Canadian Provost Corps
General Information | ||
| Rank: | First Name: | Second Name: |
|---|---|---|
| Sergeant | James | Thomas |
| From: | Enlistment Region: | Date of Birth (y-m-d): |
| Montreal QC | Eastern Quebec | 1915-02-09 |
| Appointment: | Company: | Platoon: |
| Company Sergeant Major | Brigade Headquarters | |
Transportation - Home Base to Hong Kong
Members of 'C' Force from the East travelled across Canada by CNR troop train, picking up reinforcements enroute. Stops included Valcartier, Montreal, Ottawa, Armstrong ON, Capreol ON, Winnipeg, Melville SK, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper, and Vancouver, arriving in Vancouver on Oct 27 at 0800 hrs.
The Winnipeg Grenadiers and the local soldiers that were with Brigade Headquarters from Winnipeg to BC travelled on a CPR train to Vancouver.
All members embarked from Vancouver on the ships AWATEA and PRINCE ROBERT. AWATEA was a New Zealand Liner and the PRINCE ROBERT was a converted cruiser. "C" Company of the Rifles was assigned to the PRINCE ROBERT, everyone else boarded the AWATEA. The ships sailed from Vancouver on Oct 27th and arrived in Hong Kong on November 16th, having made brief stops enroute at Honolulu and Manila.
Equipment earmarked for 'C' Force use was loaded on the ship DON JOSE, but would never reach Hong Kong as it was rerouted to Manila when hostilities commenced.
On arrival, all troops were quartered at Nanking Barracks, Sham Shui Po Camp, in Kowloon.
Battle Information
We do not have specific battle information for this soldier in our online database. For a detailed description of the battle from a Canadian perspective, visit Canadian Participation in the Defense of Hong Kong (published by the Historical Section, Canadian Military Headquarters).
Wounded Information
No wounds recorded.Hospital Information
No record of hospital visits found.POW Camps
| Camp ID | Camp Name | Location | Company | Type of Work | Arrival Date | Departure Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HK-SA-02 | Shamshuipo | Kowloon, Hong Kong | 42 Sep 26 | 43 Jan 19 | ||
| JP-To-3D | Tsurumi | Yokohama-shi, Tsurumi-ku, Suyehiro-cho, 1-chome, Japan | Nippon Steel Tube - Tsurumi Shipyards | Variety of jobs related to ship building | 43 Jan 19 | 44 Apr 29 |
Transport to Japan
| Draft Number | Name of Ship | Departure Date | Arrival Date | Arrival Port | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XD3A | Tatuta Maru | 43 Jan 19, left Shamsuipo Camp, 0500 hrs; left Hong Kong 1300hrs | 43 Jan 22, 0400 hrs | Nagasaki, Japan | Boarded train, arrived in Tokyo on 43 Jan 24 at 0700 hrs, boarded electric train for 10 mile ride to camp | Tony Banham |
Other Military or Public Service
No other or additional related information found. Please submit documents to us using the contact link at the top of this page.
Death and Cemetery Information
| Date of Death (y-m-d) | Cause of Death | Death Class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1944-04-29 | Croup Pneumonia | Died while POW | |
| Cemetery Location | Cemetery | Grave Number | Gravestone Marker |
| Jido-Yuenchi-Dori Hodogaya Japan | Yokohama War Cemetery | Cdn. Sec. A. B. 3. | NA |
Gravestone Image
Obituary / Life Story
In loving memory of a dear son Sgt. James T. Emo, who died in Japan April 29th, 1944.
"Tonight the stars are gleaming, On a lonely silent grave. Where, sleeps in dreamless slumber, One we loved and could not save. May heaven's winds blow softer, On the sweetest and hallowed spot. Where one we loved lies sleeping, Never to be forgot."
Remembered by his Mother, Granny Harrigan, Clara, Madge and Martin.
In loving memory of a dear nephew. Sgt. James T., who passed away in Japan, April 29th, 1944.
"I was not there to see you die, To clasp your hand and say good- bye, But I'll remember, my whole life through, The last few words I had with you."
Always remembered by Aunt Clara.
In loving memory of dear husband and father, Sgt. James T. Emo who died April 9th 1944
"A silent thought a secret tear, Keeps his memory ever dear. Time takes away the edge of grief, But memories turn back every leaf."
Always remembered by Pat and sons Ronnie and Kennie.
The Montreal Star 29 Apr 1950, Saturday, Page 26
Links and Other Resources
There may be more information on this individual available elsewhere on our web sites - please use the search tool found in the upper right corner of this page to view sources.
