The Soldier's Details

Surname:
Walsh
First Name:
Bernard James
Nick Name:
Bluey
Rank:
Lance Corporal
Regimental #:
WX7466
Classification:
Driver
Company:
Headquarters Company, No. 3 Platoon
Enlisted:
6.08.1940
Discharged:
25.01.1946
DOB:
27.01.1915
Place of Birth:
Sandstone, Western Australia
Father's Name:
James Henry Walsh
Mothers's Name:
Nell Walsh
Religion:
Roman Catholic
Pre-war Occupation:
Truck Driver
Singapore:
‘Blackforce’, Attached to 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion
Force:
‘D’ Force Thailand, Java Party No. 6, O Battalion
Camps Thailand:
Hintok Road Camp, Hintok River Camp, Tarsau, Tamuang
Camps Java:
Bandoeng, Bicycle Camp Batavia, Makasura
Camps Japan:
9B Ohama
POW#:
6519 & 389
Japan:
Rashin Maru Party
Return Details 1945:
Manila‐Sydney, HMS Speaker, Sydney-Fremantle, HMT Dominion Monarch.

General Description

 

Read about Java and POW Camps and the men who delayed their surrender on Java to the Japanese.

 

Bernard (Bluey) Walsh
Bernard (Bluey) Walsh

 

Height 5′ 5″

Bluey was one of about 90 men from 2/4th Machine Gunners unable to re-board ‘Aquitania’ at Gage Roads when it sailed for Singapore on 16 January 1942.
Please read further.
Once as POW of Japan in Java Bluey spent time at Bandoeng, Bicycle Camp Batavia, Makasura Camps before being selected to work on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force Thailand, Java Party No. 6, O Battalion, known as ‘Dunlop’ Party.
Please read further about Java Party No. 6 O Battalion.
Once the railway was completed the POWs were centralised at one of several large camps (or hospitals) – the Japanese judged Bluey fit and selected to work in Japan, sailing with ‘Rashin’ Maru Party to Moji Japan.
From Moji he was sent to
Hiroshima POW Camp #9-B Onoda, Ohama, Yamaguchi
Hiroshima POW Camp #9-B Onoda, Ohama, Yamaguchi
1 July 1944 Departed Singapore for Japan
8 Sept. 1944 Interned at Fukuoka Dispatch Camp No. 4
14 April 1945 Interned at Hiroshima (new jurisdiction) Dispatch Camp No. 7
10 Aug. 1945 Interned at Hiroshima Branch Camp No. 9
Hiroshima Branch Camp No. 9 is at Ohama. The above three camp entries are all for the same location, successively renamed, as mentioned on your camp information page for Ohama, Hiroshima #9-B – Japan.
Following the Japanese surrender, Bluey sailed on HMS Speaker from Manila to Sydney.  Please read the story of Australian Unions
Please read the story of a few 2/4th mates having a night out in Northam 1941.
Bernard James Walsh was born at Sandstone to parents James Henry and Nell Walsh in 1915.

He married about 1940 to Maude A. Hooper in Perth.

He enlisted into AIF 6 Aug 1940 from Noggerup and later joined 2/4th’s Headquarters Company No. 3 Platoon, Lance Corporal to Quartermasters Capt Phelps and Lt O’Sullivan.

Camp Locations:

  • Hintok, 154k - Thailand
  • Hintok River Camp, 158k - Thailand
  • Tamuang, Tha Muang 39k - Thailand
  • Tarsau, Tha Sao 125k - Thailand
  • Bandoeng - Java ***
  • Makasura - Java
  • Omuta Miike, Fukuoka #17-B - Japan
Back