The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Oliver
- First Name:
- Stirling John
- Nick Name:
- Stirl
- Rank:
- Acting Corporal (Promoted on 27.12.1941)
- Regimental #:
- WX12628
- Company:
- ‘C’ Company
- Enlisted:
- 9.05.1941
- DOB:
- 1.02.1904
- Place of Birth:
- Boulder, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- George Oliver
- Mothers's Name:
- Alma Annie Oliver (nee Lemin)
- Religion:
- Methodist
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Shop Assistant
- Memorial:
- Epitaph, Singapore Memorial, Column 135, Age 41.
- Cause of Death:
- Wounded in action at Ulu Pandanon 11.2.1942
- Place of Death:
- Singapore
- Date of Death:
- 13.03.1942
General Description
Stirling Oliver enlisted AIF 9 May 1941 and joined ‘C’ Company as a reinforcement when boarding ‘Aquitania’ at Fremantle’s Gage Roads on 25 January, 1942.
Oliver was wounded in action at Ulu Pandan 11 Feb 1942. He died two days later on 13 Feb 1942 aged 41 years.
Please read further about Ulu Pandan.
The Oliver family resided in Boulder where Stirling’s father was a miner. George Stirling married Alma Annie Lemin about 1897. The Lemin family arrived from Cornwall and settled at Mt Barker.
Stirling was one of four Oliver children – 3 boys and one daughter Florence. Herbert died in 1903. Stirling’s youngest brother Percival (Percy) Ronald and sister Florence lived long lives.
Alma Oliver, Stirling’s mother was soon a widow with three young children when her husband George died in 1913. He was buried at Boulder aged 42 years.
Alma and her sons moved back to Mt Barker to be near her family, the Lemins.
In 1925 Stirling married Wilma Mildred Herbert at Mt Barker. They moved to Albany where Stirling worked as a shop assistant. They remained at Albany until at least 1937 residing at Aberdeen Street.
When Stirling enlisted in October 1941, he and Alma had left Albany and moved to Kalgoorlie where he was again working as a shop assistant.
Alma Oliver’s (nee Lemin) father died in 1932 at Mt Barker, and her mother died about 1948 in Albany.
The family learn of Stirling’s tragic death early in February 1942.
Above plaque in Kings Park, Honour Avenue.
Wilma Mildred Oliver (nee Herbert) was born Albany in 1897. Her parents were George Rowland Herbert (born Wales) and Emma Blackburn (born Albany – her father was early settler who died Albany in 1924)) who married Albany in 1893. Wilma died 20 August 1976 aged 79 years at Kalgoorlie and was buried there.
