tiny island
of Balalae, about one square mile in area, where the Japanese used them
to build an airfield.
When the area was re-occupied the Japanese all claimed to know very little about the white POWs all of whom had gone. None of those interrogated would admit having come into actual contact with the POWs. However two Koreans gave evidence, mainly overheard from groups of Japanese discussing these matters, which revealed something of the fate of the POWs.
A Japanese interpreter held in Rabaul gave evidence that a party of 600 British Artillerymen from Singapore, who left there by ship during October 1942, arrived in Rabaul on 6 November 1942. One man died on the voyage. 82 men were left behind as too weak to continue their journey; by the time of the Japanese surrender only 18 men of the 82 had survived.
The 517 fit men, it was claimed, were put on a ship and departed for an unknown destination, fate unknown. At one time it was thought that they had been lost when the ship that were on was sunk by Allied aircraft.
There is no doubt that a large number of the POWs were killed on [Balalae Island] by Allied bombing, mainly as a result of the Japanese refusing to let them take shelter in slit trenches or air raid shelters. From evidence given by the Koreans, also that taken in other areas, it seems certain that the remaining POWs round about June '43 were killed and buried. The reason for this is not clear, the evidence pointing to :-
The method of killing is not clear. In the absence of an eyewitness the best evidence will be a complete report on the exhumation of the bodies.
Following liberation of Ballale, 436 bodies were exhumed together with artefacts proving these men were the missing artillerymen who had sailed from Rabaul to an unknown destination. None of these could be personally identified and these bodies were eventually re-interred in individual graves at the Bomana War Cemetery, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
When the area was re-occupied the Japanese all claimed to know very little about the white POWs all of whom had gone. None of those interrogated would admit having come into actual contact with the POWs. However two Koreans gave evidence, mainly overheard from groups of Japanese discussing these matters, which revealed something of the fate of the POWs.
A Japanese interpreter held in Rabaul gave evidence that a party of 600 British Artillerymen from Singapore, who left there by ship during October 1942, arrived in Rabaul on 6 November 1942. One man died on the voyage. 82 men were left behind as too weak to continue their journey; by the time of the Japanese surrender only 18 men of the 82 had survived.
The 517 fit men, it was claimed, were put on a ship and departed for an unknown destination, fate unknown. At one time it was thought that they had been lost when the ship that were on was sunk by Allied aircraft.
There is no doubt that a large number of the POWs were killed on [Balalae Island] by Allied bombing, mainly as a result of the Japanese refusing to let them take shelter in slit trenches or air raid shelters. From evidence given by the Koreans, also that taken in other areas, it seems certain that the remaining POWs round about June '43 were killed and buried. The reason for this is not clear, the evidence pointing to :-
(a) The POWs were of no further use due
to being too weak for further work or else their task was finished.
(b) The Japanese feared an invasion by the Allies and did not wish the POWs to be discovered.
(b) The Japanese feared an invasion by the Allies and did not wish the POWs to be discovered.
The method of killing is not clear. In the absence of an eyewitness the best evidence will be a complete report on the exhumation of the bodies.
Following liberation of Ballale, 436 bodies were exhumed together with artefacts proving these men were the missing artillerymen who had sailed from Rabaul to an unknown destination. None of these could be personally identified and these bodies were eventually re-interred in individual graves at the Bomana War Cemetery, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
PORT MORESBY (BOMANA) WAR CEMETERY
The unidentified soldiers of the United Kingdom forces were all from the Royal Artillery, captured by the Japanese at the fall of Singapore; they died in captivity and were buried on the island of Bailale in the Solomons. These men were later re-buried in a temporary war cemetery at Torokina on Bougainville Island before being transferred to their permanent resting place at Port Moresby.
Two other Royal Artillery men from Leatherhead are known to have suffered the same fate: George Shaylor Mundy and John Edward Sturt (John is not named on the Leatherhead War Memorials)
His life
James Rowland was born on 10 November 1912 and baptised at Christ Church, Epsom on 20 February 1913.His father was Walter Rowland born 10 February 1893, son of Edward Rowland, a Dealer, and Matilda.
His mother was Hilda Rose Harvey, age 21, a daughter of James Harvey, a Musician.
They were married at St Barnabas, Epsom, Surrey on 11 August 1912
At the time of James' baptism in February 1913 they were at 8 Elizabeth Cottages in the parish of Christ Church, Epsom. His father was a Labourer.
If he had siblings they have not so far been traced.
His marriage to Frances Edith A Westwood in October 1935 was registered in Surrey Mid Eastern District.
Following James in the Electoral Rolls:
1935 5 Woodbridge Grove, Leatherhead: with
his parents
1935-36 308 Kingston Road, Leatherhead: with his parents
1937-38 6 Mole Cottages, River Lane, Leatherhead: him (and Frances in 1938)
1935-36 308 Kingston Road, Leatherhead: with his parents
1937-38 6 Mole Cottages, River Lane, Leatherhead: him (and Frances in 1938)
In the 1939 England and Wales Register James and Frances were at 53 Randalls Park Avenue, Leatherhead. James was described as a Public Works Contractors Labourer.
After the war
Frances continued living at 53 Randalls Park Avenue, Leatherhead and after her marriage to Frank H Staddon in 1947. Later the Staddons moved to 34 Clare Crescent, Leatherhead.Frances' death at the age of 77 was registered at Epsom/Surrey Mid Eastern District in June 1994.
His mother's death at the age of 72 was registered in October 1963 and his father's death at the age of 76 was registered in October 1969, both in Surrey Mid eastern District.
James Rowland is also remembered on these memorials
Leatherhead Town Memorial
Leatherhead RBL Roll of Honour, Leatherhead Parish Church
Links
Far East Prisoners of War Association - BalalaeBalalae Island - Wikipedia
Balalae Island, a tragic story of loss during WW2
Britain
at War - The Gunners 600 Party - Roll of Honour
The Sad Story of Balalae Island - Tony Wheeler
Britain
at War - Gunner Alfred Burgess
Australian War
Memorial Ballale
Island
the website editor would like to add
further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him and any recollections of him
last updated 18 Aug 20