Lt. Col. S.C. D’Aubuz
Lt Col S. C. D’Aubuz
‘Lt Col D’Aubuz was one of the Commanding Officers of 88th Brigade and 88th Field Regiment, appointed June 1941.’
‘Lieutenant Colonel D’Aubuz clearly felt that no stigma applied to the 88th, and one must agree that at the very least they had proved themselves well above the average in the Malayan campaign. He stated the following:
“The regiment, apart from the East Coast operations, had fought a delaying action over 400 miles of country which has well been described as a ‘Gunner’s Nightmare’, and had taken part in 14 seperate engagements on the mainland, including two which could be dignified by the name of ‘battles’. It was probably unique in being the only regiment to bring all its guns back to the Island.”’
Source: Lancashire Gunners at War – The 88th Field Regiment, 199 – 1945 by Stephen Bull, Pgs 80 & 150
Records from the War Office, Kew, UK, show that Lt Col S. C. D’Aubuz was ‘Camp Leader’ at Towner Road POW camp, where Des was from May to Sept 1942.
The War Office Record indicate Des was a POW in Singapore from 15th Feb 1942 to May 1942 under Lt Col Holmes, then to Towner Road POW camp as above.
After Towner Road POW camp he was transfered to Sorangoon Road POW camp from Sept to Dec 1942 under Lt Col Prality; later transferred to Changi Prison from Dec 1942 to August 1945 under Lt Col Newey & Lt Col Dillan.
Lt Col S.C. D’Aubuz
Royal Artillery, 88th (2nd West Lancashire) Field Regiment, RA (TA) (24x 25pdrs)
351st, 352nd, 464th Field Batteries
Arrived Malaya 28th Nov 1941 (assigned to Malaya Command)