The Soldier's Details

Older brother to Francis Kenneth (Frank) Pritchard WX8716 Fred Pritchard enlisted AIF Oct 1940, later joining 2/4th MGB’s Headquarters Company No. 3 Platoon as a driver as did his younger brother.  (Frank fell and seriously injured himself on board ‘Aquitania’ and was returned to Australia on the same ship.  Following months of convalescing and retraining he would join the 2/2nd and firstly fight in Papua New Guinea at Ramu Valley.

As a POW in Singapore Fred left with the first work Party out of Singapore.  ‘A’ Force Burma, Green Force No. 3 Battalion’s ultimate location I wanted to write our website is not all about our men’s fathers, etc.  I sent a copy of what I had written asking him to re-write but he hasn’t. — the Burma end of the Burma-Thai Railway.    This work Force sailed firstly to the south-west coast of Burma to repair/enlarge three airfields left behind by the evacuating British. On 1st Oct 1942 Fred and the men of Green Force began working on the railway.

Please read about ‘A’ Force Green Force No. 3 Battalion

Fred was recovered from Thailand at the end of the war – from Nacompaton Camp.  He was fortunate not to have been sent to work in Japan as many did and lost their lives when ‘Rakuyo’ Maru was sunk by American submarines Sept 1944.

Below:  Baker sends a message from Moulmein, Burma with Harry Hammer and Fred Pritchard.  The men endeavoured to mention the names of other men from their hometown or those who knew his family, enabling them to notify the other families.  One never knew whose message would get through because certainly a very large number did not reach Australia.

 

Above:  from Newspaper October 1945.

 

 

 

Please read about the boys from Newdegate

 

When Fred died in 1954 he was already the recipient of the DVA TPI pension – The Department was not generous in handling out pensions, let alone a TPI.  An indication of how sick Fred was.

 

 

 

 

Fred is the eldest of three sons born to Francis James Pritchard and Isabella Kate O’Leary.  Isabella had been previously married 1890 to Charlie James Sedgwick in Victoria. They had several children prior to his death in 1899 in Victoria. She remarried Kalgoorlie 1903 to Francis James Pritchard.  The Pritchard’s sons were Fred, Alan and Frank.

Fred married in 1922 to Edith Maude Woolf.  We believe they had two children.    Frank was  working in Coolgardie.

Below:  Fred and Edith are residing Bruce Rock 1923.

Below:  Frank’s daughter’s engagement 1941

 

 

Fred’s mother Isabella was born Victoria in 1872 died 24 Dec 1933.  His father died in 1935.

Fred Pritchard died at Floreat 23 March 1954 aged 49 years.  He was cremated at Karrakatta.

 

 

 

Below:  some of the newspaper items, mostly about business interests of Mr. Frank James Pritchard, father to Fred and Frank.

 

Below:  Frank Pritchard, father of Fred and Frank died Feb 1935.