The Soldier's Details

Landwehr enlisted AIF 10 July 1940 and later joined 2/4th’s ‘A’ Coy HQ as a cook initially under CO Maj Saggers, but later Capt Thomas when Saggers moved to head up ‘E’ Coy.

Fred earned himself the name ‘The Singing Cook’.

As a POW in Singapore he was at Selerang Camp, Johore Bahru, Adam Park.  He left Singapore by train with ‘D’ Force Thailand, S Battalion to work on the Burma-Thai Railway.

Please read further about this Work Force

We cannot be absolutely certain of Fred’s movements but generally the Force first went to Tarsau, Kanyu II, then either Konkoita or Hintok.  A large number were selected by the Japanese as being fit to work in Japan however Fred missed this draft.

He was recovered from Thailand at the end of the war.

 

 

Fred’s parents Henry Frederick Landwehr and Gertrude Weaver married in Perth in 1920.

Gertrude Landwehr (nee Weaver) died 3 Sept 1922 in Perth aged 20 years. She has given birth to her son Frederick 18 Feb 1921 just 19 months earlier.

Henry remarried 1925 to Elizabeth Ellis.

Returning from war, on 14 Dec 1946 Fred married Cecelia Madeline White at Perth.

Their first born child was a boy names Charles, then daughter Frances was born.  Their second daughter Shirley Anne born 1953 and tragically died 1954.

Fred passed away 4 March 1985 at Fremantle aged 64. Cecelia died 15 Oct 2008.

 

**’When Henry Frederick LANDWEHR was born on 8 February 1898, in Waroona Shire, Western Australia, Australia, his father, Charles Henry LANDWEHR, was 29 and his mother, Beatrice WEALANDS, was 22. He married Gertrude Isabella Weaver in 1920, in Perth, Western Australia, Australia. He died on 13 August 1945, in Perth, Western Australia, Australia, at the age of 47.’

**’When Charles Henry LANDWEHR was born on 19 July 1868, in Hannover, Hanover, Hanover, Prussia, Germany, his father, Henry Fredrick LANDWEHR, was 28 and his mother, Anna Maria MAYER, was 28. He married Beatrice WEALANDS on 15 February 1897, in Pinjarra, Western Australia, Australia. They were the parents of at least 6 sons and 2 daughters. He died on 25 May 1948, in Yarloop, Western Australia, Australia, at the age of 79, and was buried in Waroona Shire, Western Australia, Australia.’

 

We have not been successful in finding records of the the Weaver family in Western Australia, and believe they moved from another state. The below notices may not relate to the Weaver family.

 

 

 

Below:  Marriage of Fred’s parents 1920.

Below:  Gertie Landwehr died in 1922.

 

 

Below: Fred’s father Henry died Aug 1945 – Fred at that time was POW in Thailand.

 

 

Below:  Fred an Cecelia’s engagement Sep 1946.

Below:  Marriage 14 Dec 1946.

 

 

Below:  Fred and Ceceila Landwehr move to live at Cockatoo Island.

 

 

Below:  Their Son Charles is born.