The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- McGlinn
- First Name:
- Donald Spencer
- Nick Name:
- Don
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX11580
- Company:
- 'C' Company, No. 11 Platoon
- Enlisted:
- 9.04.1941
- DOB:
- 22.03.1915
- Place of Birth:
- Dangin, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- James Edmund McGlinn
- Mothers's Name:
- Victoria 'Elizabeth' McGlinn (nee Bond)
- Religion:
- Methodist
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Railways Platelayer
- Memorial:
- Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Plot 1, Row J, Grave 44, Age 28.
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp and Barracks Changi
- Force:
- 'D' Force Thailand, S Battalion
- Camps Thailand:
- Tarsau, Kanu II
- POW#:
- 3/8883 & 8817
- Cause of Death:
- Dysentery and Avitaminosis
- Place of Death:
- Tarsau
- Date of Death:
- 15.07.1943
- Buried:
- Cemetery No. 2, Grave No. 45 Tarsau, on 16.7.1943
General Description
Don McGlinn enlisted AIF Apr 1941, later joined ‘C’ Coy 11 Platoon. His cousin Frank was with ‘C ‘Coy 10 Platoon.
Back Row Centre Gordon Breeze
Front Row Left D S McGlinn WX11580, his cousin Frank McGlinn WX8478-the family resemblance is remarkable!
Having survived the Battle for Singapore, Don was POW Singapore when he was selected with ‘D’ Force, S Battalion to work on the Burma-Thailand Railway. S Battalion included a large number of 2/4th ‘boys’. They departed Singapore by train for Thailand 14 March 1943.
Please read further about S Battalion.
Buried at Tarsau Hospital Camp by John Waddell & S. A. ‘Sue’ Currie from 2/4th.
WX5211 Pte Stan Currie confirmed he was with the burial party near Tarsau during Sep 1943. The following died:
WX11580 A/Cpl Don McGlinn 16 Jul 43 avitaminosis
WX8777 Sgt J. Sanderson 19 Jul 43 avitaminosis
WX15690 Pte J M Carr 23 Jul 43 malaria
WX8689 Lt/Cpl MacMaster 25 Jul 43 beri beri
WX13553 Pte S Spouse 13 Oct 43 tropical tumour
Please read about the boys from Newdegate
Don McGlinn is first cousin to Frank McGlinn WX8478 who returned to Australia, but tragically died in an accident a few years later in 1948.
Their fathers are brothers. Don’s father James Edmund McGlinn is two years younger than Thomas McGlinn father of Frank. James and Thomas are two of about 15 children born to parents David Patrick McGlinn and Sarah Ashworth of York.
A younger brother of Thomas and James Edmund McGlinn died 1916 in Egypt of wounds received in Gallipoli. Below is the death notice for Ernest ‘Ern’ William McGlinn of 11th Battalion. Please read further.
Kanchanaburi War Cemetery. Photo taken January 2018
James Edmund McGlinn married 1910 at York to Sarah Victoria ‘Elizabeth’ Bond. Don was one of seven sons and 1 daughter.
Don was working at Lake Biddy/Lake Grace for WAGR when he enlisted in April 1941.
Don’s parents and family erected a headstone in memory of him at Kukerin Cemetery, Dumbleyung Shire.
Don’s mother ‘Elizabeth’ died in 1984.
Camp Locations:
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
- Kanu II, 152.30k - Thailand
- Tarsau, Tha Sao 125k - Thailand
