Above: Merredin Town Hall 1932
The Clock Tower is approximately 0.75 m square and 2.0 m high, with a square clock on, three faces (not the side facing away from the street) at the top. At the base, or on the north side, is a rectangular split block containing a time capsule.
The Merredin district hall was built in 1925 with a clock placed in the tower in memory of all the men of the district who died in WW1.
Merredin district shared in the formation of the 25th Machine Gun Regiment with a platoon established in the town on 9 March 1939, with the unit taking over the Agricultural Hall at the Recreation Ground as a drill hall. An Annex was built on the north end as an orderly room and weapon store. Commanding Officer was Capt. R. Loder. The Merredin Platoon of the 25th M.G. Regt had attained considerable efficiency by the time war had broken out.
Of the 39 original members wasTom Hampton of 2/4th.
By mid May 1940 Australia seemed to stand in considerable danger. Merredin became a garrison town with a hive of military activity and many military units based in the town. There was a large Air Force establishment, the No. 10 Stores Depot was built at the north-west quarter of the town – camouflaged to look like part of the town. The Depot had a complimentary explosives stores at Nokaning and 100s of air force men and a large number of W.R.A.A.F.s were stationed at the two establishments.
Other units included a Details Issuing Depot between Merredin and Collgar with another one north of Nokaning siding.
There was a large ammunition dump covering many acres of land at Booran, and headquarters of a detachment of the Royal Australian Engineers was quartered in Merredin. There was a signal unit and other Lines of Communication troops.
When Australian troops serving overseas began returning home the 1st Australian General Hospital from the Middle East was accommodated in a semi-permanent hospital of elaborate structure and proportions east of the town under the lee of Merredin Peak.
For the next few years and for some years after until the end of the war, the streets of Merredin echoed from day to day with marching feet. There was the constant rattle of rifle and machine gun fire at the rifle range and explosions in the areas out of town.
Huge underground tanks for storing emergency fuel were constructed. The Merredin Road’s Board and it’s engineer was called upon to assist with various military establishments. Work was carried out to improve the trans-Australian highway east of Norseman, the Air Training School at Cunderdin at the Works and Supply Depot at Nungarin.
In May 1940 the Secretary of State for War called upon the Volunteer Defence Corps, previously known as the Home Guard, into being. When supplies became available the men were supplied with uniforms and weapons. A battalion of the Corps was established with its HQ in Merredin. In command was Lt Col Scott DSO, late of the Cameron Highlanders.
Prior to weapons being available, the Machine Gun Platoon of the Merredin 15th Battalion took the old German guns, souvenirs of 1914-18 war from display on the the walls of the District Hall and adapted them to use standard .303 Ammunition.
When standard machine guns and mortars were issued the old guns were recalled. Merredin lost its 1914-18 memorabilia.
With the Fall of Singapore the threat to Australia increased, air raid precautions were instituted. Air Raid Wardens were appointed and citizen volunteers constructed air raid shelters at the hospital and schools. General instructions were given for Merredin’s population to construct air raid shelters at their homes, which most people did.
A census was taken of all buildings, including churches and any building not being used by the military – should civilians evacuated from Perth.
A huge emergency food store was established and placed under the control of the Secretary of the Roads Board. Fuel, rubber, optor vehicles and machinery were rationed and placed under the control of the Roads Board.
There were nightly patrols by the VDC mounted guard of fuel stores, railway station, No. 4 Pump and all vulnerable points.
At weekends the officers and men of the 15th V.D.C. Btn would leave their civilian jobs for intensive training and exercises in the country side outside of Merredin. They would sometimes have exercises with regular forces in the area and planes from Cunderdin.
The VDC Btn was equipped with Bren Gun Carriers.
Merredin was a busy town.
(We wish to aknowledge theabove information is from “The History of the Merredin District of Western Australia” by F.A. Law published 1961.)
