View source for 9th Battalion Royal Northumberland Fusiliers

'''War Diary'''

The documentation of this particular War Diary has been confined to the period while it was part of the 23rd Division Order of Battle in the B.E.F., and thus associated with 70th Infantry Brigade.

The 9th Battalion was formed as a duplicate of the 7th Battalion on 27 July 1939 (first officer commissioned). It was organized as a Machine Gun Battalion and on the outbreak of the war was in Northumbrian Area, Northern Command. On 2 October 1939 it was attached to the 23rd Northumbrian Division (under command for labour duties and training, though not a Divisional Unit) and proceeded to France with them in April 1940.

After Dunkirk, the Battalion left the 23rd Division on 29 June as the division was disbanded. It was under command of Home Forces until January 1942, when it was transferred to Malaya Command, landing at Singapore a few days before the fall of the island. It went into Japanese POW camps after the brief but violent week-long Battle of Singapore.

The assistance of the author of the relevant article within Wikipedia is acknowledged for the above information, as is the kind help of the Regimental Museum for the material from the Barclay history, and with many other queries.

'''War Diary of 9th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers 1940'''

[[9th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers - April 1940]]

[[9th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers - May 1940]]

[[9th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers - June 1940]]

''It would appear that the War Diary for the period after June 1940 is not available.  According to Barclay's History of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, after a spell defending the South Devon Coast, under the command of South Western Area, and utilising a mixture of weapons obtained via the Naval authorities, refurbished by Battalion staff, the Battalion was moved to join the 18th Division at Cromer, once again as a Machine-Gun Battalion, but re-equipped with 48 new Vickers guns and a generous allocation of vehicles.  There is evidence that, during their time in South Devon, the Battalion defended an area around Slapton Sands but it is not clear how their role correlated with that of 11th DLI, who had their C Company, and the Advanced Battalion HQ, also based there.  It is possible that 9th RNF moved to 18th Division as the responsibilities of 11th DLI at SLAPTON were clarified.  After joining 18th Division the Battalion underwent an intensive spell of training at Holt in Norfolk and then assumed an active role as part of the defence of the area between Yarmouth and Wells, with HQ and W Company at Stiffkey, Z Company supporting 54th Infantry Brigade at Yarmouth, Y Company supporting 55th Infantry Brigade at Mundesley and X Company supporting 53rd Infantry Brigade at Sheringham.  Later, HQ and W Company moved to the more convenient location of Coltishall, close to Divisional HQ at Sprowston Hall.''

''As winter conditions arrived, the likelihood of invasion receded and larger-scale exercises were held.  The Division moved to Roxburghshire In December 1940 as GHQ Home Forces' Mobile Reserve - by 6th January the Battalion had arrived at Selkirk.  At the end of April 1941 the Battalion moved again, to the Sandbach area of Cheshire, with W, X and Z Companies at Holmes Chapel, Bolton and Neston on the Wirral Peninsula respectively.  Later HQ, HQ Company and Y Company moved to Whitchurch in Shropshire, as the Sandbach accommodation was unsatisfactory. ''

'''Personnel list of those known to have served with the 9th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.'''

''While the initial group of names was extracted from the three months of the 1940 War Diary, set out above, an extract of the database of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission was produced which identified a total of 206 men registered as having died while serving with the Battalion - the great majority while Prisoners of War in Japanese hands.  Those names have been added to the personnel list below and additional information will be added to the personal pages of the men concerned as soon as possible, including that extracted from the Battalion Part II Orders produced by Lieutenant Colonel H S Flower, commanding the Battalion, in September 1945.''

