Sweeting Charles Stewart Wilcox Fusilier 4279387
Personnel Entry
Name Sweeting Charles Stewart Wilcox
Army number 4279387
Rank Fusilier
Decorations None known.
Date of birth 8/11/1919, South Shields. Mother's maiden surname Manley.
Age 24 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 Y Company.
Platoon or other sub-unit
Task or role Not yet known.
Joined Brigade
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, Charles' remains were unable to be recovered. Probate granted 30/4/1946 at Durham Registry to Mary Topping Sweeting, mine surface labourer.
Home address Charles lived at 14 Adolphus Street, Whitburn, County Durham.
Source table
To read a detailed article by the IWM on the sinking of these Japanese transports, please click here.
