Evacuees who escaped Singapore

[J11]

Can anyone direct me towards records/sites where I might find shipping records on people who escaped from Singapore in 1942 other than the Malayan Volunteers Group or Cofepow, both of which I've checked?  My great uncle Raymond Hugo Clibborn (a civilian resident of Malaya) was injured by a landmine in Johore, managed to get onto a ship leaving Singapore which was torpedoed and sunk by the Japanese, survived and arrived back in England later that year in what his brother described as "a shocking state".  Mentally, he never recovered and died in an asylum in 1960.  I am trying to find which ship he was on of the many that were sunk and how he got back to England - both long shots, I know, but if any one has any suggestions I would be very grateful.

[DavidJP]

Hi,

I noticed your previous thread on him here: http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=531690.0

In the previous thread you state that he was in the Merchant Navy and you say that he was a civilian above. Had he left the Merchant Navy by then?

Don't know if you have this or not, but it appears he was appointed a 'Temporary Lieutenant' in the Royal Naval Reserve on 18th Sept 1939. Link to entry in June 1940 Navy List here: https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/92785558?mode=transcription

Hope this helps.

Kind regards

David

[DavidJP]

Hi,

A couple of Merchant Navy records for him are on FindMyPast, they are in the 'Britain, Merchant Seamen, 1918-1941' record set. They comprise his CR1 & CR2 cards, with a discharge number of 92726.

Link to them here: https://www.findmypast.com/search/results?datasetname=britain%2c+merchant+seamen%2c+1918-1941&firstname=raymond+hugo&firstname_variants=true&lastname=clibborn

The above link is just to the search results within the above named record set.

Hope this helps.

Kind regards

David

[J11]

Thank you for your reply.  I have been looking into this recently and have some clearer information.  To be honest, I had forgotten that post! 

In 1934 Hugo left England for Malaya where his sister and brother in law, an engineer, had been living since 1926 and worked as a civilian in either tin or rubber.  Through local papers I have found references to him in Jelebu in 1937 and Seremban in 1939.  Jelebu and Seremban are in the state of Negri Sembilan south of Kuala Lumpar.  I did not know that he had volunteered for the Royal Navy at the outbreak of war.  Thanks for that.  Many British Malayans belonged to various volunteer forces.  It would make sense that he would volunteer for the navy with his merchant seaman experience. 

My uncle told me that "Hugo had been blown up twice".  The Jeyes List of Missing British Malayans drawn up in Changi Prison reads “Clibborn, Petaling, wounded landmine – died? POW?”.  Jelebu is on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpar.  Whether he shipped out somewhere near there or got to Singapore, and whether he escaped as a wounded civilian or serving as a naval reserve complicates things somewhat!  However he went, we know the ship was torpedoed.  What happened to him and how he got back to England is unknown.  The next documentary reference I have for him is his admittance to hospital in England on 24th April 1943.  I know it took his brother a while to get him admitted so it is likely that he returned sometime in 1942.

I am hoping to fill in any details on his movements in 1942 but am stumped at the moment.  Thanks for you help so far.

[J11]

Following the RN trail, I have come across the following two references in the listings:
Clibborn R. H. (Scorpion), rank L, seniority 18th September 1939.
HMS Scorpion - Temp. Lieut. RNR R H C Clibborn 9th Feb 1940.
Between the 20th and 29th of May 1940 HMS Scorpion was conducting exercises off the coast of Singapore.

The Scorpion was a river gunboat launched in 1938 and lost on the 14th Feb 1942.  Ship project history: Gunboat was designed for service in mouth of Yangtze, at the expense of a high freeboard and large depth (for river gunboats standards) she had seaworthiness, sufficient for actions in coastal waters. The anti-submarine armament provided by the design became unique feature of Scorpion. (20 DC were projected but never carried)    Sunk at 1845 hours on 14 February 1942 North of Banka Straits in position 01.25'S, 105.00'E by the Japanese light cruiser Yura and the Japanese destroyers Fubuki and Asagiri after being damaged by Japanese aircraft five days previously.  However, I have found a list of the casualties and missing aboard the Scorpion at the time of its sinking and Hugo is not on it. 

This is the link to naval casualties at the fall of Singapore:
http://sabrizain.org/malaya/rnfeb1942casualty.html

[DavidJP]

Hi,

I would suggest perhaps applying for his RNR Service Record, which is still with the MOD, this should list the ships he served on at the very least. whether it might give any further info as regards answering your questions I do not know for sure. It would confirm at the very least Ship names at the time of interest, i.e 1942.

Link here to forms to apply for Service Record: https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records/apply-for-someone-elses-records

You would heed to fill in a next of kin form as well as the form for the Royal navy. The records will cost/have a fee of £30.

Hope this helps.

Kind regards

David

[J11]

That's a very good idea!  Thanks.  Can I assume that, as he is in the listings for HMS Scorpion in 1940, that they will have some records for him?  I'm a bit loath to pay 30 pounds for them to then say, "Sorry, nothing found!"

[DavidJP]

Hi,

Can I assume that, as he is in the listings for HMS Scorpion in 1940, that they will have some records for him?

I would think that as he is on HMS Scorpion that they would be more likely to have something. I'm not certain, but it's more likely than not I would think.

Even though you don't have a service number for him, you should have enough information about him I believe, for them to find the right service record for your man.

Hope this helps.

Kind regards

David

[J11]

Many thanks for your help.