The Soldier's Details

Surname:
Golden
First Name:
Percy
Rank:
Private
Regimental #:
WX6980
Company:
‘A’ Company
Enlisted:
30.07.1940
Discharged:
14.06.1946
DOB:
29.06.1906
Place of Birth:
Croydon, England
Father's Name:
Charles Kenward Golden
Mothers's Name:
Lily Golden (nee Hazelden)
Religion:
Church of England
Pre-war Occupation:
Labourer
Java:
‘Blackforce’
Force:
‘A’ Force Burma, Java Party No.4, Williams Force
Camps Thailand:
Tamarkan, Nacompaton
Camps Burma:
Beke Taung, Kun Knit Way, Meiloe, Augganaung
Camps Java:
Bicycle Camp Batavia
POW#:
4644
Return Details 1945:
Thailand-Singapore by aircraft; Singapore-Frematle, HMT Moreton Bay

General Description

Tea break before Darwin Oct 41 Standing L-R Fitzgerald, Minchin, Golden, Short, Vidler, ? , Jamieson, Cpl Lee, ?, ? , Ewen. Kneeling L-R Cpl Townsend, Gregory and RK O’Leary. Photo taken by Major Saggers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Percy was one of many 2/4th men desperate to see his family when the ‘Aquitania’ sailed to Fremantle from Sydney.  The Battalion had been away training in SA and NT and were advised all leave was cancelled!   He jumped ship, and one of about 90 men who were unable to reboard  ‘Aquitania’ the next morning of 16th January 1942 before it sailed for Singapore.
This group of men sailed a week or so later heading Java where it was planned these well-trained machine gunners would be transhipped to Singapore.  Before they arrived at Java, it became obvious Singapore would fall to the Japanese and the men remained at Java as reinforcements, and to fight the expected Japanese invasion.

Please read about those AWOL

On the 1st March 45,000 Japanese troops invaded Java at 4 different points. Following some terrible fighting and loss of lives, the Allied forces capitulated and became POWs of Japan.
In early May Percy was selected with ‘A’ Force Burma to leave Java and sail to Burma via Singapore.  Their task was to commence building the Railway from the Burma end.
Read further about ‘A’ Force, Java Party 4 and Williams Force.
The camps listed in Burma are an approximation – it is not possible to be precise about the movements between camps.
On returning to WA, Percy was hospitalised at Lady Mitchell Convalescent Home where he received treatment for his eyes which had suffered due to vitamin deficiency.  Read further.
Percy married Doris Eileen Walker in 1938.

Remarried in 1952 toi Mavis Martha Baetge who died in 1973.

His father Charles Golden died in 1952 in Western Australia and his mother died in 1956.
Percy passed away in 21 May 1986 aged 80.

Camp Locations:

  • Nacompaton, Nakom Pathom Hospital - Thailand
  • Tamarkan, Tha Makham 56k - Thailand
  • Aungganaung,105Kilo - Burma
  • Beketaung, 40Kilo, 374k - Burma
  • Kun Knit Kway, Kunhnitkway, 26Kilo - Burma
  • Meilo, 75 Kilo, 340k - Burma
  • Bicycle Camp, Batavia, Jakarta - Java ***
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