Remains of British MIA handed over

Remains of British MIA handed over

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia yesterday handed over the recently
uncovered remains of a British servicemen who died fighting the
Japanese in Riau 50 years ago.

The remains of Royal British Navy commando Lt. Gregor Riggs
were handed over by Head of the Indonesian Armed Force's Center
for Character Building, Brig. Gen. Abdullah Hadi, to the British
government through Charles Gray, deputy head of mission at the
British Embassy in Jakarta.

Riggs, died during a World War II attack on a Japanese
warship. He was shot on Marapas Island where he was buried by a
local resident. It was only discovered on Wednesday and flown
from Tanjungpinang to Jakarta.

Col. Brian Nicholson, defense attache to the British embassy,
said Riggs was shot down by Japanese anti-aircraft fire from
Marapas on Nov. 5, 1944, during the Rimau Operation against a
Japanese warship at Singapore's Keppel Port. The entire 24-man
squad in the operation was killed in the attack, Nicholson said.

Riggs was born in Perth, Scotland on June 2, 1924 and was a
voluntary reserve of the Royal British Navy and a submarine
instructor, Nicholson told the Antara news agency. He was
survived by two daughters, who now live in Perth.

According to Col. Antonius S. who located the burial site
along with officials from the British embassy, Riggs was found
and buried by Achap, now 72, shortly after his plane crashed.

It was Achap and 64-year-old Mr. Weller from Malaysia who led
them to the grave.

Riggs' body was sought upon the request of his nephew, a
request extended through the British government.

Riggs' body will be buried in the Commonwealth War Graves
Cemetery in Singapore, where his comrades are buried.(pwn)