MERREDIN BOYS IN 2/4TH MGB
Smaller town sites and localities that are included in the Merredin Shire are: Hines Hill, Burracoppin, South Burracoppin, Goomarin, Korbel, Muntadgin, Nangeenan, Nokanning, Tangedin, Nukarni and Norpa
There were two men from 2/4th who lost their lives included on the Merredin WW2 War Memorial:
WX9287 OSBORNE, JOHN ROBERT enlisted 30 Oct 1940 and later joined 2/4th’s ‘D’ Coy No. 15 Platoon under Commanding Officer Lt. Meiklejohn. Please read further
As a POW was selected in Singapore with ‘F’ Force to work on Burma-Thai Railway and died of illness aged 28 years at Kami Sonkurai Camp, Thailand.
He was born 1915 to parents John and Alice Osbone at Bruce Rock and farmed at Korbel, near Merredin.
Please read further about ‘F’ Force Thailand.
KORBEL is located 222 km from east from Perth and is a distance of 22km to Merredin. It is within the Shire of Merredin.
WX10808 ROCHESTER John (known as Jack)
b. 1905 England to Edward Anderson and Jane Rochester.
John (known as Jack) Rochester sailed to Fremantle from London on ‘Esperance Bay‘ on 14 June 1927 leaving behind his siblings and widowed mother. He was 21 years old, and his occupation recorded as farm labourer.
In the Western Australian Electoral Rolls for 1931, 1936, 1937 up to 1943 Jack was recorded farming and residing at Burracoppin South.
He enlisted AIF 15 Jan 1941 and later joined 2/4th Company No. 6 Platoon. John Rochester was at Woodside Camp South Australia when he contracted meningitis and was returned to WA on 25.11.1941. He was transferred to the 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion reinforcements ‘E’ Coy on 9.1.1942.
Rochester was KIA at South West Bukit Timah on 11 Feb 1942 aged 36 years. ‘E’ Coy ran into a Japanese ambush and suffered a terrible almost 50% death loss. Please read further.
WX7495 BALL, Leo Patrick born Bendigo 1905 to Patrick and Ellen Ball. Patrick Ball was a ganger for WAGR and permanently located in Merredin, he died in 1941 aged 73 years. Mr Ball was well known in Merredin and was much involved with local football, as was his son Leo who played throughout 1928-late 1930’s.
Leo was also a member of Merredin Fire Brigade, competing in regional competitions.
His only sibling, sister Annie married Roy Elleffson who played football and competitive cycling with Leo.
Leo enlisted Aug 1940 and later joined 2/4th’s HQ No. 3 Platoon.
As a POW in Singapore he was sent to work on the Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force V Battalion which suffered terrible work and living conditions with a very heavy death rate. Please read about ‘D’ Force V Battalion.
Leo Ball was a butcher by trade, and probably worked in Merredin or nearby. We cannot confirm he enlisted from Merredin.
After the war he he lived in the city and died in Belmont 1980 aged 75 years.
WX9061 BEVIS, Daniel Edmund ‘Danny’ born 1909 to Daniel (Snr) and Mary Bevis. He enlisted AIF 25 October 1940, later joining 2/4th MGB’s ‘C’ Company as a Corporal of No. 10 Platoon.
He departed Singapore with ‘A’ Force Burma, Green force No. 3 Battalion to work on the Burma end of the railway.
Danny was recovered from Thailand at the end of the war. He worked tirelessly in hospitals assisting doctors as an orderly.
He tragically died four years after returning home at the young age of 40. He was father to seven children.
WX9405 HAMPTON,TOM – we know was working at Merredin prior to enlisting Nov 1940 – his name is included on the Newspaper list below. He joined 2/4th’s ‘C’ Coy Headquarters.
Below: mates Eric Teasdale and Tom Hampton. Tom was best man at Eric’s wedding.
WX8031 MILLER, EDWIN ERNEST (TED) enlisted AIF August 1940, later joined 2/4th MGB’s ‘B’ Coy 9 Platoon under Commanding Officer Lt C D Lee.
