Harold Percy SMITH

[Julianne]

Well, I'll jump right in here and get my uncle's name into the first post.

Harold was actually an Englishman, having migrated to Australia about 1929 following in the footsteps of his older brother Leonard (my Dad). Harold was married with one son and another almost born when he was sent to New Guinea.

Anyone else have a relative with 1st Ind. Coy?

[MarkDale]

I had 3 Great Uncles, all of which were on the Montevideo Maru when it sank.
I am of the understanding that they were the only 3 brothers to serve in the same company - a fatal idea as it turned out
They were Turners
Daryl - 19
Dudley - 22
Sidney - 26

and Dad believes their parent were advised they were lost in 1944.
Are your dates the same?

regards

Mark Dale

[Julianne]

Mark,

Sorry for such a tardy reply. How incredibly tragic! Three brothers. How did their poor parents ever cope with that...

The Montevideo Maru was sunk on 1st July 1942, but I don't know the date that my father and my uncle's wife were informed. I can't ask them now, as they are both gone. I do know that they tried very hard to get information about it from the authorities at the time, but kept hitting brick walls.

It wouldn't surprise me if they weren't told until 1944. The government at the time were becoming afraid of panic within Australia if people knew the truth about how dire the situation really was. To have admitted that over a thousand Aussies had been lost in those circumstances may have created a panic.

[Julianne]

Mark,

After I posted before my memory was jogged to have a look at a copy of a translated Nominal Roll page I have here with my uncle's name on it. It also lists the following Turners:

190 TURNER, S.S. 1 Ind. Co. Pte NSW Kavieng 26
192 TURNER, GERALD GEORGE 1 Ind. Co. Pte Sydney Kavieng 20
198 TURNER, D. J. 1 Ind. Co. Pte. Sydney Kavieng 22

I only have a copy of this particular page because my uncle is listed on it, but there would have been other pages. The Nominal Roll is the list of people loaded onto the ship. It was originally in Japanese.

The source I have for this document is:

'War Crimes - Shipping - During movement at sea (includes nominal rolls of prisoners of war lost on the 'Montevideo Maru'; 2 components; 7.5 cm), 'Nominal Roll of Prisoners of War Reported by Dept. of (Japanese) Navy on 6 January 1943 to have been lost as a result of sinking SS 'Montevideo Maru' by enemy torpedoes off Luzon on 1 July 1942', Australian Archives, Series MP742/1, Item 336/1/1614.

[Doublegreendiaminds]

I am the great nephew of Stanley Gordon Uhlman Spr VX44347 No 1 Independent Coy. Stan enlisted 02/07/1940 in Brunswick Victoria at the age of 29. Stan transferred to No. 1 Independent Coy from R.R.D. 15/05/1941. Stan was at Rabaul when it fell into Japanese hands. Stanley Gordon Uhlman was M.I.A. and for Official purpose's was presumed dead 01/07/1942 as he and many other souls were aboard the vessel "Montevideo Maru"
I have some pics of Stan and some of his friends and I still tryingto work out how to attach them to this forum

Gary