The Ient Family: Family History

On His Way Home

Wilfred Batty POW - by his son, Adrian Batty

The Aircraft Carrier HMS Ruler entered Tokyo Bay 31 August 1945, in preparation of the signing of the Japanese surrender, 2 September 1945. It left Tokyo Bay 13 September for Sydney, Australia, carrying nearly 450 ex-POWs, one of whom was Wilf, with various friends: George Spink, Chick Henderson, Vic Bond, Hal Halsall etc. The Sydney Morning Herald, Tuesday 25 September 1945, carried a report stating the HMS Ruler was due in Sydney Thursday 27th, with nearly 450 ex-POWs from Tokyo (269 UK Nationals). Food for passengers was as varied as possible, with the emphasis on meat and vegetables, much needed to make good deficiencies of diet in the last few years. Ships carpenters also made wooden toys for children who had never had any since capture three years ago. 'Passengers' received a cash advance of £5 each and were allowed a ration of bottled beer every day. The condition of the 'passengers' improved rapidly.

HMS Ruler arrived in Sydney and the POWs were settled into HMS Golden Hind, a Royal Navy Barracks set up on Warwick Farm, one of Sydney's race courses, 15 miles from the city. Here, they were allowed to recover from their ordeal. In a letter dated 30 September, Wilf stated his weight was back up to 13 stone, and a letter dated 4 October stated he was more settled mentally and he had had a 2 day holiday in the (Blue) mountains. He had tried to get flown home without luck. There was plenty of food, no shortages, he could have as many beef steaks and eggs as he could eat and they were swimming in milk. He did say there was a shortage of booze, although he could buy 'fancy stuff' such as gin slings and whiskey highballs etc., which 'made him frightfully ill if taken in too large a dose'.  Wilf decided to stay at the barracks as he thought he would get home earlier; I believe Chick Henderson went to a sheep farm for 2 weeks and some POWs decided to stay in Australia, including 'Swede' Moulstone. It appears reading between the lines that this may have been a good time, with a ratio of '12 girls to every male', although allegedly it was his friend Alf who took advantage of this! The Hull Daily Mail, 2 October, carried the news of ‘RELEASED POWS – News of Hull and District Men’, in which L/A/C Wilfred Batty was mentioned.

Wilf and fellow ex-POWs boarded QSMV Dominion Monarch 17 October 1945, a liner converted to a troopship, which sailed for the UK the next day via Freemantle and Suez, arriving in Southampton 15 November 1945. Wilf was writing letters to Doris almost daily, it appears, some of which survive. In one of his letters Wilf tells a story of going out on the town with some 'Jacks' in Perth, when they docked in Freemantle. One of the jacks got drunk and took his 'one night girlfriend' back on board with him, who was discovered 100 miles out to sea! The Melbourne Argus, 26 October, did report a female stowaway had been found on board the ship. It appears Wilf was not impressed with the ship, on 20 October he wrote the ship was horrible. On 27 October, he said the ship was rocking and rolling and he was green with envy, fortunately there were plenty of portholes! It was hot and Wilf stated he was 'browned off in more ways than one, what with the usual service red tape, out of bounds there, don't do this, don't do that, it is just barely possible to exist on this ere ship.' He did get a daily allowance of chocolate and cigs though.

It's not known if anyone met Wilf when he sailed into Southampton, as he requested them not to, due to red tape. He wanted to visit Doris at her home and then travel to Hull to see his parents. He was at Cosford Camp 27 November 1945, when he received back pay of £422 15 shillings and 9 pence, entered into a Post Office Savings Bank Book on his behalf. He also paid income tax on his earnings while a POW too! Wilf was finally home after a very difficult four years. It is not known what he thought of conditions at home, bomb damage, rationing etc., especially as he had just spent a few weeks in the land of plenty!

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