Corporal Walter Steele Pink R81057 March 7, 1942

[Paul Squires]

Hi All,

I have reached the entry for Corporal Walter Steele Pink R18057. This airman has always intrigued me. He is list as missing in fighting with ground forces March 7, 1942, fighting Japanese soldiers 30 miles west of Batavia, NEI. His trade is given as radio mechanic.

Is it possible he was an RDF (radar) mechanic? Many of the RCAF members killed or taken PoW in the fighting in Malaysia and Java were part of the men transferred to the RAF for this secret work.

Any information welcome.

All the Best,

Paul Squires
Wetaskiwin

[Temujin]

What I could find. It ‘looks’ like he was a POW when he died

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[Paul Squires]

Thank You Temujin,

Much more information that I had before, but still not clear what happened to Cpl Pink. But he was last reported before the general surrender of the NEI, so less likely to be a prisoner than killed in action.

It does confirm what I suspected, that Cpl Pink was a radar (575 AMES), not a radio technician. As was WO1 Goodchild, and likely Sgt Stiff.

I know I have 'Canadians on Radar in SEAC' somewhere (stored?), but I can't lay my hands on it. It should properly be in my important reference shelf and I'll dig it out. I know WO Goodchild's story is in there, but I need to find it and re-check for Cpl Pink and Sgt Stiff. There may be more there.

The story of F/O B.W. Martin in Malaysia that resulted in his award of an OBE for his work to evacuate or destroy secret RDF equipment has been told by H.A. Halliday, one of those acts of courage we just don't talk about as Canadians.

Those RDF mechanics taken PoW had a rough time, keeping secret their classified knowledge.

Again, Many Thanks indeed.

Paul
Wetaskiwin

[Paul Squires]

Hi All,

Got the book. Canadians on Radar in South East Asia 1941-45 by Angus Hamilton, Canadian Radar History Project, 1998.

He lists sixteen known Canadians on RDF (Radar) in Singapore / Indonesia when the war in the Pacific began.

For future users, with some information from other sources:

AC2 Russell Clifford Adolphe R78698, PoW March 8, 1942, survived

___ Roscoe B.N. Blanchard, R76345, landed Batavia Feb. 5, 1942, sailed to Ceylon Feb. 26, 1942.

WO1 Edward William Goodchild, R75847, PoW circa February 1, 1942, died as a PoW October 12, 1944.

LAC Elmer Allison Graham, R80286, PoW Feb. 15, 1942 Singapore, survived.

F/O Donald Claude Hanna, C3785, PoW in Java, survived.

Cpl Oswald A. Luce, R84166, PoW March 1942, survived.

F/O William George Luetchford, C3172, 575 AMES, PoW Java March 9, 1942, survived.

___ Gordon MacPhail, R84194, landed Batavia Feb. 5, 1942, sailed to Ceylon Feb. 26, 1942.

F/O Branston Wilmott Martin OBE, C3172(R), reported missing in action Feb. 12, 1942 Singapore, but escaped to Sumatra, and evacuated to Ceylon.

F/L Lawrence Reid Montgomery, C3146(R), OC 518 AMES, Malaysia, survived ship sunk Feb. 14(?), PoW Java, March 1942, survived.

Cpl Charles Robert Moore, R80313, PoW March 8, 1942, died as a PoW July 19, 1943.

F/S Ronald Charles Neal, R76883, PoW March 8, 1942, died as a PoW June 2, 1943.

Cpl Walter Steele Pink, R81057, 307 AMES, 306 AMES, 575 AMES, RIMU Seletar, AMES unit Java, KIA March 7, 1942.

F/L Eric William Smith, C3554, PoW date?, survived.

Sgt Lloyd George Stiff R80725, PoW, Died as a PoW June 25, 1942.

LAC Leslie Voynich, R63697, 232 Sqn., IFF technician, PoW Java March 1942, survived. [listed in some sources as Voynick or Vognich]


Paul Squires
Wetaskiwin