The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Newling
- First Name:
- Rolf Walker
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX8865
- Classification:
- Section Orderly
- Company:
- ‘B’ Company
- Enlisted:
- 25.10.1940
- DOB:
- 15.06.1911
- Place of Birth:
- Perth, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- William John Newling
- Mothers's Name:
- Lillian Mary Newling (nee Walker)
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Labourer
- Memorial:
- Epitaph, Labuan Memorial, Panel 18, Age 33.
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp Changi
- Force:
- ‘B’ Force Borneo
- POW#:
- 1071
- Cause of Death:
- Malaria
- Place of Death:
- Ranau No2 Camp
- Date of Death:
- 13.06.1945
General Description
Rolf Newling was the eldest of 3 brothers who enlisted into 2/4th. He died on the ‘Death March’ Ranau in June 1945. Osward Kitchener WX17458 and Rexford Frank WX8432 both died of malaria at Kuii Camp, Thailand about a month apart in 1943 and two years earlier.
For further information read the story “Newling Brothers”
WX8865 Private Rolf Walker Newling was one of over 2000 Allied prisoners of war (POW) held in the Sandakan POW camp in north Borneo, having been transferred there from Singapore as a part of B Force. The 1494 POW’s that made up B Force, were transported from Changi on 7 July 1942 on board the tramp ship Ubi Maru, arriving in Sandakan Harbour on 18 July 1942. Private Newling, aged 33, died as a prisoner of the Japanese on 13 June 1945. He was the son of William John and Lillian Mary Newling, of Leederville, WA. He is commemorated on the Labuan Memorial Panel 18
Rolf’s parents Willian John Newling and Lillian Mary Walker married in 1905 at Mt. Hawthorn. William born in Victoria 1880, died in 1943 at Wembley and Lillian died in 1966.
Rolf married November 1925 to Eileen Alice McComish. The couple had two children. Sadly for the family, Eileen and Rolf divorced in 1938.
Camp Locations:
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
- Ranau - Borneo