[[Addy A C Lieutenant]] <br>
[[Ainsley A Lieutenant]] <br>
[[Alexander Leslie Fusilier 4274062]] <br>
[[Amos Robert Sergeant 4263441]] <br>
[[Aries Stanley Spencer Corporal 4274239]] <br>
[[Armstrong Angus Sergeant 4273537]] <br>
[[Armstrong Robert William Captain 66509]] <br>
[[Atkinson Alan Fusilier 4275277]] <br>
[[Bastable John Daniel Langford 2/Lieutenant 73866]] <br>
[[Beamish T V H Lieutenant]] <br>
[[Bell George Robert Hedley Fusilier 4274122]] <br>
[[Bell Norman Fusilier 4276625]]<br>
[[Bensley William Henry Fusilier 4127854]] <br>
[[Berey Brian Captain 87951]] <br>
[[Besley Charles Robert Ingram Major 37810]] <br>
[[Bishop Thomas Henry Lance Corporal 4127756]] <br>
[[Black David Fusilier 4267620]] <br>
[[Bond Edward Colour Sergeant 4265849]] <br>
[[Boswell Donald Gilbert Company Quartermaster Sergeant 4273903]] <br>
[[Bradley C C Lieutenant]] <br>
[[Bramwell Jonathan George Fusilier 4276628]] <br>
[[Brooks Albert Warrant Officer Class II 4270112]] <br>
[[Brown Frank Lance Corporal 4274207]] <br>
[[Brownbridge Harry George Fusilier 4278538]] <br>
[[Buie James Wishart Bainbridge Lance Corporal 7662455]] <br>
[[Burnett Alan Fusilier 4274209]] <br>
[[Cable Joseph Simpson Fusilier 4275792]] <br>
[[Caisley Charles Smailes Fusilier 4273542]] <br>
[[Calvert Alexander John Fusilier 4275793]] <br>
[[Carnall Alfred Fusilier 4272852]] <br>
[[Carsley George Fusilier 4127738]] <br>
[[Castle Joseph Fusilier 4275798]] <br>
[[Chapman John Fusilier 4274068]] <br>
[[Charleson Oliver Fusilier 4275800]] <br>
[[Charlton Thomas Fusilier 4278380]] <br>
[[Chisholm Thomas William Fusilier 4273974]] <br>
[[Clark James William Fusilier 4273813]] <br>
[[Clark Thomas Fusilier 4276638]] <br>
[[Clarke James Fusilier 4275626]] <br>
[[Clayton Albert William Fusilier 4275278]] <br>
[[Collier James Howard Fusilier 4274935]] <br>
[[Cook John Richard Fusilier 4273814]] <br>
[[Cordingly Eric William Bradley Reverend 118391]] <br>
[[Coutts John Fusilier 4271203]] <br>
[[Cowan John Richley Fusilier 4276641]] <br>
[[Cowen Francis Bolam Major 21519]] <br>
[[Cowen William Henry Fusilier 4270931]] <br>
[[Crampton Kenneth George Fusilier 4276776]] <br>
[[Craven Charles Fusilier 4276403]] <br>
[[Crawhall W N C Major]] <br>
[[Cree Norman Alexander Fusilier 4279309]] <br>
[[Critchley Edward Fusilier 4278386]] <br>
[[Crowther Thomas Fusilier 4276896]] <br>
[[Cummings John George Fusilier 4276642]] <br>
[[Dakin 2/Lieutenant]] <br>
[[Daniels Robert Henry Fusilier 6210435]] <br>
[[Darling T D 2/Lieutenant]] <br>
[[Davies William Henry Fusilier 4121529]] <br>
[[Davison George Fusilier 4273982]] <br>
[[De Roux Manley Ernest Lance Sergeant 4277111]] <br>
[[Dees James Bracken Fusilier 4274961]] <br>
[[Dirom Gavin Fusilier 4271470]] <br>
[[Dixon Robert Patrick Fusilier 4278978]] <br>
[[Dodd Joseph Thompson Fusilier 4278543]] <br>
[[Doran John George Fusilier 4276646]] <br>
[[Douglas Wilfred Fusilier 4273547]] <br>
[[Douthwaite Lester Fusilier 4275043]] <br>
[[Dowie Albert Fusilier 4271693]] <br>
[[Dunbar Alan Fusilier 4273273]] <br>
[[Dunlop John Fusilier 4274124]] <br>
[[Eagleton Gerard Lance Corporal 4127820]] <br>
[[Eastlake George Corporal 4267024]] <br>
[[Egdell Thomas Fusilier 4278397]] <br>
[[Elliot Richard Douglas Fusilier 4273911]] <br>
[[Elliot Sidney Fusilier 4273988]] <br>
[[Elliott Percival Fusilier 4273336]] <br>
[[Ellis William L. Fusilier 4275821]] <br>
[[Emerson James Arthur Fusilier 4274806]] <br>
[[Errington George Fusilier 4275284]] <br>
[[Eyton Cecil Lance Corporal 4275669]] <br>
[[Falcus Joseph Alfred Fusilier 2818461]] <br>
[[Farrington Christopher Fusilier 4126733]] <br>
[[Fawcett Richard Corporal 4444571]] <br>
[[Fleming Andrew Fusilier 4273993]] <br>
[[Foreman George Anthony Lance Corporal 4271537]] <br>
[[Forster John Alexander Corporal 4273913]] <br>
[[Fromson Thomas Milburn Fusilier 4274908]] <br>
