ALBERT CHARLES WRIGHT

Albert is not remembered on a war memorial in Ipswich.

Image from 23rd March 1945 Evening Star newspaper.

Born: 26th March 1908, Ipswich.

Died on or since: 24th June 1944; Age: 36; Japanese PoW – on board the hell ship ‘Tamahoko Maru.’

Captured: 8th March 1942.

Residence: 42, Austin Street, Ipswich.

Rank: Gunner; Service Number: 1715475.

Regiment: Royal Artillery, 89th Battery, 35 Light Anti Aircraft Regt.

Final resting place unknown.

Memorial Reference:

Column 34.

Singapore Memorial,

Kranji,

Singapore.

Relatives Notified & Address: Son of Mr. & Mrs. M. Wright, of Ipswich.

CENSUS

1911   16, Hamilton Street, Ipswich.

Albert was 3 years old and living with his parents & brothers.

David Wright, 31, a Labourer – Great Eastern Railway Company, born Framsden, Suffolk.

Maud Margaret Wright (nee Symonds), 26, born Ipswich.

David Thomas Wright, 4, born Ipswich.

Herbert Cyril Wright, 1, born Ipswich.

Probate to Maud Margaret Wright – widowed mother.

24th June 1944

The ‘Tamahoko Maru’ was a large Japanese passenger/cargo ship used as a Hell Ship. On the 20th June 1944, ‘Tamahoko Maru’ left the harbour at Takao, Formosa (Taiwan), with a quarter cargo of rice and sugar, 500 Japanese soldiers, and 772 British, American, Australian and Dutch servicemen who had been captured in the Dutch East Indies. The ‘Tamahoko Maru’ sailed in a convey consisting of twelve ships escorted by two corvettes, a mine-layer and a whaling ship on the journey to Japan. On the 24th June 1944, the ship was approaching Nagasaki. At 11:50hrs, ‘Tamahoko Maru’ was torpedoed by submarine USS ‘Tang.’ She sank in less then 2 minutes. 560 Allied PoW’s died, along with members of the crew and Japanese soldiers. The survivors were picked up the next morning by the whaling ship, and taken to the PoW Camp at Kyushu.