Ernest E. Biss was born 1910 in Fulham, London. He was the seventh child of Frederick William Biss and Emma Biss (nee Roylance).
On 2nd April 1911 the Census was held. Ernest E. Biss was living at 25 Hartopp Avenue, Fulham, London. He was living with his parents Frederick William Biss and Emma Biss (nee Roylance) and his siblings; Frederick Biss, George Biss, Nelly Biss, William John Biss and Rose Biss born 1913.
In 1933 Ernest E. Biss married Ruby G. Mitchell in Fulham, London.
On 3rd September 1939 Britain declared war on Germany, starting the Second World War.
Soon after the outbreak of war Ernest E. Biss joined The Royal Artillery. He was issued with the Army number 1734164 and deployed with the 48th Light AA Regiment RA(TA).
The unit saw action during the Battle of Britain.
In November 1941 the men were all issued embarkation leave. The battery was then formed with other batteries into the 21st Light Anti Aircraft Regiment Royal Artillery for service overseas.
After leaving Gourock on the Warwick Castle at 8am on 7 December 1941 they were prepared to defend airfields and oilfields in Basra, Iraq. In Cape Town they were to learn that Britain was now at war with Japan and their new assignment was to defend Singapore. Singapore was under attack before they arrived and they were redeployed to Batavia on the jungle covered island of Java on 3 February 1942. Their ship was attacked as it arrived in port.
In Batavia the 79th LAA Battery was split in two. Troop B was sent to defend the airfield of Malang while Troops A and C boarded the Ban Hong Leong on 9 February to defend Penfui airfield in Dutch Timor – the closest airfield to Australia.
After their ship was chased and attacked by two Japanese submarines the ship was attacked by Japanese bombers as they arrived at Koepang port on 16 February.
In Timor the battery of 189 personnel joined Sparrow Force – a contingent of 1400 Australian troops, - under the command of Australian Lt. Colonel William Leggatt.
To cope with jungle conditions the 79th Battery were issued with the Australian Akubra slouch hat which they wore with the Royal Artillery cap badge. They are the only non-Australian troops to ever be issued with Australia’s traditional hat.
The 79th (British) LAA Battery were the only anti-aircraft artillery on Timor and certainly proved an important part of Sparrow Force.
After capitulation on 23 February 1942 the battery was held at Usapa Besar POW camp until 23 September 1942. They were then herded into the hold of an old Chinese freighter, the ‘hellship’ Dai Nichi Maru, with the rest of Sparrow Force and transported to Surabaya via Dili coming under attack from Royal Australian Air Force bombers and Royal Navy and Dutch submarines. From there they travelled by train to Batavia and marched 11 miles to Makasuru where they were separated from the Australians and Dutch to join the R.A.F. POWs in #5 camp. There they rejoined their comrades from B Troop.
On 15 October the Battery was broken up and sent to different parts of South East Asia. Some were held on Java while on 18 October the rest of the battery boarded the notorious Singapore Maru freighter to endure a one week voyage to Singapore.
At Singapore the battery were marched 15 miles to Changi Barracks where they would be medically examined and assessed for labour camps throughout South East Asia. Some were sent to work on the Siam-Burma ‘Death’ Railway, sent on a one month voyage in the hold of a freighter to work in labour camps all over Japan, or remain in Singapore at the notorious Changi Prison.
Those who travelled to Japan to work in labour camps endured 46 days by hellship. Most casualties were aboard these hellships – either from disease or from being attacked by allied planes and submarines.
Many died from disease or accidents in labour camps on the Siam-Burma ‘Death’ Railway, in Japan, Java, Borneo, and Changi Prison.
On 3rd December 1942 Ernest E. Biss died and was buried at Yokohama War Cemetery.
On 2nd April 1911 the Census was held. Ernest E. Biss was living at 25 Hartopp Avenue, Fulham, London. He was living with his parents Frederick William Biss and Emma Biss (nee Roylance) and his siblings; Frederick Biss, George Biss, Nelly Biss, William John Biss and Rose Biss born 1913.
In 1933 Ernest E. Biss married Ruby G. Mitchell in Fulham, London.
On 3rd September 1939 Britain declared war on Germany, starting the Second World War.
Soon after the outbreak of war Ernest E. Biss joined The Royal Artillery. He was issued with the Army number 1734164 and deployed with the 48th Light AA Regiment RA(TA).
The unit saw action during the Battle of Britain.
In November 1941 the men were all issued embarkation leave. The battery was then formed with other batteries into the 21st Light Anti Aircraft Regiment Royal Artillery for service overseas.
After leaving Gourock on the Warwick Castle at 8am on 7 December 1941 they were prepared to defend airfields and oilfields in Basra, Iraq. In Cape Town they were to learn that Britain was now at war with Japan and their new assignment was to defend Singapore. Singapore was under attack before they arrived and they were redeployed to Batavia on the jungle covered island of Java on 3 February 1942. Their ship was attacked as it arrived in port.
In Batavia the 79th LAA Battery was split in two. Troop B was sent to defend the airfield of Malang while Troops A and C boarded the Ban Hong Leong on 9 February to defend Penfui airfield in Dutch Timor – the closest airfield to Australia.
After their ship was chased and attacked by two Japanese submarines the ship was attacked by Japanese bombers as they arrived at Koepang port on 16 February.
In Timor the battery of 189 personnel joined Sparrow Force – a contingent of 1400 Australian troops, - under the command of Australian Lt. Colonel William Leggatt.
To cope with jungle conditions the 79th Battery were issued with the Australian Akubra slouch hat which they wore with the Royal Artillery cap badge. They are the only non-Australian troops to ever be issued with Australia’s traditional hat.
The 79th (British) LAA Battery were the only anti-aircraft artillery on Timor and certainly proved an important part of Sparrow Force.
After capitulation on 23 February 1942 the battery was held at Usapa Besar POW camp until 23 September 1942. They were then herded into the hold of an old Chinese freighter, the ‘hellship’ Dai Nichi Maru, with the rest of Sparrow Force and transported to Surabaya via Dili coming under attack from Royal Australian Air Force bombers and Royal Navy and Dutch submarines. From there they travelled by train to Batavia and marched 11 miles to Makasuru where they were separated from the Australians and Dutch to join the R.A.F. POWs in #5 camp. There they rejoined their comrades from B Troop.
On 15 October the Battery was broken up and sent to different parts of South East Asia. Some were held on Java while on 18 October the rest of the battery boarded the notorious Singapore Maru freighter to endure a one week voyage to Singapore.
At Singapore the battery were marched 15 miles to Changi Barracks where they would be medically examined and assessed for labour camps throughout South East Asia. Some were sent to work on the Siam-Burma ‘Death’ Railway, sent on a one month voyage in the hold of a freighter to work in labour camps all over Japan, or remain in Singapore at the notorious Changi Prison.
Those who travelled to Japan to work in labour camps endured 46 days by hellship. Most casualties were aboard these hellships – either from disease or from being attacked by allied planes and submarines.
Many died from disease or accidents in labour camps on the Siam-Burma ‘Death’ Railway, in Japan, Java, Borneo, and Changi Prison.
On 3rd December 1942 Ernest E. Biss died and was buried at Yokohama War Cemetery.
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