The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Hansen
- First Name:
- Benjamin Edwin
- Nick Name:
- Ben
- Rank:
- Sergeant
- Regimental #:
- WX10678
- Classification:
- Signaller
- Company:
- Headquarters Company, No. 1 Platoon
- Enlisted:
- 15.01.1941
- DOB:
- 24.05.1912
- Place of Birth:
- Coolgardie, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- Albert Leach Hansen
- Mothers's Name:
- Ursella Foster Hansen
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Timekeeper
- Memorial:
- Kranji War Cemetery, Plot 1, Row A, Grave 2, Age 29.
- Cause of Death:
- Killed in Action
- Place of Death:
- Reformatory Road, Ulu Pandan
- Date of Death:
- 12.02.1942
- Buried:
- Where killed at map reference 763132 by Major A. Cough Party on 21.12.1942.
General Description
This NCO was killed by a gunshot wound to the stomach at Hill 200, Ulu Pandan. His death was reported by Pte R.D. McCracken WX5584 (who lost his life South China Sea 1944 when Rakuyo Maru was torpedoed).
“Ben Hansen had been badly wounded on the previous night in the bayonet charge at Ulu Pandan. He was laying on the ground holding his stomach wound with bloodied fingers and asked McCracken for some water.” This statement was compiled by Harry Pickett on 11th April 1945.
A further statement was made at Singapore (Oct 1942 ?) by Cpl Rutherford of Hansen’s platoon confirming Hansen had been killed and several of Hansen’s personal items found at Hill 200. HQ Coy Platoon 1’s C.O. Lt Curnow had been KIA followed by Sgt Hansen as well as Lt. Royce and Corporal Rutherford had taken over command of Signals Platoon. Tragically ‘Rusty’ Rutherford died of illness at Chungkai Hospital Camp, on the Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force Thailand V Battalion 13 Oct 1943. He was promoted to Sergeant posthumously.
(Royce’s body was discovered by the 2/4th party who went under the wire from Adam Park on 28/29 May 1942.)
Curnow, Hansen and Rutherford were closely associated prior to this incident with Curnow and Hansen working in Kalgoorlie.
Please read further about Ulu Pandan
His body was recovered by Major Cough Party (2/4th) on 21 Dec 1942.
Prior to enlistment Ben Hansen worked in the office of Paringa Gold, Kalgoorlie. Ben Hansen married in 1937 to Edna B. Reeves.