Miller worked on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘F’ Force – who also suffered terribly with work loads, insufficient food and illness.
He survived and returned to Singapore where he worked with different parties and was recovered from here at the end of the war.
Again please read about F Force.
WX1338 MILLER, Reginald James (Reg) enlisted 25 May 1941and joined ‘A’ Coy 4 Platoon, was Lance Corporal to CO Lt McCaffery.
Reg worked on Burma-Thai Railway with Captain Fred Harris Party, having set out from Singapore with ‘D’ Force Thailand. When the rail link was completed at end of 1943, the Japanese began moving all POWs south to one of several large POW camps in Thailand. Reg was selected as being fit by the Japanese – fit to work in Japan. He was railed to Singapore then boarded ‘Aramis’ to sail to Japan. It was here that Reg was sent to work at No. 17 Omuta POW Camp.
Omuta was a ‘hell hole’ – the camp itself was run by a group of US who likened themselves to the American Mafia. The working conditions in Omuta mines were just as notorious. By the time of the atomic Bombs and end of war, the POWs were existng only nervous energy.
The Japanese population was starving and so were the POWs.
Please read about Omuta.
Miller was returned to Manila then to Sydney on board HMS Speaker.
WX13562 MOATE, Peter Joseph although not included in the lists above, we know Peter Moate worked with WAGR at Merredin and joined several local sporting teams.
He also returned to Merredin after the war.
Moate was originally with 25th Light Horse at Merredin prior to enlisting AIF. He was selected as reinforcement to 2/4th and TOS to Woodside, SA on 5 October 1941 to join the Battalion’s ‘C’ Coy Headquarters under CO Capt Colin Cameron.
He was AWOL when their ship ‘Aquitania’ left for Singapore 16 January 1942 and instead sailed with about 100 men from 2/4th soldiers to Java. Please read further
He was taken POW of Japan in Java in March 1942. He later sailed to Singapore and would work on the Burma-Thailand with ‘D’ Force Thailand, Java Party No. 6, O Battalion. Please read further
You may wish to read the War
Affidavits written by Peter Moate
Please read about 25th Light Horse Militia of which Moate and Hampton were members of the Merredin Branch.
Above: 2/4th men on the above list include Reg Miller, Ted Miller, Tom Hampton, Peter Moate, John Osborne, Bill Struthers, M J Smith, Eric Teasdale. (there may well be additional names.)
WX8738 STRUTHERS, William (known as Bullets) enlisted 23 Oct 1940 joined HQ Coy as a Driver. Struthers was born at Leslie, Scotland. He sailed to Australia in 1924 as a 17 year old with his 18 year old sister. Prior to enlisting he recorded his occupation as farmhand and miner.
He worked on Burma-Thai Railway around Hellfire Pass Cutting with ‘D’ Force Thailand, S Battalion and was recovered from Ubon at war’s end.
Please read about ‘D’ Force V Battalion which suffered a tragically high death rate.
You can read further about Ubon
And Bill’s handwritten diary.
WX10865 TEASDALE, Thomas ‘Eric’ born 1919 to Herbert William and Mary Elizabeth Teasdale of Merredin. Eric enlisted AIF 12 April 1941 and later joined 2/4th MGB’s ‘B’ Company, as Acting Sergeant to No. 9 Platoon under C.O. Lt. Don Lee. He was promoted (24 January 1942) to Corporal. 
Eric was sent to Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force Thailand, S Battalion, working around the Hellfire Pass Cutting.
Teasdale was recovered from Nacompaton Hospital Camp, Thailand when the war ended, returning to Merredin.
Eric was a talented sportsman and very much involved with Merredin’s sporting clubs.
Below: The pre war Light Horse was popular in the Merredin District. Advertising a Militia Ball.
Below: Playing cricket Merredin – Tom Hampton, Peter Moate, Eric Teasedale and possibly Miller (cannot be certain)
