Kenneth Douglas Samuels
He was an LNER messenger boy in 1939.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Kenneth Douglas was the son of Arthur William and Sarah Ann Samuels (née Kemp).
His father Arthur was born in Harston, Cambridgeshire, in 1872, the son of Josiah Samuels, and his mother Sarah in Nottingham in about 1876, the daughter of George Kemp, and engine driver.
Arthur and Sarah were married at Nottingham St Ann on 22 June 1895; both gave their address as 17 Bombay Street, Nottingham. They had four children: Florence Elizabeth b. 1895 (JAS), Albert Arthur b. Sept. 1899, Leonard Laurence b. 1905 (JAS), and Kenneth Douglas b. 11 May 1920.
Arthur, a basket maker, his wife and their three children, Florence, a lace drawer, Albert and Leonard, were living at 62 Liddington Street, Nottingham, in 1911.
By 1921 Arthur and Sarah were living at 64 Liddington Street with three of their four children: Florence a lace finisher and Leonard a machine cleaner, who were both employed at Birkins (lace manufacturers), and Kenneth who was a year old. The eldest son, Arthur, has not yet been traced on the 1921 Census.
The only daughter, Florence, married Francis Henry Schofield, fireman (railway), at Basford St Leodegarius in July 1922; both were living at 64 Liddington Street at the time of their marriage.
Sarah Ann died in 1926.
Arthur, now working as a cane and wicker chair maker, and his son Kenneth, a messenger boy (LNER), were still living at 64 Liddington Street, Nottingham in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled. Also in the household were Arthur's married daughter Florence Schofield, her husband Francis, a locomotive driver (LNER), and their two children including Nevill who was also a messenger boy (LNER). Francis Schofield died in December 1939.
The eldest son, Arthur, had married Elsie Elizabeth Stanton at Nottingham St Saviour in September 1925 and he and his wife were living on Woolmer Road, Nottingham, in 1939. Arthur was a motor engineers' store keeper. He died in 1978.
The second son, Leonard, has not yet been traced on the 1939 Register, but he probably died in 1990 (reg. Louth, Lincolnshire).
Kenneth married Geraldine Pill in 1941 (JAS). The probate record gave Kenneth's address as 14 Sims Street, Alfred Street South, Nottingham, although the Japanese POW record gave both his father and wife's address as 64 Liddington Street. Kenneth's widow married Robert E Gibson in 1946; they had four children.
Arthur William Samuels died in 1949 (JFM).
Kenneth was serving with the 1/5th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters, when he was taken prisoner of war in Singapore by the Japanese on 17 February 1942.
Records show that he was held in a prison camp in Thailand but was being transported with nearly 1,300 Allied prisoners on a Japanese merchant ship, SS Rakuyo Maru, to another camp when the ship was sunk by Allied Forces on 12 September 1944. Kenneth was not one of the fewer than 200 survivors and his body was not recovered for burial.
Kenneth is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial (Column 27). The Memorial, also known as the Kranji Memorial, is in Kranji War Cemetery, 22km from the city of Singapore.
'Between 12 and 18 September 1944, Allied forces sank three Japanese steamships that were carrying supplies to support the Japanese war effort. But unknown to the Allies at the time, these ships were also carrying Allied prisoners of war (POWs) and Javanese slave labourers (romushas). ... The Kachidoki Maru was the largest of these steamships at over 500 feet long and more than 10,000 tons. She was torpedoed, along with the Rakuyo Maru [1300 POWs], on 12 September 1944 by US submarines whilst en route to mainland Japan from Singapore ... When these steamships were sunk, the prisoners and slave labourers on board were all either returning from, or journeying to, the railways upon which they had been designated to work..' www.iwm.org.uk/history/second-world-war/war-against-japan/the-sinking-of-pow-transport-ships-in-the-far-east
Kenneth's brother, Arthur, served in the Great War. He enlisted on a Territorial Force engagement (4 years service in the UK) and later transferred to embodied service. He served with the South Notts Hussars Yeomanry (746103) but in June 1918 transferred to the Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). His service record is damaged and there are also appear to be discrepancies in the information between embarkation/disembarkation dates and draft dates. However, it appears that he joined the Army on 26 April 1915 and served with BEF France and also the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, which would link with serving in the South Notts Hussars and his transfer in 1918 to the Machine Gun Corps. He was serving overseas 22 June 1918-7 February 1919 and as he had 14 days leave in the UK 22 October 1918-5 November 1918 it suggests that he was serving in France from 22 June 1918. He returned to the UK on 8 February 1919. It appears that he served in the Territorial Army after the war and was discharged on 11 April 1926.
CWGC Additional information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Samuels; husband of G. Samuels, of Nottingham.
Japanese index card of Allied POW & Internees WW2: POW record: Camp Thailand Camp 4. Name Samuels Kenneth. Rank Private, Place of Capture. Singapore. Father’s name: Arthur. Place of origin: 64 Liddington Street, New Basford, Nottingham. Destination of Report: Mrs Samuels, as above. Date of Birth: 1920-5-11. Unit: 4983723. 1/5 Battalion, the Sherwood Foresters, 18th Division. Date of capture: 17-2-1942.
- Casualty Lists: Expeditionary Forces, Malaya: Missing. 4983723 Samuels Pte KD Missing 15 (sic) February 1942.
1942 & 1943. Casualty Lists: Expeditionary Forces, Malaya: Previously posted Missing now reported Prisoner of War. 1/5th Bn Sherwood Foresters. 4983723 Samuels Pte KD, 15 (sic) February 1942.
- Casualty Lists. At Sea. Previously reported Prisoner of War in Japanese Hands - Malaya now reported Missing. 1/5th Bn Sherwood Foresters. 4983723 Samuels Pte KD, 12 September 1944. One other 1/5th Bn prisoner was named in this particular list: 4756192 Stiles L/Cpl. JT. 12 September 1944. CWGC 2072360: John Thomas Stiles (confirmed death 12 September 1944) is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial column 27; his mother Phoebe lived in Manor Park, Essex. Apart from his regiment, L/Cpl Stiles has no known connection with Nottinghamshire so his name does not appear on this Roll of Honour.
1945 Casualty Lists. At Sea. Previously reported Missing whilst Prisoner of War 12.9.44. now presumed Killed in Action whilst Prisoner of War. 1/5th Bn. Sherwood Foresters. 19 names including 4983723 Samuels Pte KD, 12 September 1944. [no mention Stiles].
1945 POW List. Prison Camp Thailand. Samuels Kenneth D. Pte 4983723 Army Date of Capture 15 (sic)-2-42. Date of Liberation (sic): 12-9-42. Camp: TH. Remarks: ‘Missing on board ship' [in manuscript - ‘dead’]
Probate: Samuels Kenneth Douglas of 14 Sims-street Alfred-street South Nottingham died 12 September 1944 on war service Administration Nottingham 30 March to Geraldine Samuels widow. Effects £222 2s. 7d.
Note: no family notices have yet been traced in local newspapers for either Kenneth or members of his family.
Additional information, record updated, RF (June 2026)
Photo of Kenneth Douglas Samuels
Commemorated on the Singapore [Kranji] Memorial (www.cwgc.org)