The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Muldoon
- First Name:
- John Ernest
- Rank:
- Corporal
- Regimental #:
- WX15684
- Company:
- ‘E’ Company, Special Reserve Battalion, No. 3 Platoon
- Enlisted:
- 8.11.1941
- DOB:
- 3.08.1923
- Place of Birth:
- Brisbane, Queensland
- Father's Name:
- William Ernest Muldoon
- Mothers's Name:
- Mabel Eliza Muldoon (nee Skipper)
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Clerk
- Memorial:
- Epitaph, Singapore Memorial, Column 135, Age 19.
- Cause of Death:
- Killed in Action
- Place of Death:
- Bald Hill, Bukit Timah
- Date of Death:
- 11.02.1942
General Description
Corporal John Muldoon enlisted 11 August 1941. He became a reinforcement, boarding transport ship ‘Aquitania’ 15 Feb 1942 for Singapore. He joined E Coy No. 3 Platoon, a Corporal to CO Lt. Mazza.
He was KIA 11 February Bald Hill, Bukit Timah aged 19 years. His family were informed he was killed by a sniper’s bullet. He was with ‘E’ Coy Special Reserve Battalion.
Please read further about this Battalion made up of mostly little trained and very young reinforcements with experienced officers transferred from other Companies. (would this happen in today’s ideal Army Battalion on a battle front?).
Please read further.
John’s older brother Donald also enlisted WW2 and fortunately returned home. Donald m.1945 to Juanita ‘Pearl’ Medway. Donald William Muldoon d. 1999 Falcon.
John was second son to William Ernest Muldoon and Mabel Eliza Skinner who married 1918 Epsom, Surrey England. William Muldoon enlisted in Queensland 23 Sept 1914 WWI Service No. 1785 with 5th Div Military Transport Coy ASC at age of 19 years (same age as his son John when he enlisted with 2/4th). William met Mabel whilst in England in 1918 at Epsom, Surrey. He was 23 years and English born Mabel was 21 years.
The couple returned to Queensland after the war, where their first son Donald was born in 1920 then John in 1922. On 7 May 1922, William Ernest Muldoon died aged about 37 years.
William Ernest (Billy) Muldoon died following an operation in hospital 7 May 1922, Brisbane. His children were 2 and 0 months.
Above: Mabel a young English woman, far from her ‘home’ – widowed very young with two young children to care for.
It is not known when Mabel and her family moved to West Australia. She married Charles Lewis in 1926 Western Australia. She died in 1975 East Fremantle aged 78 years. We believe Charles Lewis d. 1972 Mt. Lawley.
Below: Death in 1936 of Billy Muldoon’s mother Hannah.
