Born Glasgow
Royal Army Service Corps
Japanese POW
Died Age: 24
Date of Death: 12th Sept 1944
Place of Death: Kachidoki Maru - Sunk North East of Hainan Island off China
A letter that my Grandfather kept till he died and passed on to my father.. meant a lot to him.. Pvte John Robertson.. Transcribed - In memory of a dear friend of David Ross Morland.. John Robertson last letter to his pal, my father. Pte J Robertson, 8/244642 55th Infantry Brigade Group Coy. RASC D Platoon c/o APO 1635.
Dear David, Well old pal this is one New Year we won't be able to have our usual fun at the corner but I don't suppose I will be the only one missing. I will be a long time before we have more drunken rabbles at Tonies on a Saturday night. For I expect to be gone for a couple of years.. "The letter damaged goes on to say" . Tell Johnny in the shop I will try to stay sober ..................... Hoping you are all well at home, tell your mother, father, and sister I was asking for them and Tom and his new wife I wish them the best of luck. Well David I wish you and your people and the lad a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year and hope to be back with you all soon I will write again soon and hoping to hear from you soon. tell them the best of luck to you all. Your Old Pal John... RIP John to you and all your comrades who perished..
Additional Text, John was drowned whilst captive on the Kibitsu Maru, Sunk by the American Submarine The Pampanito. 900 all British prisoners. Over 500 were drowned. Convoy HI72 to the best of my knowledge sailed from Singapore on the 4th Sept 1944 and the Kibitsu was sunk on the 12th in the North China Sea. John Robertson's name lives on at the Kranji War and Military Cemetery Singapore.
My father looked after the letter that the transcription above supports.. I now have that letter ..
I suspect that John Robertson was the son of James Robertson & Georgina nee Burns (Married Oct 31st 1919) - May be wrong
If there is a family descendant would love to share a little piece of John with them.. My grandfather David Ross Morland carried this letter till his end and never forgot his good friend John Robertson ...
Any help welcome.. I actually have posted this in the military topic page.. I share in this topic page given John was a Glasgow boy and frequented in the Gorbals area / Florence street .. a fair clue