The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Gamble
- First Name:
- Arthur Raymond
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX9132
- Classification:
- Despatch Rider
- Company:
- ‘C’ Company, No. 12 Platoon
- Enlisted:
- 30.10.1940
- Discharged:
- 13.12.1945
- DOB:
- 25.10.1918
- Place of Birth:
- Perth, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- Robert Gamble
- Mothers's Name:
- Winifred Myrtle Gamble
- Religion:
- Methodist
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Farmer
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp Changi; Johore Baru; Adam Park; Sime Road Camp (quarry at Bukit Timah); Selarang Barracks Changi (Garden Control Party); Sime Road Camp (transferred to hospital at Changi Gaol Camp; Levelling Party Changi Aerodrome; P Party (Johore Bahru)
- Force:
- ‘H’ Force Thailand, "H" Force Group No. 3
- Camps Thailand:
- Camps Thailand Kanu II Malayan Hamlet, Kanu IlIa Kanu I River Camp; Kanchanaburi (evacuated sick by barge with cholera 26.6.1943-11.9.1943)
- POW#:
- 01/01/7767
- Return Details 1945:
- Singapore-Darwin-Sydney, HMT Arawa; Sydney-Melbourne by troop train; Melbourne-Fremantle, HMT Strathmore
General Description
Arthur, previously farming at Wyalkatchem, enlisted AIF Oct 1940, later joining 2/4th’s ‘C’ Company No. 12 Platoon.
‘C’ Company was attached to the 44th Indian Battalion and was placed in the south western section of Singapore. According to Bob Lush, he was with Arthur and Monty Smith in the same gun pit dug in on the sandy beach. (Lush couldn’t remember the fourth member who was the driver). ‘They never saw any Japanese as they were located too far south, but could hear the noise. The Indians began running and the 2/4th received the word to also leave.’
Please read about the men of 12 Platoon.
Follow the link below to view Peter Winstanley’s video of interview of Arthur Gamble, WX9132.
In Singapore Arthur was selected to work on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘H’ Force Thailand. Please read further.
He worked at Kanu II Malayan Camp, Kanu IIIa and Kanu 1 River Camp. He was evacuated sick with cholera by barge to Kanchanaburi hospital Camp 26 June 1943 to 11 Sep 1943. He returned to Singapore at the end of 1943 to Sime Road Camp, from where he was transferred to hospital at Changi Gaol Camp.
Returning to Singapore he worked with the Levelling Party Changi Aerodrome and P Party At the end of the war he only weighed 40 kg.
He was recovered from Changi sailed to Sydney on HMT Arawa, Sydney to Melbourne by troop train, then sailed HMT Strathmore to Melbourne to Fremantle.
Below: Arthurs return home is celebrated Nov 1945.
Arthur, son of Robert Gamble and Winifred Myrtle Hodges who married Northam about 1910 was born 1918 in Perth. He had an older brother Maxwell Walter, and three sisters Dorothy, Winifred and Betty.
Below: Believed to be Arthur’s Grandfather.
Arthur met and married in 1947 to Eileen J Woods and they had a family of five children. Arthur had returned to the Wyalkatchem farm. He said later in life the busy schedule of farm life ‘steadily healed my wounds’.
Below: Arthur’s Uncle Arthur died in 1952.
Arthur had a positive attitude towards his Japanese captors. Although he was deeply affected by his experiences he ‘never expressed anger towards his captors, believing they were only doing their job.’
He retired to live in Mandurah. He died 19 Jan 2013.
