Walter ‘Joe’ Penrice, b.1897 Birkenhead, the son of Oscar and Ella Penrice (who were later of Higher Bebington, Cheshire). Attended the private school ‘Birkenhead institute’ in the ‘Wirral’ near Liverpool and was House Captain of the school House named ‘Tate’ in 1914. With the outbreak of war, he enlisted and became 2nd Lieutenant, Kings Liverpool Rifles, WW1, wounded 1916. To Singapore 1920 and became noted in playing cricket for Singapore Cricket Club, swimming at the Singapore Swimming Club and rugby for Singapore.
Commissioned as 2nd Lt (Eurasian Coy) SVC Penang in 1928 when he was working for Mansfield & Co. Ltd – promoted Manager, Penang from 1933 then Director, Mansfields and ‘No.2’ for Straits Steamship Company. Promoted from Lt. to Captain SSVR 1928 then Acting Major of 2SSVF in 1937. Appears to have been a bachelor and clearly accepted as a member of the Singapore ‘establishment’ by 1941 when he was appointed to the Singapore Licensing Board and the Board of the Singapore Harbour Board.
He evacuated Singapore on the Relau 13.2.42 and then an Internee in Muntok and Palembang Internment Camps. During his internment ‘Joe’ Penrice, possibly reflecting his peacetime commercial seniority, became head of the ‘British Committee’ in Palembang and Muntok Internment Camps – it was a somewhat controversial period with other nationalities not in support of his authoritarian approach to such matters as publishing any material concerning the ‘British community’ and friction came to a head over the factions of opinion within the camp over the ‘keeping of dogs’, which saw him lose the role of head man (‘BEW’). ‘Walter ‘Joe’ Penrice died in captivity 20.7.44, aged 47 years in Muntok Internment Camp, Banka Island at a time when Beri Beri and Malaria were rife and taking the lives of many. His death was noted by Reis in his diary.
His grave is E5 on the graves page.
He was a keen sportsman and there are frequent references to winning a number of swimming competitions, as the following illustrate:
His probate record:
