The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Kuhlmann
- First Name:
- Laurance Anzac Christian
- Nick Name:
- Laurie
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX8077
- Company:
- 'C' Company
- Enlisted:
- 16.08.1940
- DOB:
- 19.04.1916
- Place of Birth:
- Ravensthorpe, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- Herman Robert Kuhlmann
- Mothers's Name:
- Bertha Matilda Kuhlmann
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Miner
- Memorial:
- Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Plot 1, Row F, Grave 59, Age 27.
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp and Barracks Changi, A.G.H. Roberts Barracks Changi
- Force:
- ‘D’ Force Thailand, V Battalion
- Camps Thailand:
- Kinsaiyok, Brankassi, Hindaine, Kuii, Chungkai
- POW#:
- 1/8312 & 2263
- Cause of Death:
- Acute Colitis
- Place of Death:
- Non Pladuk
- Date of Death:
- 3.03.1944
- Buried:
- Grave 9B, Non Pladuk
General Description
Laurie Kuhlmann enlisted AIF 16 Aug 1940 and later joined 2/4th’s ‘C’ Company 12 Platoon.
Please read further about men of 12 Platoon.
Standing L-R Brother Hermon, Henry, Seated L-R: Laurance, Stella and Robert.
Wounded in action Jurong Road. Admitted to 2/9th Field Ambulance with shrapnel wounds to the left chest and back on 9.2.1942. Discharged to unit on 21.6.1942.
Laurie Kuhlmann was known to be a ‘good’ larrikin. He was selected with ‘D’ Force V Battalion to work on the Burma-Thai Railway. This Battalion endured one of the highest death rates with illness and tragically Laurie died of acute colitis at Non Pladuk aged 27 years on the 3 March 1944.
Please read further about ‘D’ Force V Battalion
Today Laurie rests at the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery with 91 mates from the 2/4th.
Photograph taken Kanchanaburi War Cemetery January 2018.
Laurie’s mother Bertha died in 1919 and his father two years later in 1921. He would have been 3 years old when his mother died and 5 years old when his father died.
We are unsure who was taking care of Laurie but he was sent to Narrogin Agricultural School (boarding) and below are several newspaper reports regarding Laurie missing having run away from school. What does seem a little unusual is that nobody really missed him for several months unless the arrangements were for Laurie to stay with a school friend.
(my uncle also ran away from Narrogin Agricultural School – he was simply homesick and spent several days walking home on foot. C. Mellor March 2022)
Camp Locations:
- Roberts Barracks Changi - Singapore
- Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
- Non Pladuk, 0k - Thailand
