In the RAF, my father Bill Belton was known as Taff. He joined 62 Squadron as an armourer and went to Singapore. After the fall of Singapore he contracted rheumatic fever and was ill for several months, eventually convalescing in a mountain hospital India after escaping on the ship Kota Gede. Here is one record of his time in 62 Squadron.
- Bill Belton, 62 Squadron
- 1941
- 1941, Feb 3rd. Joined up at West Kirby.
- 1941, Feb 10th. Left for Melksham. Drill and army training.
- 1941, Jun 9th. Posted to RAF Penrhos North Wales.
- 1941, Jul 18th. Back at West Kirby for overseas posting.
- 1941, Jul 28th. Board the ship “Sterling Castle”.
- 1941, Aug 18th. Arrived in Freetown.
- 1941, Aug 21st. Left Freetown and get malaria and into hospital on ship.
- 1941, Aug 24th. Land in Capetown.
- 1941, Aug 28th. Leave Capetown. Only two ships now, Sterling Castle and a cruiser. All other ships have gone to middle east.
- 1941, Sep 8th. Dock at Bombay. Half day ashore. Stayed 2 days.
- 1941, Sep 16th. Dock at Ceylon. Stayed 2 days.
- 1941, Sep 28th. Arrived Singapore.
- 1941, Oct 2nd. Alor Star 62 squadron RAF, Singapore.
- 1941, Oct 9th. Japs start war. 62 squadron go bombing.
- 1941, Dec 10th. Arrive in Butterworth.
- 1941, Dec 11th. Arrive in Taiping.
- 1941, Dec 16th. Arrive in Ipohol. Camp empty.
- 1941, Dec 17th. Arrive in Kuala Lumpa.
- 1941, Dec 18th. Arrive in Singapore.
- 1941, Dec 19th. Clothing parade.
- 1941, Dec 23rd. Moved to Tanger taking over 60 squadron, me Jock and sergeant.
- 1941, Dec 25th. Christmas dinner. Japs still bombing.
- 1942
- 1942, Jan 23rd. All our a/c (aircraft) are lost in Jap raids. 12 new Hudsons arrive from England. Japs also arrive leaving only 2 Hudsons repairable. I leave in one and Doug leaves in the other for Palenbang in Sumatra early next morning.
- 1942, Jan 24th. Land at Palenbang, Sumatra (Dutch island).
- 1942, Feb 14th. Japs land at nearby aerodrome. Late afternoon, after destroying all bomb parts and everything else, we moved off to Java, landing in Chilliliton, near Botavia.
- 1942, Feb 15th. Singapore fell. Our aircraft took off to Bandeong.
- 1942, Feb 17th. Left Bandeong by train for Buitengorg.
- 1942, Feb 26th. Left Buitengorg. Arrived at Chillijap by train for the good ship “Kota Gede”.
- 1942, Mar 8th. Arrive at Colombo after 10 days at sea. Big birthday party for Doug and Bill.
- 1942, Mar 9th. Went on the troop ship Dunera.
- 1942, Mar 17th. Called at Bombay for 2 days.
- 1942, Mar 21st. Arrived in Karachi. Sand desert.
- 1942, Apr 23rd. Left by troop train for a 5 day and night journey to Chakulia, near Calcutta.
- 1942, Apr 28th. Arrived at Chakulia.
- 1942, May 3rd. Left Chakulia with advance party for Charbartia, near Cuttack. 120 degrees F in the shade.
- 1942, Sep 17th. Left Chabartie for hill station.
- 1942, Sep 18th. Arrive in Calcutta, 2 days leave.
- 1942, Sep 23rd. Arrive in Dera Dun at the foot of the Himalayas.
- 1942, Sep 24th. In Chakrata for 14 days leave.
- 1943, Jun 2nd. I had extended leave caused by having rheumatic fever, eight and a half months. I had my Christmas and birthday and also plenty of snow.
- 1943, Jun 2nd. Left to join 62 squadron at Chaklala.
