Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Private A. V. Pettican, Cambridgeshire Regiment, who was taken Prisoner-of-War at the fall of Singapore, 15 February 1942, spent two years as part of the Burma-Siam Railway labour force, and died in captivity aboard the Japanese ‘Hell Ship’ Toyofuku Maru on or before 21 September 1944 when the ship was sunk by American dive-bombers with the loss of 1,047 Allied prisoners of war

1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45, with named Army Council enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mrs. V. A. Pettican, 18 Campbell Close, Chelmsford, Essex’, extremely fine (3) £180-220

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Second World War Casualties.

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Albert Victor Pettican served with the 1st Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment during the Second World War, and was taken Prisoner of War following the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942. On 4 July 1944, after two years as part of the Burma-Siam Railway labour force, he was embarked at Singapore on the Toyofuku Maru, bound for Korea via Manila, as part of a five prisoner ship convoy. Conditions on board were truly terrible, earning the prisoner ships the sobriquet of ‘Hell Ships’. The ship docked at Manila for repairs for five weeks in August and early September, leaving Manila on 20 September escorted by two destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy. At 10:30 a.m. on 21 September the convoy was attacked by dive bombers of the United States Navy. All five transport ships were sunk, the Toyofuku Maru being hit by three torpedoes and sinking in 3 minutes. Approximately 1,047 Allied prisoners of war went down with the ship.

It is not known whether Pettican was killed when the Toyofuku Maru was sunk, or whether he was one of over 100 prisoners on the ship that, according to the testimony of the survivors, died of malnutrition or disease between embarkation at Singapore and the point when the convoy was attacked. Aged 29 at the time of his death, he is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial.

Sold together with various copied research regarding the Toyofuku Maru, including the testimony from one of the survivors giving evidence at the subsequent War Crimes trial.