Smeaton John Corporal 4275766
Personnel Entry
Name Smeaton John
Army number 4275766
Rank Corporal
Decorations None known.
Date of birth Not yet known.
Age 24 at the time of his death.
Unit Enlisted in the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. Posted to the 9th Battalion. 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.
Platoon or other sub-unit
Task or role Not yet known.
Joined Brigade
Promotions Cpl.
Wounded Not so far as is known.
Prisoner of War Yes – captured 15/2/1942 at Singapore.
Died/Killed in action DIED 12/9/1944 - cause of death - drowning. Commemorated on Column 45 of the Singapore Memorial.
Home address Son of Robert Wilkinson Smeaton and Frances Isabel Smeaton.
Source table
To read a detailed article by the IWM on the sinking of these Japanese transports, please click here.
