Trafford

Born during the December quarter 1916 in the Bucklow R.D. - ref: 8a/281,
the only son of Sidney Dean & Lily Utting (nee Barber).   Harold had a
younger sister - Jean Utting, born in 1921.

1939 National Registration - No Trace, which would indicate that he was
already serving at that time (29th September 1939) as servicemen were not
included in the civilian census.   His family were then residing at 34
Hyland Close, Hornchurch, Essex.    Sidney D. Utting - Married - born on
the 27th August 1887 - occ: Clerk (Engineering).   Lilley Utting Married -
born on the 4th June 1887 - occ: Unpaid Domestic Duties.   Harold Utting -
Single - born on the 21st November 1846 - occ: Merchant Banker's Clerk.  
Jean Utting - Single - born on the 21st December 1920 - occ: Clerk (Mantles
& Costume).

Harry was taken prisoner by the Japanese and died in the Suez Maru Atrocity
- it is not known if he drowned or was shot (murdered) by the Japanese in
position 6.22 South x 116.35 East.  The Wikipedia website states that the
Suez Maru sailed on the 25th November 1943 with 547 POWs (414 British and
133 Dutch) from Ambon bound for Surabaya.  The POWs were all sick men from
the work-camps on the Moluccas and Ambon.  About twenty men were on
stretchers. There were also around two hundred sick and wounded Japanese
soldiers on board.

On the 29th November 1943 , near Kangean Island east of Madoera Island, the
ship was torpedoed by USS Bonefish, unaware of the presence of Allied POWs.
 About half of the POWs drowned in the aft hold of the ship, but about 250
- 280 escaped from the holds and jumped into the water.  Nearly four hours
later the Japanese escort ship - Minesweeper No.12, returned from dropping
depth charges near the Bonefish.

The minesweeper only picked up Japanese survivors, pushing the British and
Dutch PoWs back into the water if they tried to climb aboard.  Then Captain
Kawano Osumu, Master of W-12, discussed with the PoW transport commander
Lt. Masaji Koshio (aka Masaji Iketani) what should be done with the
surviving PoWs. Koshio/Iketani informed him that Major General Sanso Anami
had told him that in the event of the ship being torpedoed the PoWs should
be shot.   Captain Kawano quickly agreed ordering Gunnery officer Yatsuka
to arrange twenty soldiers with rifles on deck and two machine-guns on the
lower bridge, whilst other crew pointed out survivors amongst the wreckage.
The gunnery crew then machine-gunned all surviving POWs in the water.  All
were killed. 

I have no record as to when Harry was taken prisoner, but 62 Sqn was
operating from the following bases:-

September 1939-February 1941: Tengah
February-December 1941: Alor Star
December 1941: Butterworth
December 1941-January 1942: Tengah
January-February 1942: Palembang (Sumatra)
February 1942: Semplak (Western Java)
April-June 1942: Dum Dum
June-December 1942: Cuttack
December 1942: Asansol
December 1942-January 1943: Cuttack
January-February 1943: Dhubalia
February-May 1943: Jessore
May 1943-January 1944: Chaklala

Harry is one of two Sale War Dead featured in a 1928 photograph of St.
Mary's School pupils, AoM.