Related documentation
- Our HKVCA Vault (Google Docs) may contain additional information, newspaper clippings, and documents which have been saved for this soldier. To access this information, click on the vault link and a Google Docs folder list will open in a separate tab. Use the first letter of the soldier’s service number, found at the top of this report, to open the correct folder. Each sub-folder is identified by service number. Scroll down until you reach the one of your interest.
- Facebook has proven to be a valuable resource in the documentation of 'C' Force members. The following link will take you to any available search results for this soldier based on his regimental number. Note: results may be contained within another related record. Facebook Search Results
- Find a Grave® is a valuable resource that may contain additional information on this 'C' Force member. When you arrive at the site search page, fill in as much detail as you can for best results.
General Comments
DIES IN JAP PRISON
Sgt. James T. Emo, 29, Canadian Provost Corps, who was taken prisoner by the Japanese when Hong Kong fell on Christmas Eve, 1941, is now reported to have died in a prisoner of war camp. His wife and two small sons live at 2323 Grand Trunk street, and his mother, Mrs. Mary Emo, lives at 2119 Wellington street. Despite the fact that her husband is reported to have died in April, 1944, information to that effect has only just reached Mrs. Emo.
In Memoriam
In loving memory of our dear Jimmy. Sgt James T. Emo, who died April 29th, 1944. in Japan. "God knew that he was suffering, The hill was hard to climb, So He gently closed his eyelids And whispered peace be thine. Your memory is our dearest treasure, God bless you, Jimmy dear, We who loved you sadly miss you, As it dawns another year." Lovingly remembered by his mother, Granny and Grandpa Harrigan, and sisters Madge and Clare.
In loving memory of my son-in-law Jimmy, who died April 29th, 1944 in Japan. "Always ao true, thoughtful and kind, What a beautiful memory he left behind." Sadly missed by Mr. and Mrs. George Donald.
In loving memory of our dear nephew, Sergeant James T. Emo (Jimmie), D-117580, Provost Corps, who passed away April 29th, 1944. "Laid in a grave in Tokio, A grave we may never see, Will someone in Tokio Put a flower on that grave for me? How constantly we think of him, With love and eyes that fill, The love we had for him in life, In death grows stronger still. From childhood to manhood, With pride we watched him grow, And what it meant to love him No one will ever know." Fondly remembered, Aunt Clara and Uncle Jim.
The Montreal Star 29 April 1947, Tuesday
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Died: April 29, 1944 Camp Tsurumi 3D, Yokohama, Japan
Son of William George Emo and Mary Wilhelmina Harrigan of Montréal, Québec. Husband of May Patricia Foster of Montréal, Québec. Father of Shirley, Ronald and Kennedy Emo. Served in Québec, Ontario, Hong Kong with C Force, Japan as a prisoner of war. He had 1,269 days of service, including 915 overseas.
Citation(s): 1939-1945 Star, Pacific Star, War Medal 1939-1945, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp.
End of Report.
Report generated: 27 Apr 2025.
Additional Notes
(These will not be visible on the printed copy)
- Service numbers for officers ("X") are locally generated for reporting only. During World War II officers were not allocated service numbers until 1945.
- 'C' Force soldiers who died overseas are memorialized in the Books of Remembrance and the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, both sponsored by Veterans Affairs Canada. Please use the search utility at VAC to assist you.
- Some birthdates and deathdates display as follows: 1918-00-00. In general, this indicates that we know the year but not the month or day.
- Our POW camp links along with our References link (near the bottom of the 'C' Force home page) are designed to give you a starting point for your research. There were many camps with many name changes. The best resource for all POW camps in Japan is the Roger Mansell Center for Research site.
- In most cases the rank displayed was the rank held before hostilities. Some veterans were promoted at some point prior to eventual post-war release from the army back in Canada. When notified of these changes we'll update the individual's record.
- Images displayed on the web page are small, but in many cases the actual image is larger. Hover over any image and you will see a popup if a larger version is available. You can also right-click on some images and select the option to view the image separately. Not all images have larger versions. Contact us to confirm whether a large copy of an image in which you are interested exists.
- In some cases the References displayed as part of this report generate questions because there is no indication of their meaning. They were inherited with the original database, and currently we do not know what the source is. We hope to solve this problem in future.
- We have done our best to avoid errors and omissions, but if you find any issues with this report, either in accuracy, completeness or layout, please contact us using the link at the top of this page.
- Photos are welcome! If a photo exists for a 'C' Force member that we have not included, or if you have a higher quality copy, please let us know by using the Contact Us link at the top of this page. We will then reply, providing instructions on submitting it.