Eric Hayward
|
The sinking of HMS ExeterToday, 02 March '09 is the 67th anniversary of the sinking of HMS Exeter in the Second battle of the Sunda Straight during surface action with a superior Japanese fleet. The 14 members of the RM Band along with other survivors were, after several hours in the water, taken prisoner by the Japanese and then spent 3 and a half years in POW camps at Makasar in the Celebese during which time five members of the band died. They were, Bandmaster V H Vidler, Band Corporal J T Buckle and Musicians S A Bance, F Harris and D H Wilkin.
On the 17th of Febuary 2009 the two remaining survivors of the Band of HMS Exeter,Tom King from the UK and Ted Jones from Adelaide, were reunited in Adelaide South Australia for the first time since their release from captivity. The full story and photographs of this historic meeting will I hope be published in the Blue Band Magazine.
|
