By Andy Millar
On a relaxed, tropical afternoon within the South Atlantic Ocean in April 1942, a British tramp steamer, the SS Willesden, was once shelled, torpedoed and sunk by way of a German raider, the KMS Thor. The Willesden used to be wearing forty seven officials and workforce, and a shipment of significant conflict provides destined for Britain’s eighth military in North Africa. 5 of Willesden’s team have been killed within the assault. one of the survivors was once moment Mate David Millar, who – with his crewmen – used to be rescued through the Germans and interned on a succession of felony ships, earlier than being passed over to the japanese. Badly wounded, David spent the remainder of the struggle as a POW in a camp at Fukushima, north of Tokyo.
The Thor used to be additionally answerable for sinking different steamers, the SS Kirkpool and SS Nankin. Their survivors, who integrated 38 girls and kids, have been dispatched to an identical POW camp.
What is impressive approximately this tale, except its inherent drama, is that those civilian POWs – numbering greater than a hundred thirty in all – have been formally indexed as ‘Missing at Sea’: their presence within the camp remained a heavily guarded mystery. This intended that it was once many months – often times, years – ahead of the fog of poser surrounding their disappearance lifted, and friends and family knew even if their family have been lifeless or alive.
Lost at Sea discovered at Fukushima tells the little-known tale of those survivors. it's a story of honour among enemy naval commanders; of pain, braveness and persistence, as months of imprisonment became to years; and of the strong relationships that shape while individuals are pressured jointly in life-threatening circumstances.
Greatly bettering the poignancy of this tale is the truth that David Millar was once the author’s father.
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Sample text
During heavy air fighting over Tunisia, the 52nd FG lost six Spitfires to fighters or flak. Returning to 6 April, early that day 11 aircraft from the 307th escorted A-20s sent to bomb La Fouconnerie, and en route to the target they were attacked by a dozen Bf 109Gs shortly after 0730 hrs. Lt Virgil Fields fired off all his ammunition at one of the fighters, and had the satisfaction of seeing part of the port wing of his victim fall off. He was duly credited with the first ofhis six victories upon returning to base, his victim believed to have been Ltn Klaas.
On 20 May Peck was awarded a DFC, having made 15 claims since arriving in Malta - 3 1/2 destroyed, three probables and no less than eight T 44 Pit Off Donald McLeod of No 126 Sqn arrived in Malta on 21 March 1942 and shot down two Bf 109s on the 24th and 25th of the month. However, he was himself shot down in flames on 2 April and baled out, injured. McLeod later transferred to the USAAF, and scored two more victories with the 83rd FS (via Brian Cull) damaged. He survived more than forty combats over Malta, and later spoke to American reporters of his experiences; 'I never even got a scratch or so much as a bullet through my aeroplane.
I fired at one Ju 87 and saw strikes on the wings and pieces flying off. The Stuka went into a steep downward spiral, finally getting out of control at 800 ft and going straight on in. ' It was not all sun in the desert, as evidenced by Spitfire VC VF-E of the 5th FS following a flash flood at La Sebala caused by a period of torrential rain during the spring of 1943 (No 165 Sqn Records via P H T Green collection) Capt Arnold Vinson of the 2nd FS made his first claims on 2 December 1942, when he damaged a Bf 109 and then shot down an Fw 190 west of Bizerte.
