Sandiland R 7584291 Sgt

Escaped from Singapore on the ship ml311

Captured onthe 27.2.42  Pangkalpinang , Banka Island after the sinking of ML311 . Note his capture was 12 days after the sinking of th ML311 and on the eastern coast of Banka Island so must have either been walking across the Island or around the coast during that time.

Later Transfered to Palembang

Sgt Sandilands Japanese Index card
 Front

Back

Sgt Sanilands Liberation Questionaire

Sgt Sandilands made a statment relationg to casulties he witnessed during the sinking of the ship ML311 .

 SGT R Sandilands attested that "Major Ortiger was on board the ML311 when it was sunk en rout to Java . I myself was in the water for three days .
About midday on the second day (16.2.42) a body lying face downwards Major Ortiger came floating past me and was definitely dead .
I knew Major Ortiger very well , as I had worked for him in R.A.O.C Catterick camp round about 1935 and again in Malaya ans Singapore 1941 to 1942 .
His height would be about 5ft. nine inches or ten, very fair, and of good build, would weigh about twelve and half stone. () Sgt. R. Sandilands, # 7584291.Catterick camp, Yorks…”.
 Sgt. Sandilands also confirms that he was an ‘eyewitness’ to the death by drowning of Major Ortiger in a schedule form ‘Casualty (L) Interrogation Form No. 1’
(also in file WO361/316) when ML311 was sunk by a Japanese cruiser at 6.00am on Sunday 15 February in Banka Strait, NEI.

 (Research by Michael Pether [email protected])

In his Written Report Commander J E Meyer RN  Sergeant Sandilands was prased for his involvment in the running of the POW camp in collaberation with the Dutch staff.