The Soldier's Details

Jack Sanderson married in 1939 Murchison to Dorothy Jean Calder.

It is believed Dorothy Sanderson lived until she was 100 years old and died in July 2012.

Jack Sanderson played 19 games with West Perth Football team in 1930-31.

He was a very good mates with Ron Badock.   Jack was a travelling salesman for Sandovers, travelling from Wiluna to Esperance. He was a big man weighing nearly 15 stone but weighed less than half at death.  (information from Ron Badock)

This NCO was an original member of No. 7 Platoon. When Sergeant N. J.Harris was evacuated to hospital, Sergeant K. D. Tucker was promoted to Senior Sergeant and Corporal J. W. Sanderson was promoted to Sergeant and transferred to No. 9 Platoon. This NCO was a highly thought of ‘B’ Company member.

He was selected with ‘D’ Force S Battalion to work on the Burma Thai Railway.  This work party included the largest number of men from 2/4th as did ‘A’ Force Burma, Green Force.  He succumbed to illness and died at Tarsau Camp July 1943 hospital conditions were overcrowded and appalling.

WX5211 Pte Stan Currie confirmed he was with the burial party near Tarsau during Sep 1943 when the following soldiers died:

WX11580 A/Cpl Don McGlinn 16 Jul 43 avitaminosis

WX8777 Sgt J. Sanderson 19 Jul 43 avitaminosis – below record states Sanderson died of beri beri & dysentery

WX15690 Pte J M Carr 23 Jul 43 malaria

WX8689 Lt/Cpl MacMaster 25 Jul 43 beri beri

WX13553 Pte S Spouse 13 Oct 43 tropical tumour

Below:  The deaths of Sanderson, McGlinn and Carr recorded at Tarsau.

Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Thailand

Sgt John William ‘Jack” Sanderson (WX8777) by Ron Badock.

Jack Sanderson was a family friend from Kalgoorlie. He was a commercial traveller for Sandovers and his patch ran from Wiluna in the north to Esperance in the south and all points in between. Duruing fit-out for his army uniform there was not one big enough as Jack was a large tall man and his uniform had to be specially made.

Jack was originally in 7 Platoon B Company but was promoted to Sergeant and assigned to 9 Platoon. He lost his life at Tarsau, a POW camp situated along the River Kwai in Thailand, and was skeletal at time of death. Ron was present with Jack when he died on 18/7/1943. Ron had a theory formulated through bitter observation, that small to medium sized men could just survive on the meagre 500 calories per day but large sized men like Jack Sanderson could not sustain life on that ration. Thus, the ultimate example of natural selection.