Suez Maru Families and Research Association
Neville James Alfred Lawes
11 May 1920 - 29 November 1943
Neville James Alfred Lawes
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Volunteer Reserve
Rank: Leading Aircraftman
Service No: 1250653
Home Town: Bargoed, Rhymney Valley, South Wales Coalfield
Nationality: Welsh
Family:
Father: Harold Alfred Lawes
Mother: Mary (Marie) Elizabeth Lawes (nee Dunscombe)
Sibling: Jean Mary Lawes
Hedd, Perffaith Hedd
Neville was born on 11 May 1920 and was later baptised at the church where his parents married.
He attended Rhymney Secondary School.
School motto “Oni Heuir Ni Fedir” meaning
‘Unless you sow, you shall not reap’
He was affectionately known as Nev, ‘our Nev’ to his mother.
Neville’s beloved little sister Jean (Jeannie) was born on 17 June 1930, ten years difference between them.
Harold married Mary on 14 July 1919 at St Gwladys Church, Bargoed, and was a lampsman at the Tredegar Iron & Coal Company-owned McLaren Colliery in the village of Abertysswg.
My mother was Neville Lawes’ sister Jean (Jean Mary Chedzey, nee Lawes) and mother to my brother Christopher; Neville was the uncle we never met but new through my grandmother’s and mother’s enduring love and visceral grief.
Neville Lawes volunteered to serve his country. As a Prisoner of War, he endured harsh and inhumane treatment at the hands of the Imperial Japanese Army contrary to the Geneva Convention, and in his final hours was potentially a victim of an horrendous war crime.
At the time, the King expressed his and the country’s gratitude for a life given in their service.
Regrettably the country (politicians) consciously denied justice for him and all the allied men of the Suez Maru when they failed to try the perpetrators of the Suez Maru atrocity for war crimes at the time despite the evidence available, and that denial continues to the present day: insult on injury for those who made the ultimate sacrifice in their service to King and country.
Justice has been denied, justice has been delayed and the generational pain continues as a result. A sincere apology is deserved, and well overdue.
Bethan Chedzey for Neville Lawes my uncle, and for Harold, Mary and Jean,
April 2024
Neville with his mother Mary – affectionately called ‘Mums’ by him, and father Harold – Dad – in the garden of their home in Charles Street, Abertysswg, Monmouthshire within the South Wales Coalfield
Images © Chedzey/Lawes Family
Page 1 of a letter from Neville to his family from his training camp – location unknown (Enfield?) – before disembarking for Durban possibly – date unknown
Images © Chedzey/Lawes Family
Page 2 of a letter from Neville to his family from his training camp – location unknown (Enfield?) – before disembarking for Durban possibly – date unknown
Images © Chedzey/Lawes Family
Letter from a Mr George Woodrough, County Durham – possibly a radio ham? – advising Harold Lawes of his son Neville’s capture as a prisoner of war of the Japanese in Java
Images © Chedzey/Lawes Family
Christmas Greetings dated
20 November 1943 from a relative serving in the Eighth Army to Neville’s parents sending their thoughts, hope and best wishes to them regarding Neville
Images © Chedzey/Lawes Family
Side 1 of a postcard from Neville to his parents, from the Prisoner of War Camp
Images © Chedzey/Lawes Family
The postcard from Nev to his parents was received by them on 3 January 1944, heartbreakingly
35 days – 5 weeks – after the sinking of the Japanese Hell Ship Suez Maru and subsequent
atrocity on 29 November 1943. A letter from the British War Office notifying Neville’s family of his death was either never received or lost over time.
Letter of sympathy to Neville’s family from the King and Queen for the loss of their son
in the service of his country
Images © Chedzey/Lawes Family
Cover of the Order of Service for the dedication on 11 December 1948 of the Memorial for the Old Boys of the School who fell in the World War 1939 to 1945.
(and page within the Order of Service listing the Roll of Honour)
Abertysswg War Memorial, just yards from his family home.
Neville’s name is the last in the left hand column 1939 to 1945, Lawes N J A
(Singapore Memorial Lawes N J A column 427, Ref OA1096, RP7528)
Far East PoW Japanese Index Card
The front of the card (except English sections)
Camp – the three vertical lined characters – JAVA (1942 (17th year of the the emperors reign) August 15th)
Nationality given as British/English
Place of capture – JAVA, and another character,
PoW number: The box marked No. is the PoW number a man had. I think the crossing out denotes when the PoW was transferred (for the SM men) to the Moluccas.
So I think originally at Java Base, then [moved to] Java Camp III (3). Camp (3) beling Ambon.
The two red vertical stamps on either side of the main box have been translated as ‘Supplement’ and ‘Telegraphed’ – relates to the ‘processing’ of the deaths, sending (via telegram)
The red diagonal line across the whole front of the page is a rather callous way to indicate the person was deceased.
Image (c) TNA WO345
Reverse of the index card
Top line: Other Informations noted that a stamp was made for the first section of red text, and a smaller (4-character) stamp for the end of the same line; the Japanese text translated-
2nd line: The ship was on its way to deliver the prisoners when it was hit by a thunderstorm. [4 characters after small gap] Suez Maru
3rd line: When the attack happened. [date – 18th year of emperor’s reign, 11th month, 29th of the month: 1943, November 29th] 18.11.29 [time of sinking] 09:20 [KA text here – unclear what this refers to]
4th line: [first text, then coordinates] Where the attack happened S 6 20′ E 116 30’ [description of location of sinking] North of Bali Island near Kangayan [Kangean] Island.
Some reverses have additional information, but for the vast majority (of Suez Maru men), their card reverses are identical
Image (c) TNA WO345
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