[[Gallon S H Lieutenant Colonel]] <br>
[[Galloway Henry Arthur Fusilier 4275829]] <br>
[[Gardner John Fusilier 4277417]] <br>
[[Garside Harry Fusilier 4275066]] <br>
[[Glancey Francis J. Fusilier 4275834]] <br>
[[Goodwill Herbert Colling Corporal 4275178]] <br>
[[Graham George Fusilier 4263171]] <br>
[[Green H W 2/Lieutenant]] <br>
[[Gregson Henry Fusilier 6210596]] <br>
[[Grey William Fusilier 4274505]] <br>
[[Grieve Thomas Barber Corporal 4270785]] <br>
[[Grundy Harry Fusilier 4127724]] <br>
[[Hall John Fusilier 4279329]] <br>
[[Hall John Henry Fusilier 4277071]] <br>
[[Hanlon Denis Fusilier 4126886]] <br>
[[Hart Ernest Benjamin Lomas Captain 44687]] <br>
[[Hemmings Sidney Fusilier 4127779]] <br>
[[Henderson John Willis Fusilier 4274079]] <br>
[[Hine Gordon Fusilier 4275565]] <br>
[[Hogg James Fusilier 4268899]] <br>
[[Holleywell Edward Fusilier 4273555]] <br>
[[Holleywell James Fusilier 4273556]] <br>
[[Hook 2/Lieutenant]] <br>
[[Hume John Fusilier 4275592]] <br>
[[Humpish John Corporal 4264905]] <br>
[[Hunter Herbert Fusilier 4273651]] <br>
[[Ions Harold Fusilier 4449243]] <br>
[[Irwin (?Urwin) C L 2/Lieutenant]] <br>
[[Jarrett Geoffrey Alwyn Fusilier 5949191]] <br>
[[Jobson Robert Noel Corporal 4446378]] <br>
[[Johnson Lewis Fusilier 4278447]] <br>
[[Johnston Thomas Purves Fusilier 4274179]] <br>
[[Kenneally Timothy Fusilier 4271150]] <br>
[[Kerr John Fusilier 4274183]] <br>
[[Knight William Douglas Fusilier 4273514]] <br>
[[Knowles Samuel Fusilier 4278712]] <br>
[[Laidler Robert Fusilier 4273835]] <br>
[[Leck James Ranson Fusilier 4274184]] <br>
[[Leighton George Fusilier 4277789]] <br>
[[Long John Robert Fusilier 4275862]] <br>
[[Lundy Frederick Fusilier 4273283]] <br>
[[Mason Frederick Lance Corporal 4275559]] <br>
[[Mason Norman Fusilier 4274515]] <br>
[[McCabe Henry Fusilier 6210710]] <br>
[[McGregor Walter George Fusilier 4274018]] <br>
[[McManus Myles Fusilier 2980548]] <br>
[[Meighan Cornelius Lawrence Francis Fusilier 4275695]] <br>
[[Midgley Leslie Fusilier 4275182]] <br>
[[Milburn William Fusilier 4278465]] <br>
[[Mills Gordon Wilson Fusilier 4272872]] <br>
[[Mills William Fusilier 6210447]] <br>
[[Mogie Hugh Gordon Sergeant 4269643]] <br>
[[Mole Joseph Fusilier 4273561]] <br>
[[Moore Thomas Fusilier 6210440]] <br>
[[Morris Harold Lance Corporal 4277397]] <br>
[[Morton Ronald Fusilier 4273505]] <br>
[[Mulligan John Edward Fusilier 4272857]] <br>
[[Murray William Sergeant 4273884]] <br>
[[Newton Mark Fusilier 4274091]] <br>
[[Newton Sidney Fusilier 6210474]] <br>
[[Nixon Robert Corporal 4273278]] <br>
[[Nockels Douglas Fusilier 4274854]] <br>
[[Nutman John William Fusilier 4273937]] <br>
[[O'Hare John Robert Lance Corporal 4273563]] <br>
[[Oliver George William Clunie Fusilier 4273940]] <br>
[[Oliver John Robert Fusilier 4274026]] <br>
[[Ormston James Sergeant 4273564]] <br>
[[Palmer Peter Fusilier 4278783]] <br>
[[Park Thomas Henry Fusilier 4275510]] <br>
[[Parker John George Fusilier 4275585]] <br>
[[Parkinson Norman Fusilier 4276484]] <br>
[[Patterson Robert Fusilier 2982871]] <br>
[[Pearson Joseph Lance Corporal 4273941]] <br>
[[Poll James Elliott Fusilier 4275293]] <br>
[[Purcell Lieutenant and Quartermaster]] <br>
[[Purvis James Richard Fusilier 4278261]] <br>
[[Raffle Gordon Fusilier 4275313]] <br>
[[Reay Edward Sergeant 4269426]] <br>
[[Reed Joseph Fusilier 4276545]] <br>
[[Reilly James Fusilier 4274136]] <br>
[[Rice Richard Fusilier 4274031]] <br>
[[Richardson Alexander Fusilier 4272293]] <br>
[[Richardson Robert Alan Fusilier 4275309]] <br>
[[Riley Douglas Haig Fusilier 4275457]] <br>
[[Robertson Robert Fusilier 4274099]] <br>
[[Robson Albert Roy Russell Lance Corporal 4276224]] <br>
[[Robson Luke Lance Corporal 4275762]] <br>
[[Robson T 2/Lieutenant]] <br>
[[Ross A (?R) W 2/Lieutenant]] <br>
[[Rounding Thomas Lee Fusilier 4276225]] <br>
