The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Fielder
- First Name:
- Charles
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX9070
- Classification:
- Rangetaker
- Company:
- ‘C’ Company, No. 12 Platoon.
- Enlisted:
- 25.10.1940
- Discharged:
- 12.06.1946
- DOB:
- 26.02.1916
- Place of Birth:
- Geraldton, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- George Fielder
- Mothers's Name:
- Lena Fielder
- Religion:
- Presbyterian
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Miller at York Flour Mill
- Java:
- ‘Blackforce’
- Force:
- ‘D’ Force Thailand, Java Party No. 6, P Battalion
- Camps Thailand:
- Nakom Nayok, Bangkok
- Camps Java:
- Bandoeng (9.3.1942‐13.4.1942), Bicycle Camp Batavia (13.4.1942‐3.1.1943)
- Return Details 1945:
- Thailand-Singapore by aircraft; Singapore-Queensland by aircraft; Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne-Perth by troop train
General Description
Field enlisted AIF Oct 1940, later joining 2/4th’s ‘C’ Company, No. 12 Platoon.
Back: L-R Clarrie McDonald, Joe Pearce, George Neville, R. Anderson, ?, Ralph Williams, ?
Front: L-R Clive (Potty) White, Charles Fielder, Jim Basel, Reg Stewart, Roy Matthews, Pommie Para, Sid Webb, N. Simmonds
Fielder jumped ship when ‘Aquitania’ arrived at Gauge Road, Fremantle on 15th January 1942. He was one of about 90 men from the 2/4th unable to re-board before ship sailed the following day headed for Singapore.
This group of men later sailed with a small convoy to Java where it was intended they be transhipped to Singapore to join 2/4th. However before they landed, it became evident Singapore would fall to Japan. Consequently the men were to remain in Java as reinforcements to the Allied troops. He was attached to Major Decrespigny Mobile Reserve. Fielder was captured on 9 March 1942 and incarcerated at
Bandoeng 9 Mar 42 to 13 Apr 42,
Bicycle Camp 13 Apr 42 to 3 Jan 43.
He was selected to work on the Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force Thailand, Java Party No. 6, P Battalion first sailing from Java to Singapore where they would spend about 2 weeks before heading by train to Thailand.
Fielder was recovered from Nakom Nayok, Thailand on 26 September 1945.
Camp Locations:
- Hintok River Camp, 158k - Thailand
- Kanu 1 151.00k - Thailand
- Nakom Nayok, Nakhon Nayok - Thailand
- Bandoeng - Java ***
- Bicycle Camp, Batavia, Jakarta - Java ***
