View source for Rice Richard Fusilier 4274031

{{personnel
|Surname and forenames=Rice Richard
|Army number=4274031
|Rank=Fusilier
|Decorations=None known.
|Date of birth=Birth registered in Morpeth in 1920; mother's maiden surname Ghent.
|Age=23 at the time of his death.
|Unit=Enlisted in the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.  Posted to the 9th Battalion.  Served B.E.F.?  Served Malaya.  DIED 12/9/1944 whilst a prisoner of the Japanese – at sea en route from Singapore to Japan, when the transport Rakuyo Maru was torpedoed by an Allied submarine.
|Company/Battery=W Company.
|Task or role=Not yet known.
|Promotions=None known.
|Wounded=Not so far as is known.
|Prisoner of War=Yes – captured 15/2/1942 at Singapore when the force was surrendered.
|Died/Killed in action=DIED  12/9/1944 - cause of death - drowning.  Commemorated on Column 48 of the Singapore Memorial as presumably Richard's remains were unable to be recovered.  Probate granted 18/3/1946 at Newcastle upon Tyne to Richard Rice, fish and chip merchant (Riachard's father).
|Home address=Son of Richard and Christina Rice (nee Ghent) of 10, Front Street, Scotland Gate, Choppington, Northumberland.  
}}


To read a detailed article by the IWM  on the sinking of these Japanese transports, please click [https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-sinking-of-prisoner-of-war-transport-ships-in-the-far-east here].