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Dron, C.P., Cpl., 1943
On the Singapore Memorial is the name of 1204528 Corporal Charles Phillips Dron, serving with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died 29/11/1943.

Simon Glancey has submitted the following:

Corporal Dron was killed when the Japanese ship the S.S. Suez Maru was torpedoed and sunk by the American submarine U.S.S. Blowfish. The ship was carrying 548 British and Dutch P.o.W.s from Japanese work camps, as well as several hundred sick and wounded Japanese troops, when it was torpedoed near Kangean Island. The American submarine was unaware of the presence on board of the Allied men. Around 200 of the prisoners managed to escape, but the Japanese minesweeper, W.12, which came to the rescue, only picked up Japanese and Korean survivors. The minesweeper's captain ordered that any Allied prisoners in the water should be machine gunned - all those who survived the sinking were killed.


Suez-Maru Roll of Honour
The Suez-Maru incident
The CWGC entry for Corporal Dron

If you know more about this person, please send the details to janet@newmp.org.uk