The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Lynn
- First Name:
- Walter Ernest
- Nick Name:
- Wally
- Rank:
- Lance Corporal
- Regimental #:
- WX7204
- Company:
- 'D' Company, No 14 Platoon.
- Enlisted:
- 1.08.1940
- Discharged:
- 20.12.1945
- DOB:
- 8.02.1913
- Place of Birth:
- Claremont, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- Arthur Emest Lynn
- Mothers's Name:
- Jessie Anne Lynn
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Carpenter, Baker & Miner
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp Changi
- Force:
- A' Force Burma, Green Force, No. 3 Battalion
- Camps Thailand:
- Tamarkan, Kanchanaburi, Petchaburi, Kachu Mountain Camp
- Camps Burma:
- Victoria Point, Tavoy, Kendau 4.8km, Thetkaw 14km, Meiloe 75, Augganaung 105km
- POW#:
- 2759
- Return Details 1945:
- Thailand-Singapore by aircraft, Singapore-Fremantle, HMT Highland Brigade.
General Description
Wally enlisted from Laverton AIF 1 Aug 1940 and later joined 2/4th’s D Coy 14 Battalion.
Please read about D Coy 14 Platoon
October 1945 journey home to Australian on deck of ‘MV Highland Brigade’ Left sitting: Alexander Smith and Wally Lynn last right standing with British Nursing Sisters of The Queen Alexandra Nursing Service and other 8th Division survivors.
Below: Ivor Jones and Wally Lynn enlist from Laverton. Jones was with ‘F’ Force and died at Kami Sonkurai in 1943.
Wally was a Toodyay boy along with the Dorizzis, Geary, Ferguson, Tompkins, etc.
Born Claremont 1913 to Arthur Ernst Lynn and Jessie Annie Davies who married 1912 Perth.
Back Row L-R: Jim Burns, John Lane, Jim Elliott, Cowboy Matthews, Frank Evans, Alf Worth, Trevor James, Wally Lynn, Les Cody, Owen Morris
Front Row L-R: Greg Burdon, Ron Badock, Des Coleves, Jim Gilmour, Joe Pearce.
Wally was selected at Singapore to work on the Burma end of Burma-Thai Railway. With ‘A’ Force Green Force No. 3 Battalion, Wally sailed from Singapore firstly to Victoria Point, in south west Burma. Please read further about this Force.
There was a large number of 2/4th men in this work Force, at Victoria Point the men were divided into 2 work groups. One to remain working at the wharves and the other was sent to the airstrip to repair and enlarge.
From Victoria Point Wally went to Tavoy where again they worked on an airstrip. From here they were sent to Moulmein for one night, and then to Thanbyuzat before heading to their first railway camp Kendau 4.8km, then Thetkaw 14 km, then was with advance party to Meiloe 75 km and Aunggaung 105 km. In December 1943 when the railway was completed, the POWs working in Burma were sent south to Thailand to one of four large camps, some were seriously ill and most in poor health.
Wally was sent to Tamarkan then to Kanchaburi before being selected to work with the party sent to Phetburi and Kachu Mountain Camp from where he was rescued from at the end of the war.
Read Wally’s details of the airstrips at Kachu Mountain Camp
Above: 1985 Anzac Day Reunion – Wally Lynn and Les Kemp
Above: Con Ryan, Wally Lynn and Ron Badock.
Wally was an active member of 2/4th ex-Members.
Wally passed away aged 76, March 10 2006, at Bullcreek, WA and was buried at Fremantle Cemetery.
Camp Locations:
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
- Kanchanaburi, 50k - Thailand
- Petchaburi - Thailand
- Tamarkan, Tha Makham 56k - Thailand
- Aungganaung,105Kilo - Burma
- Kendau, Kandaw, 4 Kilo - Burma
- Meilo, 75 Kilo, 340k - Burma
- Tavoy (Dawei) - river port - Burma
- Kachau Mountain Camp - Thailand
- Victoria Point, Kawthoung - Burma. \'A\' Force, Green Force No. 3 Btn
- Thetkaw 14 Kilo - Burma
