ORAL HISTORY (AUDIO): BANCROFT, ARTHUR
2004Summary: Born in Fremantle in 1921, Arthur Bancroft lived in Tryning until moving to 192 Subiaco Road, Subiaco around 1931. From here he attended Thomas Street Primary School and Claremont High School. Bancroft had a lifelong interest in sport, particularly cricket and Australian Rules Football, for which he played for the Subiaco Football Club.
After joining the Royal Australian Navy, Arthur served on the HMAS Perth, and survived the ship’s sinking in 1942. Captured after spending 12 hours in the Sunda Strait, he would spend the next fifteen months as a Japanese Prisoner of War working on the Burma Railway. While being transferred to work in the coal mines of Japan, Arthur survived another sinking when the Japanese ship he was on, the Rakuyo Maru, was torpedoed. After surviving five days afloat in the South China Sea, Arthur was rescued by an American submarine.
Interviewee: Arthur Bancroft
Date of Interview: 31/8/2004, 5/9/2004, 8/9/2004, 9/9/2004, 10/9/2004, 26/10/2004
Interviewer: John Bannister
Transcriber: Unknown
Indexer: Shelley Campbell
Arthur Bancroft survived the sinking of the HMAS Perth, was taken prisoner. As POW of the Japanese he was in Changi prison, worked on the Burma Railway, and en route to Japan work in the coal mines, he survived the sinking of the Japanese transport vessel. Rescued by an American submarine.
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Details
historical significance - local, national, international history
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