[[Routledge Ronald Fusilier 4272832]] <br>
[[Ryan John Henry Fusilier 4274096]] <br>
[[Sanderson S L 2/Lieutenant]] <br>
[[Scott Charles Fusilier 4277329]] <br>
[[Scott D Captain]] <br>
[[Scott George Lance Corporal 4273857]] <br>
[[Scott James Laidler Corporal 4273855]] <br>
[[Scott John Alexander Fusilier 4273951]] <br>
[[Scott Matthew Fusilier 4278276]] <br>
[[Sheils Patrick John Sergeant 7011208]] <br>
[[Smeaton John Corporal 4275766]] <br>
[[Smith A G 2/Lieutenant]] <br>
[[Smith George Fusilier 4277334]] <br>
[[Smith James Phorsen Fusilier 4270864]] <br>
[[Southwick George Siddle Sergeant 4261783]] <br>
[[Stanbury Frederick Fusilier 4275759]] <br>
[[Stayman William Foreman Fusilier 4278815]] <br>
[[Stephenson Thomas Fusilier 4449673]] <br>
[[Stewart John Fusilier 4275572]] <br>
[[Stone Noah Fusilier 4273854]] <br>
[[Suggett Harold Fusilier 4276736]] <br>
[[Sweeney Thomas Fusilier 4276942]] <br>
[[Sweeting Charles Stewart Wilcox Fusilier 4279387]] <br>
[[Tait John Fusilier 4271077]] <br>
[[Tait William Fusilier 4271073]] <br>
[[Teale Norman Fusilier 4275924]] <br>
[[Thomas L C Major]] <br>
[[Thompson Arthur Henry Fusilier 4274234]] <br>
[[Thompson Arthur William Fusilier 4278291]] <br>
[[Thompson George Edward Fusilier 4271609]] <br>
[[Tonkinson Sidney Fusilier 4278917]] <br>
[[Thornhill J Lieutenant]] <br>
[[Todd J Fusilier]] <br>
[[Townsley Ambrose Sergeant 4265967]] <br>
[[Wait Thomas Fusilier 4273895]] <br>
[[Wait William Fusilier 4273893]] <br>
[[Waldie James Dickson Fusilier 4274057]] <br>
[[Wanty Leonard William Fusilier 4272350]] <br>
[[Ward John Corporal 4278303]] <br>
[[Ward Mark Lieutenant 121523]] <br>
[[Watson Robert Captain 56898]] <br>
[[Waugh Robert Fusilier 4273861]] <br>
[[Weatherburn John Corporal 4273894]] <br>
[[White George Fusilier 4273349]] <br>
[[White James Joseph Fusilier 555590]] <br>
[[White Robert Fusilier 4275307]] <br>
[[White William Fusilier 4278508]] <br>
[[Whitton 2/Lieutenant]] <br>
[[Wilkinson Lieutenant]] <br>
[[Willcox Henry Fusilier 4264668]] <br>
[[Williamson Albert Bell Fusilier 4273961]] <br>
[[Willis George Basil Second Lieutenant 180536]] <br>
[[Windle Stanley Lance Corporal 4447864]] <br>
[[Wood John Edmund Fusilier 4274053]] <br>
[[Young William Henry Fusilier 4273863]] <br>

As will be seen, some of the casualties, like those from 125th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery, died as a result of the sinking of Japanese freighters en route to Japan on 12th September 1944.

To read an article on this tragedy from the Imperial War Museum please click [http://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-sinking-of-prisoner-of-war-transport-ships-in-the-far-east here]

To read a further article, including personal testimony, please click [http://ww2today.com/12-september-1944-uss-sealion-sinks-rakuyo-maru-and-1300-pows here].

To obtain an Australian perspective on the tragedy, please click [https://www.awm.gov.au/blog/2014/09/11/70th-anniversary-sinking-rakuy-maru/ here].



Details of the Cemeteries in which many of these casualties are buried can be seen by following the links below:-

[http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2035000/CHUNGKAI%20WAR%20CEMETERY Chungkai War Cemetery, Thailand]

[http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2017100/KANCHANABURI%20WAR%20CEMETERY Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Thailand]

[http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2004200/KRANJI%20WAR%20CEMETERY Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore]

[http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2007400/THANBYUZAYAT%20WAR%20CEMETERY Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery, Burma]

[http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2000320/SAI%20WAN%20WAR%20CEMETERY Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong]