The Soldier's Details

Surname:
Vidler
First Name:
Cyril Jack
Rank:
Private
Regimental #:
WX8585
Company:
‘A’ Company, No. 5 Platoon
Enlisted:
18.10.1940
Discharged:
9.05.1946
DOB:
13.12.1919
Place of Birth:
Surrey, England
Father's Name:
Jack Vidler
Mothers's Name:
Hilda May Vidler
Religion:
Church of England
Pre-war Occupation:
Grano Worker
Java:
'Blackforce', attached to 'C' Coy 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion
Force:
‘A’ Force Burma, Java Party 5A, Robertson Force.
Camps Thailand:
Nikhe‐Sonkurai Defence Line, Nacompaton, Bangkok
Camps Burma:
Alepauk, Lawa 85 km, Apalaine 80 km,
POW#:
10628
Return Details 1945:
Thailand-Singapore by aircraft, Singapore-Fremantle, HMT Tamaroa.

General Description

Tea break before Darwin Oct 41 Standing L-R Fitzgerald, Minchin, Golden, Short, Vidler, ? , Jamieson, Cpl Lee, ?, ? , Ewen. Kneeling L-R Cpl Townsend, Gregory and RK O’Leary. Photo taken by Major Saggers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Standing: Left-right C. Vidler, B.Fitzgerald, H.E. Saw, N.H.E .Thompson, L.M.C. Murray, L. Armstrong.
Front Row:  Left-right D.F. Sterrett, John Gilmour.
At Window: C.J. McDonald.  1941 Woodside SA.
Photograph taken by John Lane, donated AWM.

 

 

Vidler enlisted AIF 18 Oct 1940, later joining 2/4th’s ‘A’ Coy 5 Platoon under Commanding Officers Lt Walton and Lt. Learmonth.
Please read about Java and Blackforce  and how Cyril became a POW in Java.
Cyril Vidler was a POW in Java when selected to work on the Burma end of Burma-Thai Railway with Robertson Force, Java Party No, 5A.
Read about Java Party 5A
Cyril was one of 4 men from the 2/4th in this party – Ted Cosson, Merve Wilkinson and Les Lee (who was absorbed into Party 5A having been transported to Singapore with Party 4 and remaining behind because he was taken ill).

 

At the end of war, Cyril was recovered from Bangkok.

Rolly Cole, Jack Vidler, Cyril’s dad, Cyril Vidler , Unknown

 

 

 

Cyril Vidler, a popular young man and sportsman tragically died 9th June 1947 at Hollywood Hospital unable to recover from the ravages of being a prisoner of Japanese for three and a half years.  He grew up in the Canning area played Soccer, belonged to Darts team and was a member of a Dance Studio.
Below is a copy of Cyril’s affidavit in support of the treatment given to a fellow POW Private Durkin who died from this torture.

 

 

VIDLER, Private, CYRIL JACK, WX8585, A.I.F. 2/4 M.G. Bn., Australian Infantry. 9 June 1947. Age 27. Son of Jack and Hilda May Vidler, of Queens Park. Grave Ref. L.A.4.

 

Cyril’s letter to his mother 12/9/1945 – description of bombing attack on the way to Burma.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jack was 2 years old when he sailed from London 19 Jul 1922 on ‘Sophocles’ to Albany with his younger brother George and parents Jack & Hilda Vidler.

Jack Vidler and Hilda May Redford married 1917 Surrrey, England.

 

 

Vidler 1

Vidler 2

Vidler 3

Many of the above notices are from 2/4th mates, including Bob Dunell, Dore family and Gilmour family.

 

Cyril’s parents Jack Vidler and Hilda May Redford married in 1917 England.  They sailed for Australia departing London 19 July 1922 on ‘Sophocles’.  Cyril’s  father’s occupation was recorded as gardener.  Cyril was 2 years old and with him was a younger brother George aged 12 months.

 

Camp Locations:

  • Nacompaton, Nakom Pathom Hospital - Thailand
  • Songkurai 294k - Thailand
  • Alepauk, Rabao, 18 Kilo - Burma
  • Apalon, Apalaine, 80 Kilo, 337k - Burma
  • Bicycle Camp, Batavia, Jakarta - Java ***
  • Bangkok - Thailand
  • Nikhe, Ni Thea, 133Kilo Camp, 281.80km - Thailand
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