Lance Corporal. Royal Corps of Signals, 18th Infantry Division. Regimental Number: 2338246.
Early life:
Albert’s parents were Joseph Bradshaw and Ada Bradshaw née Johnson who had been married at Stockton, Durham in the last quarter of 1900.
In the 1911 census they were living at 26, Market Place in Houghton le Spring and Joseph was aged 32 and a coal miner; Ada was aged 30. At that time they had four children who were Margaret, aged eight, John aged five, Annie Elizabeth aged three and Lily aged just nine months.
Albert was born on the 27th of February 1915 at Houghton Le Spring, Durham.
In the 1921 census they were living at 4, Mount Pleasant in Houghton Le Spring, Joseph was 44 and a coal miner (hewer) for Lambton and Hetton Colliery; Ada was 42 and on home duties; John was 15 and a coal miner (cutter) at the same colliery as his father; Annie aged 13, Joseph aged nine and Albert aged six were all at school; Ada aged three and Mary aged four months were at home with their mother.
Their father Joseph died aged 45 in 1923, with his death registered in the second quarter of the year at Sunderland, near Durham.
Albert was employed as a postman at the Keighley Post Office and his number was 12441/46.
By the time of the 1939 Register most of the family were living at 39, Worth Avenue in Keighley.
Joseph (Albert’s brother) was aged 27 and the head of the household. He was doing heavy work as a railway wagon wheel turner and general maintenance mechanic. His sisters Ada aged 21, a burler and mender; and Mary aged 18, a silk weaver were also here along with their mother Ada who was an invalid aged 59. Also living here were Lily Robinson aged 23 and a burler and mender; and Harry Narey aged 19, a machine tool fitter.
War service:
According to the newspaper accounts, Albert enlisted right at the beginning of the Second World War and he was serving with the Royal Corps of Signals in the 18th Infantry Division. This would explain why he is not recorded living at the family home in the 1939 Register.
The 18th Division was formed in September 1939 and was based in Britain from 1939 to 1941 serving in an anti invasion role in East Anglia, training in Scotland and also serving in Liverpool. Towards the end of 1941 they were deployed overseas, heading for Egypt via South Africa in October. However at this time the news of the Japanese entry into the war had been received and they were sent to Singapore instead. They took part in the defence of the island and eventually were part of the surrender on 15th February 1942, when Albert was attached to the 118th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. He was captured and made a prisoner of war in Malaya and Thailand. It appears that his family did not hear of his capture until just over a year afterwards, when he was reported missing in March, 1943.
Keighley News 14th March 1943.
IN THE WAR IN THE FAR EAST.
CASUALTIES TO LOCAL MEN.
Mrs. A. Bradshaw, of 39, Worth Avenue, Stockbridge, Keighley, has been notified that her son, Lance Corporal Albert M. Bradshaw, of the Royal Corps of Signals, is missing in Malaya. Aged 27, Lance-Corporal Bradshaw has served in the Army since the outbreak of the war, and prior to enlistment he was employed at the Keighley Post Office. He was a sidesman at St. Peter’s Church, Keighley,
His status as a Japanese prisoner of war was confirmed a month later.
The Keighley News, 21st April, 1943
LOCAL CASUALTIES
News Of Men Now in Japanese Hands
Mrs. A. Bradshaw, of 39, Worth Avenue, Stockbridge, has received official information that her son, Lance-Corporal Albert M. Bradshaw, of the Royal Corps of Signals, reported missing in Malaya in March 1943, is now a prisoner of war interned in a Malaya camp. Prior to enlistment at the beginning of the war, Lance-Corporal Bradshaw was employed at the Keighley Post Office. He attended St. Peter’s Church, Keighley, where he was a sidesman.
Albert appears to have been a prisoner in camps in Malaya and Thailand until they were moved, by ships destined for Japan and Albert was incarcerated on the Ho Kuru Mara. These were the notorious Hell Ships where hundreds of men were crammed into cargo vessel holds and given very little food, water and toilet facilities. All the men suffered terribly and many were extremely sick and died during the journey. These ships were attacked by American torpedo bombers and the Ho Kuru Mara was sunk on the 21st of September 1944. 1000 men lost their lives and only 200 men survived the sinking and were able to swim ashore. Albert did not survive.
The reason that the ships were attacked was because no Red Cross signs were painted on them to indicate that the ships were carrying prisoners, so they appeared as if they were carrying cargo.
The Keighley News, 1st September 1945:
ROLL OF HONOUR
News has been received this week by Mr. J. Bradshaw, of 2, Belgrave Road, Keighley, that his brother. Lance-Corporal A. M. Bradshaw. of the Royal Signals, whose home is at 39, Worth Avenue, Keighley, is among those missing following the sinking of a Japanese transport which was conveying prisoners of war from Thai to Japan in the autumn of 1944. He was formerly employed at Keighley Post Office, and was called up at the outbreak of war.
Remembrance:
Albert’s name is recorded on column 23 of the Singapore Memorial.
Locally, his name is on the Keighley WW2 war memorial board, which is displayed in the foyer of Keighley Library. His name is out of alphabetical sequence and rather unusually it can be found halfway down column four, between J.L. Munnock and G.H. Nicholson.
He is also named on the St. Peter’s Church roll of honour, which is in storage in Keighley Civic Centre.
Post war:
His medal entitlement was the 1939-45 Star, the Pacific Star and the War Medal and these were sent to his family on the 24th of October 1949.
A Post Office gratuity of £188 5s 4d was paid to his estate on 7th August 1946.
Information sources:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915.
1911 Census.
1921 Census.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007.
1939 Register.
Keighley World War Two Scrapbook.
COFEPOW.
FEPOW.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
UK, Postal Establishment Books, 1691-1979.
UK, Royal Mail Pension and Gratuity Records, 1860-1970.
UK, World War II Allied Prisoners of War, 1939-1945
Japanese Index Cards of Allied Prisoners of War and Internees, World War II.
UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945.
UK, WWII, British Army Medal Cards, 1939-1945.
UK, WWII, Allied Prisoners of War, 1939-1945.
WO 361 Casualties and Missing Personnel 1939-1945.
WWII, Daily Reports: Missing, Dead, Wounded and POWs, 1939-1947.