- 1943, Jun 5th. Arrive at Chaklala.
- 1943, Jun 7th. In hospital Rawalpindi. Rheumatic [fever].
- 1943, Jun 8th. Arrived in Pershawar.
- 1943, Dec 25th. Christmas in Pershawar.
- 1944
- 1944, Apr 10th. Christmas in Pershawar.
- 1944, Apr 11th. Arrive in Bombay.
- 1944, May 4th. Left Bombay for the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden and Red Sea.
- 1944, May 8th. Boarded the ship named Otranto for England.
- 1944, May 12th. Started up the Suez Canal.
- 1944, May 13th. Anchored mid-Suez.
- 1944, May 14th. Port Said. Took on a load of Italian prisoners.
- 1944, May 15th. Enter the Mediterranean Sea.
- 1944, May 20th. Look at Gibraltar.
- 1944, May 30th. Liverpool.
- 1944, Jun 6th. D Day.
- 1944, Jun 14th. Home at last.
- 1944, July. Home leave ends. Sent to Morecombe to wait posting.
- 1944, July. Posted to Hawarden near Chester.
- 1944, December. Went to Weeton, near Blackpool. Two weeks arm[ourer] refr[eshment course].
- 1945
- 1945, March. Posted to Chilbolton, near Andover. Took over from Yanks.
- 1945, September. Posted to Saffron Walden, Cambridge. Took over from Yanks.
- 1945, October. Posted to Bradwell Bay, Essex.
- 1945, Christmas. Posted to West Malling, Kent.
- 1946
- 1946, March. Posted to Spilsby, Lincolnshire.
- 1946, May. Posted to Cardington for demob.
- 1946, May 7th. Demobbed.
- (C) Hilary Hartigan 2019.
In the RAF, my father, Bill Belton, was known as Taff. He joined 62 Squadron as an armourer and went to Singapore. After the fall of Singapore he contracted rheumatic fever and was ill for several months, eventually convalescing in a mountain hospital in India after escaping from Burma on the Kota Gede. Here is one record of his time in 62 Squadron.1
| 1941 | Feb 3rd | Joined up at West Kirby | |
| 1941 | Feb 10th | Left for Melksham. Drill and army training | |
| 1941 | June 9th | Posted to RAF Penrhos North Wales | |
| 1941 | July 18th | Back at West Kirby for overseas posting | |
| 1941 | July 28th | Board the ship “Sterling Castle” | |
| 1941 | July 29th | Joined a convoy of about 40 ships and sailed around the coast of Ireland | |
| 1941 | August 18th | Arrived in Freetown | |
| 1941 | August 21st | Left Freetown and get malaria and into hospital on ship | |
| 1941 | August 24th | Land in Capetown | |
| 1941 | August 28th | Leave Capetown. Only two ships now, Sterling Castle and a cruiser. All other ships have gone to middle east | |
| 1941 | September 8th | Dock at Bombay. Half day ashore. Stayed 2 days | |
| 1941 | September 16th | Dock at Ceylon. Stayed 2 days | |
| 1941 | September 28th | Arrived Singapore | |
| 1941 | September 2nd | Alor Star 62 squadron RAF, Singapore | |
| 1941 | September 9th | Japs start war. 62 squadron go bombing | |
| 1941 | December 10th | Arrive in Butterworth | |
| 1941 | December 11th | Arrive in Taiping | |
| 1941 | December 16th | Arrive in Ipohol. Camp empty | |
| 1941 | December 17th | Arrive in Kuala Lumpa | |
| 1941 | December 18th | Arrive in Singapore | |
| 1941 | December 19th | Clothing parade | |
| 1941 | December 23rd | Moved to Tanger taking over 60 squadron, me Jock and sergeant | |
| 1941 | December 25th | Christmas dinner. Japs still bombing | |
| 1942 | January 23rd | All our a/c (aircraft) are lost in Jap raids. 12 new Hudsons arrive from England. Japs also arrive leaving only 2 Hudsons repairable. I leave in one and Doug leaves in the other for Palenbang in Sumatra early next morning | |
