215507 Gnr. John Heanan British Army 6 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, 3 Battery Royal Artillery (d.3rd May 1943) John Heanan died age 22 whilst serving with the Royal Artillery. He was born in Jarrow in 1921, son of John and Hilda May Heanan (nee Seaton) of Jarrow
John is remembered at the Singapore Memorial and is commemorated on the WW2 Roll of Honour Plaque in the entrance of Jarrow Town Hall.
Additional Information: | John Heanan 3 Bty., 6 H.A.A. Regt. captured by the Japanese in Singapore and was moved with 600 others via Rabaul Island then on leaving 100 behind to the Island of Ballalae where they were to build a landing strip.
Gunner John Heanan was either executed with the survivors once they had finished the landing strip or in the months prior through allied bombing mistreatment etc. None of 3Bt was alive after June 43. They were buried in a mass grave without ID. The grave was discovered after he war and the remains of 400 odd were transferred to the war cemetery in Papua. There was no war crimes trials due to lack of evidence. Ben Soppitt
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