Henry McCreath MBE Picture : Contributed

HMS Malcolm

Marriage of Henry and Pat McCreath 03/09/1939

SS Orduna (magicmastsandsturdyships.weebly.com)-

William McCreath grandfather of H G. McCreath

Henry Gourlay McCreath was the eldest son born on the 20th June 1915, of William Robert McCreath, died 2nd November 1984.

Henry was educated at the Loretto School in Edinburgh. He was a keen sportsmen, who played cricket for the school, hockey and tennis. He was the President of the Lorettonian Society in 1972/73.

When he left school in 1933 he joined his father in H.G. McCreath & Son, at Spittal Point, a grain merchants and organic fertiliser manufacturing plant. He became a Territorial Army officer in 1938.

On the outbreak of WW2, the 3rd of September 1939, he married Pat, who was a PE teacher.

He was a Captain in the 9th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, and served in France, initially building an airfield near Lille. He was evacuated from Dunkirk, on board the destroyer HMS Malcolm to Dover.

[In September 1939, HMS Malcolm was deployed as leader of the 16th Destroyer Flotilla, based at Portsmouth and on antisubmarine patrol of the English Channel and Southwest Approaches. She stayed in this role until May 1940, when she was transferred to Dover Command to assist with the evacuation of the Netherlands.

On the 15th May 1940 she was deployed as part of Operation Ordnance off the Hook in south Holland. From the 26th May to the 4th June she assisted in the evacuation of Dunkirk, making eight runs between Dunkirk and England. The ships then commander, Sir Thomas Halsey, was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order on the 7th June 1940 "for good services in the withdrawal of the Allied Armies from the beaches at Dunkirk"].

Henry was deployed on Coastal Defence. In October 1941 the battalion was ordered overseas. His daughter Jennifer who was born in 1941, watched her father sail to their ultimate destination, Singapore. The battalion arrived on the 6th February, just before the surrender of Singapore to the Japanese.

Henry was captured at Mount Pleasant Road, on the 15th February 1942. When captured he initially served as a labourer on Singapore Island. He was quoted as saying "We were told to lay down our weapons and wait by the side of the road. Many of us just sat down and cried." quote from the Independent Newspaper in 2005.

He was among tens of thousands of allied troops taken prisoner by the Japanese. He was taken to work camps in Changi and River Valley Road, Singapore. Everywhere you went there were headless corpses of the local Chinese lying in the streets of Singapore.

At every corner there were heads impaled on poles.

He was involved in the gruesome task of cleaning up the islands Alexandra Hospital, where a massacre of over 100 doctors, nurses and patients had taken place. Also had to build a wall around the Japanese secret police Headquarters, whilst torture victim's screams rang out.

In October 1942, he then began his journey by train, over crowded in the searing heat in hot steel carriages, no ventilation and no sanitation. Dysentery was rife.

Their destination was Ban Pong, which was at the southern end of the infamous Tha-Burma railway, which was being built by forced labour for a supply route for the Japanese. Brutality as well as beatings were the norm in the camp, and with appalling rations, malnourishment, cholera was rife, and maggot-ridden rations of rice sweepings. Any wounds became ulcers. Henry treated this by wading into the river and let the fish eat the dead flesh, though the river was contaminated by dead bodies.

They then were moved to Tarsao, Wampo and Tamuang camps. Henry at least saved one prisoner's life by feeding him a couple of eggs that Henry purloined from the locals. He was determined to keep up the morale of the men imprisoned with him.

Meanwhile Henry's father sold the family business to Fisons, though he insisted that if his sons return from the war, the company gave them a job.

Eventually, he was repatriated, Bangkok to Rangoon, 58 IGH (Indian General Hospital), SS Orduna to Liverpool.

He did join the company along with his two brothers Geoff and Bill, [who became a solicitor], also joined him.

By 1955, Henry along with his brother Geoff, brought back the retail arm from Fisons and led the new company. He expanded the company and grain drying contracts with Highland Distillers to supply Highland Park, Tamdu, Distillers Company and Fawcetts. Then based at the East Ord Trading Estate, Northumberland. He also became the President of the UK Agricultural Supply Trade Association. His brother Geoff was the sales director and Bill was the company Secretary.

He was also a member of the 1939-45 Officers Club, and the Far Eastern POW Club.

In 1980, he sold the company to Dalgety, but remained with the new company for an additional 5 years. Eventually retiring age 70. Henry was also a Justice of the Peace, sheriff of Berwick, a harbour commissioner and a director of several companies. His love of salmon fishing was well known and he was the President of the world's oldest fishing club, 'Ellern'. He played cricket for Berwick Cricket club until he was 55. He was a sidesman at Berwick Parish Church. He co-founded a local Far East Prisoner of War club in 1950.

In 2011, age 96, he was made an honorary freeman of Berwick, with the Mayor, [Alan Bowlas] of Berwick visiting Henry at the Turret Villa Retirement Home, Henry saying "This has come as a complete shock. I didn't know anything about the award until a couple of days ago, and could not have expected it," he accepted it with a lot of dignity, the trait he showed in the camps and his life. He leaves three daughters, eight grandchildren and nine-great grandchildren.

He was at the 'Northumberland at War' exhibition some years ago, and though he did not talk much about his experiences, he has seen things and events that would have remained in his memory for ever.

His grandfather (bottom photo) was the founder of the company H.G. McCreath & Son, he died in 1916. William (Henry's father) was a pall bearer at his funeral with his other 6 brothers.

Singaphore Alexandra Hospital
Henry McCreath oral interview speaking about his experiences
Haunted by the past
Charity for Far East Prisoners of War
Roll of Honour