The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Royce
- First Name:
- John Douglas
- Rank:
- Lieutenant
- Regimental #:
- WX9383
- Company:
- Headquarters Company, Commanding Officer No. 2 Platoon Anti-Aircraft (replaced by Lt. K. Lee)
- Enlisted:
- 16.11.1940
- DOB:
- 30.06.1919
- Place of Birth:
- Katanning, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- Sydney St George Royce
- Mothers's Name:
- Amy Maude Royce (nee McLarty)
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Clerk, Wool Classer’s Assistant
- Memorial:
- Kranji War Cemetery, Plot 1, Row A, Grave 12, Age 22.
- Cause of Death:
- Died of Wounds
- Place of Death:
- Hill 200, Ulu Pandan
- Date of Death:
- 13.03.1942
- Buried:
- Where killed at map reference 763132 by Major A. Cough Party on 21.12.1942
General Description
Royce was previously with 44th Battalion Militia.
He enlisted AIF Nov 1940. He was appointed Lieutenant Headquarters Coy No. 2 Platoon Ack Ack.
John Royce was a former Scotch College student.
In the College’s 49th Annual Report, published in the West Australian newspaper January 1946, the news of Royce’s death was included, states he was a good student and good scholar.
He was born 1919 Katanning to parents Sydney St George Royce and Amy McLarty. His father Sydney Royce worked for Dalgetys and the family lived in Wagin and Katanning.
He had been working as a wool classer prior to enlisting 16 Nov 1940.
Above Royce seated in front, 5th from Left.
Where killed at map reference 763132 by Major A. Cough Party on 21.12.1942.
Commanding Officer HQ Coy No 2 Platoon Anit-Aircraft Lt. Royce was wounded in action at the crest of Hill 200, Ulu Pandan during a bayonet charge 12 Feb 1942.
He crawled back to his men who wanted to evacuate him to Regimental Aid Post, but he refused. His men cut his webbing off to make him more comfortable.
His body was discovered by the 2/4th Party who went under the wire from Adam Park on 28/29 May 1942. Numerous requests from 2/4th to recover the bodies of their dead were refused by the Japanese. In fact it was not until Dec 1942 that the Japanese gave offical notice for recoveries to take place. The given time was limited to just one day or so – an imposssible task to locate all the men and even locate the battle areas with the rapid jungle growth. Please read further.
Please read further about Hill 200 Ulu Pandan
Others from the No. 2 Platoon to lose their lives at Hill 200 Ulu Pandan included their two Sergeants, Phillips and Bill Innes, Privates Todd and Gray. Those from No. 1 Platoon were Lt. Curnow and Sgt Hansen.
Three soldiers from No. 2 Platoon were left behind at Fremantle when ‘Aquitania’ anchored off Fremantle for the night of 15 January. They were taken to Java.
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John’s parents Sydney Royce and Amy McLarty were married 1906. They had a family of two sons and one daughter.
Below: Royce family residing Wagin 1913.
Below: Pat Royce’s 21st birthday party was attended by her two brothers Ted and Douglas. Scotch school mate of Douglas, Douglas Carter also attended. Carter joined 2/4th.
Below: Patricia Royce married 1941.
Royce married Gladys Lorraine Simms in Sept 1941 Kensington. She remarried in 1946 to Neville Flint.
Gladys died in 1998.
Below: A dedication ceremony at Christ Church in 1946.
Below: George Edward known as Ted is awarded the Military Cross in Feb 1946.
Sydney Royce died in 1956 and Amy died in 1960.
Below: newspapers over decades with Sydney Royce and Dalgetys.
