1st Bn The Royal Rifles of Canada
General Information | ||
| Rank: | First Name: | Second Name: |
|---|---|---|
| Rifleman | Joseph | Howard |
| From: | Enlistment Region: | Date of Birth (y-m-d): |
| Lac Megantic QC | Eastern Quebec | 1919-05-12 |
| Appointment: | Company: | Platoon: |
| HQ Coy | 1 Signals | |
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-SM-01 | Stanley | Fort Stanley, Hong Kong Island | Capture | 41 Dec 30 | ||
| HK-NP-01 | North Point | North Point, Hong Kong Island | 41 Dec 30 | 42 Sep 26 | ||
| 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 | 45 Apr 16 |
| JP-Se-4B | Ohashi | Iwate-ken, Kamihei-gun, Katsushi-mura, Ohashi, Japan | Nippon Steel Company | 45 Apr 16 | 45 Sep 15 |
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 |
Transportation SE Asia to Home
| Transport Mode | Arrival Destination | Arrival Date | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
No other or additional related information found. Please submit documents to us using the contact link at the top of this page.
Post-war Photo
Other Military 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-07-30 | Post War | ||
| Cemetery Location | Cemetery | Grave Number | Gravestone Marker |
| Marsboro Quebec Canada | Echo Vale Cemetery | Yes | |
Gravestone Image
Obituary / Life Story
Jos, A private legend
It is almost 19 years since we laid him to rest in Marsboro on a sunny hillside near beautiful Lake Megantic that he loved so much. A few years before he died, Jos. moved from the town of Lac Megantic to his lake shore cottage on the lake. The time he spent there with his lovely wife was happy and peaceful.
Jos. deserved all the good things that came to him. He was blessed with a wonderful family and many loyal friends. He was a good-natured, generous and helpful person. I feel fortunate and proud to have known him.
When I met Jos, he had just retired from Canada Customs at the border station where I started my career. He was an active 'Lifetime' member of the Megantic Lions club. When he learned that I was a past member from another region, he introduced me to his club and sponsored my own membership. We enjoyed one another's company at the regular dinner meetings, fund raising activities and social gatherings.
Jos. was also an active member of the Mason Lodge. The large turnout of Masons at his funeral is indicative of the appreciation and friendship they had for him.
He was also a member of a hunting club. I couldn't picture Jos. shooting anything. He appreciated life so much; he just didn't seem the type. When Jos invited my companion and I to join him and his wife for a day at the hunting lodge, I learned that I was right because Jos' territory was mainly the kitchen where he could whip up a feast that would put a lot of cooks to shame. At the same time he would entertain you with witty conversation and maybe a song or two. The only comment I can make about his singing is to say that he was a superb cook. What a delightful day and evening we spent together.
When Jos. was a customs officer he had occasion to put his culinary talents to good use. On special occasions such as Christmas, New Years, Easter and other locally proclaimed holidays, the Canadian custom's office became an international dining room. Canadian and American Customs officers, on duty and off, would congregate for a meal prepared by Jos with the ingredients contributed by the attendants. Any wine brought over by American officers was formerly declared duty free if the bottles were uncorked and the Queen and the President of the United States were both toasted.
From the comments I heard about these gatherings, international relations of both nations were enhanced and friendships secured. The idea for the joint border facilities being built today at many Customs ports across Canada, probably originated from these events. I wish I had been working there at that time.
I knew that Jos was a Hong Kong Veteran. I never questioned him about his ordeal as a prisoner of war in Japan. He brought up the subject on a sunny afternoon when we were nursing a tall scotch on the veranda of his cottage overlooking Lake Megantic. He told me a little about his departure from Canada as a young man, his arrival in Hong Kong and his return from Japan. He made no mention about the ordeal of his imprisonment. I did not probe. It was evident that the memory was too painful for him.
As I was leaving, he placed a book in my hands. He said, "It's all in there my friend." It was the illustrated story of the Hong Kong Vets. It was all there. The hunger, filth, illness and the torture these brave men, including my friend Jos had endured. We will always remember you.
I know that Jos is now resting in the everlasting peace that he and his fellow veterans have earned.
Bill Cox, author
Sherbrooke Record
Photo by Bill Cox: left Jos. Miller and Milty MacDonald two Hong Kong Veterans, with author Bill Cox right.
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.
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
→ Related documentation for information published in this report, such as birth information, discharge papers, press clippings and census documents may be available via shared resources in our HKVCA Vault. It is organized with folders named using regimental numbers. Use the first letter of the individual's service number to choose the correct folder, then scroll to the specific sub-folder displaying the service number of your interest.
General Comments
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End of Report.
Report generated: 16 Nov 2024.
Additional Notes
(These will not be visible on the printed copy)
- Service numbers for officers 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.