The Soldier's Details

Surname:
Annear
First Name:
Dudley Athelstan
Nick Name:
Dud
Rank:
Private
Regimental #:
WX13457
Company:
‘D' Company, No. 15 Platoon
Enlisted:
11.12.1940
DOB:
11.05.1912
Place of Birth:
Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
Father's Name:
John Henry Annear
Mothers's Name:
Ada Eva Frances Anne Annear
Religion:
Church of England
Pre-war Occupation:
Warehouseman
Memorial:
Epitah, Singapore Memorial, Column 135, Age 31.
Cause of Death:
Died of Wounds
Place of Death:
Johore Straits, Singapore
Date of Death:
14.02.1942

General Description

Annear enlisted AIF 11 Dec 1940 later joining 2/4th MGB’s ‘D’ Company No. 15 Platoon under Commanding Officer Lt Meiklejohn.
Please read further about this Platoon.
During the battle for Singapore the battalion was engaged in heavy fighting for 20 hours before being overrun by the enemy.
Private Dudley Athelstan Annear, service number WX13457 of 2/4 Machine Gun Battalion was killed in action at Singapore on 14 February 1942. He was attempting to escape with several others of the Platoon who had been trapped behind Japanese lines.  He was 31.
Dudley was the youngest son of John Henry Annear and Ada Eva Frances Anne Chapple of Kalgoorlie.  John Annear was born in Ballarat and moved to Kalgoorlie and  the Chapple family lived in Kalgoorlie. They married in 1903 and lived in Broad Arrow Road, Kalgoorlie.   The couple had a family of four children.
Dudley attended North Kalgoorlie Primary School and Eastern Goldfields High School.  He was a keen cricketer, playing ‘A’ grade for Eastern Goldfields Association.
He worked as a commercial traveller and was a partner with his father in the family firm J. H.  Annear & Son.
Dud’s father John died in 1950 and his mother Ada died January 1953.
Dudley Annear is younger brother to ‘Win’ Annear.  Win succeeded in escaping Singapore to Sumatra where he became a POW following a few months surviving in the jungle. Dudley died of wounds received during his attempt to leave Singapore.
From West Australian Death Notices.
‘BELL – ANNEAR – In memory of two of our Mates, Bell and Dudley of Don Company, 2/4th M.G. Battalion, killed in action February 14 1942.  Inserted by Blue Semple and Cliff Webb.’
From Kalgoorlie Miner Tuesday 5th February, 1945
ANNEAR – Killed in action Singapore 14 February 1942 
WX13457 Private Dudley Athelstone, 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion aged 32 years, dearly beloved youngest son of Mr & Mrs J.H. Annear, 45 Campbell St, Kalgoorlie, loved brother of Barbara (Mrs B.F. Stafford) Claremont; John, Kalgoorlie and Winston, Perth.

 

 

 

Above:  Kalgoorlie Miner January 1943

Above:  Printed November 1943

 

The family considered Dud a loving, generous and sensitive person.

 

 

Kings Park.

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