Japanese Invasion Money Malay 1 cent note: Bombardier S Parker, 2/10 Field Regiment

Japanese Invasion Money 1 cents note for use in Malaya, series ME. The note has been circulated, and it has a central vertical fold mark. There are brown stain spots on the note.

This note is one of a series issued by the Japanese forces of occupation in the Pacific theatre during the Second World War. This example of Japanese Invasion Money was intended for use in Malaya, as indicated by the letter M in the block letters ME. It was collected by QX10501 Bombardier Samuel Parker, D Troop, 20 Battery, 2/10 Field Regiment, AIF. Parker was born in Durham, England on 2 September 1908, and later moved to Australia. A forestry worker, he enlisted at Kilkivian, Queensland, on 17 June 1940. Parker was taken on strength by 2/10 Field Regiment Company, Caloundra, Queensland, on 28 July 1940. He marched out to East Command on 1 February 1941, and embarked from Sydney on 2 February 1941. Parker disembarked at Singapore on 18 February 1941. He then attended the Pioneer Course, Port Dickson, from 21 to 26 April 1941. Parker served as a qualified specialist gun layer in 20 Battery in Malaya, from December 1941 to February 1942. Parker became a POW following the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942. As part of the D Force of POWs, he entrained from Singapore on 14 March 1943, and was later transported to Thailand where he was forced to work on the Burma Thailand Railway. Parker was liberated from the Japanese in Thailand on 20 August 1945. He embarked at Singapore on HT High Brigade on 6 October 1945, disembarking in Sydney on 24 October 1945. Parker returned to Queensland where he was discharged on 19 December 1945. Parker was granted permission for the approval of the rank of Bombardier on 1 August 1947, a rank he was acting in prior to his internment as a POW.