Samuel George Duncan was son of Samuel and Lucy Duncan. He was born about 1923. The family lived at Soarn Cottage Stewartstown, County Tyrone. In WW2, Samuel Duncan served with the Royal Marines on board H.M.S. Repulse. In December 1941 HMS Repulse was attacked and sunk. In total, nearly 1,000 survivors of Repulse were rescued, including Marine Samuel George Duncan. However, some of those survivors would later be captured and Marine Duncan was subsequently taken prisoner. Marine Samuel George Duncan died as a prisoner of war at Konyu Camp on 19th July 1943.
Further Information
Samuel George Duncan was son of Samuel and Lucy Duncan. He was born on 9th January 1923.
Known family: Samuel Duncan, Lucy Duncan, Samuel George Duncan (born about 1923).
The family lived at Soarn Cottage Stewartstown, County Tyrone.
Prior to WW2, Samuel worked as a chemist's assistant.
In World War Two, Samuel Duncan served with the Royal Marines on board H.M.S. Repulse.
HMS Repulse pre-war
On 8th December 1941, shortly after the outbreak of war with Japan, HMS Repulse together with HMS Prince of Wales left Singapore in an attempt to intercept a Japanese invasion convoy heading for Malaya.
After no such invasion force was found, ‘Force Z’ turned south only to be attacked by 86 Japanese torpedo bombers on 10th December 1941.
HMS Repulse evaded 14 torpedoes but received five direct hits, sinking within twenty minutes.
HMS Prince of Wales, a new battleship, was sunk in the same action less than an hour later by the same torpedo bombers with a loss of 513 of her crew.
In total, nearly 1,000 survivors of Repulse were rescued, including Marine Samuel George Duncan.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 7th February 1942:
Mrs Duncan, of Soran Cottage, Stewartstown, has been officially notified that her second son, George, Royal Marines, is amongst the survivors from H.M.S. Repulse, which was sunk off Malaya. His elder brother Jim is also in the Royal Navy.
However, some of those survivors would later be captured at Malaya and the Dutch East Indies when both were surrendered by the British three months later. Marine Duncan was subsequently taken prisoner by the Japanese.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 5th June 1943: Petty Officer Jim Duncan (brother of Samuel George Duncan)
Petty Officer Jim Duncan, Royal Navy, who is serving in North Africa, has been mentioned in despatches. He is the eldest son of Mrs Duncan, of Soran Cottage, Stewartstown. His brother George, who is a Royal Marine, has been missing since April 1942.
Marine Samuel George Duncan died of from beriberi and malaria as a prisoner of war at Konyu Camp on 19th July 1943, aged 20.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 15th January 1944:
Mrs Duncan, of Soran Cottage, Stewartstown, has received a card from her son, Samuel George Duncan, who was reported missing in April 1942. He is a prisoner of war in a camp in Thailand. He says he is in excellent health and working. This is the first news Mrs Duncan has received from him since January 1942, when she had a cable from Malaya to say he was safe and well. He was a survivor from H.M.S. Repulse.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 9th June 1945:
DUNCAN – 19th July 1943, in a prisoner of war camp in Thailand, Samuel George Duncan, Royal Marines, the dearly beloved second son of the late Samuel and Lucy Duncan, Soran Cottage, Stewartstown. Deeply regretted and proudly remembered by his mother and brothers Larry and Victor, and Jim, C.P.O., Royal Navy.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 7th July 1945:
Mrs Duncan, Soran Cottage, Stewartstown, has received word from the Admiralty that her second son, Samuel George Duncan, Royal Marines, died in a prisoner of war camp in Thailand on 19th July 1943. He was a survivor of H.M.S. Repulse, and was taken prisoner at Singapore in April 1942.
Marine Samuel George Duncan was originally interred in Kannyu No.1 (Grave 119).
Marine Samuel George Duncan is buried in Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Thailand. He was reinterred on 20th March 1946. His inscription reads ‘PROUDLY HE SERVED, PROUDLY WE REMEMBER.’
Marine Samuel Duncan is also commemorated locally on Cookstown Cenotaph.
The CWGC record Marine S G Duncan as the son of Samuel and Lucy Duncan of Stewartstown, County Tyrone.