| 1942 | January 24th | Land at Palenbang, Sumatra (Dutch island) | |
| 1942 | February 14th | Japs land at nearby aerodrome. Late afternoon, after destroying all bomb parts and everything else, we moved off to Java, landing in Chilliliton, near Botavia | |
| 1942 | February 15th | Singapore fell. Our aircraft took off to Bandeong | |
| 1942 | February 17th | Left Bandeong by train for Buitengorg | |
| 1942 | February 26th | Left Buitengorg. Arrived at Chillijap by train for the good ship “Kota Gede” |
|
| 1942 | March 8th | Arrive at Colombo after 10 days at sea. Big birthday party for Doug and Bill | |
| 1942 | March 9th | Went on the troop ship Dunera | |
| 1942 | March 17th | Called at Bombay for 2 days | |
| 1942 | March 21st | Arrived in Karachi. Sand desert | |
| 1942 | April 23rd | Left by troop train for a 5 day and night journey to Chakulia, near Calcutta | |
| 1942 | April 28th | Arrived at Chakulia | |
| 1942 | May 3rd | Left Chakulia with advance party for Charbartia, near Cuttack. 120 degrees F in the shade | |
| 1942 | September 17th | Left Chabartie for hill station | |
| 1942 | September 18th | Arrive in Calcutta, 2 days leave | |
| 1942 | September 23rd | Arrive in Dera Dun at the foot of the Himalayas | |
| 1942 | September 24th | In Chakrata for 14 days leave | |
| 1943 | June 2nd | I had extended leave caused by having rheumatic fever, eight and a half months. I had my Christmas and birthday and also plenty of snow | |
| 1943 | June 2nd | Left to join 62 squadron at Chaklala | |
| 1943 | June 5th | Arrive at Chaklala | |
| 1943 | June 7th | In hospital Rawalpindi. Rheumatic | |
| 1943 | June 8th | Left Rawalpindi for Peshawar and that is the end of 62 squadron for me and a lot of good friends | |
| 1943 | June 8th | Arrived in Pershawar | |
| 1943 | December 25th | Christmas in Pershawar | |
| 1944 | April 10th | Left Pershawar for Bombay | |
| 1944 | April 11th | Arrive in Bombay | |
| 1944 | May 8th | Boarded the ship named Otranto for England | |
| 1944 | May 4th | Left Bombay for the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden and Red Sea | |
| 1944 | May 12th | Started up the Suez Canal | |
| 1944 | May 13th | Anchored mid-Suez | |
| 1944 | May 14th | Port Said. Took on a load of Italian prisoners | |
| 1944 | May 15th | Enter the Mediterranean Sea | |
| 1944 | May 20th | Look at Gibraltar | |
| 1944 | May 30th | Liverpool | |
| 1944 | May 31st | Arrive in West Kirby | |
| 1944 | June 3rd | Everyone goes home on leave except me. I go to Insworth Hospital in Gloucester for tests | |
| 1944 | June 6th | D Day | |
| 1944 | June 14th | Home at last. | |
| 1944 | July (date not know) | Home leave ends. Sent to Morecombe to wait posting | |
| 1944 | July (date not known) | Posted to Hawarden near Chester | |
| 1944 | December | Went to Weeton, near Blackpool. Two weeks arm refr | |
| 1945 | March | Posted to Chilbolton, near Andover. Took over from Yanks | |
| 1945 | September | Posted to Saffron Walden, Cambridge. Took over from Yanks | |
| 1945 | October | Posted to Bradwell Bay, Essex | |
| 1945 | Christmas | Posted to West Malling, Kent | |
| 1946 | March | Posted to Spilsby, Lincolnshire | |
| 1946 | May | Posted to Cardington for demob | |
| 1946 | May 7th | demobbed | |
