Arthur Bancroft

Arthur Bancroft was a 20 year sailor on the HMAS Perth in 1942 when it was sunk by the Japanese in the Sunda Strait. He survived the sinking and was captured by the Japanese and sent to work on the Thai-Burma railway. At the completion of the railroad he was among 1300 PoWs aboard the Rakuyo Maru which was part of a oil ship convoy torpedoed by American submarines while heading towards japan from Singapore. Arthur again found himself fighting for survival in oil slicked water, although this time him and 150 others were rescued by the American submarines. Most of the other 1300 who survived the torpedoing perished later in the sea. Arthur returned to Australia and was able to inform the authorities of the atrocities occuring to Australian,American, British & Dutch PoWs who were at this stage unaware of their extent.
This is his story.… (altro)