‘B’ COMPANY 9 PLATOON
Platoon CO WX9387 Lt. Charles Donald ‘Don’ Lee – ‘H’ Force – recovered Changi.
Platoon Sgt WX4985 Sgt Norman Joseph Harris – ‘J’ Force – recovered Japan. Norm’s sister Phyllis May Harris married Herbert Roy Hindle who died in a rock fall at Yamane POW Camp, Japan. (See below)
Platoon Sergeants:
WX8537 Sgt Kenneth Dudley Tucker – recovered Niihama, Japan.
and WX5200 A/Sgt William Joseph Robinson – Java-died Hintok17 Jul 1943
Platoon Corporals;
WX9557 Cpl Frederickk John Dorrington – Recovered Thailand
WX8777 Cpl John William Sanderson (was originally 8 Platoon) – died illness Tarsau 18 July 1943. Was a Goldfields boy. Had been an outstanding footballer and had played several games with West Perth. 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 Sanderson and others died.
WX10865 Thomas Eric Teasdale was promoted to Corporal on 24 Jan 1942. The other two Corporals for 9 Platoon were Cpl Dorrington and Cpl. Sanderson. (Sanderson was transferred from No. 7 Platoon when No. 9 Platoon Sergeant Harris was evacuated to Hospital).
He was recovered from Thailand.
Privates (36 plus 2 reinforcements)
WX8518 William Francis Anderton – recovered Changi.
WX7937 Harold George Blakiston – recovered Thailand.
WX7329 Roy Albert Briggs – recovered Thailand.
WX7790 Thomas Henry Buscombe – recovered Thailand.
WX8420 Douglas Newington Hunter Carter – recovered Ohama No. 9B. Japan.
WX8641 Harold John Cowie – ‘F’ Force – recovered Changi.
WX8587 William James Davey – ‘J ‘Force – recovered Japan.
WX7943 Robert Drysdale -‘H’ Force – recovered Thailand
WX8584 John Sharp Duncan – recovered Changi.
WX6262 William Howard Earnshaw – A Goldfields Boy who Died 15 Mar 1945 Sandakan.
WX9131 Reuben Goodwin – ‘F’ Force – d. Thailand 15 Nov 1943. Goodwin was one of 21 men from Fairbridge Farm School, Pinjarra. Only 10 survived.
WX5086 Henry Josiah Gregory – recovered Thailand.
WX7801 Albert Hackshaw – ‘F’ Force – died Burma 3 Nov 1943.
WX8433 Robert William Haldane – drowned Sydney Harbour 9 Jan 1942.
WX8819 Jack Halligan – died Sandakan-Ranau Track 4 Feb 1945.
WX8869 L/Cpl. Herbert Roy Hindle – killed by rock fall Yamane mine, Japan 30 Sep 1944.
WX9597 Francis Hinds – ‘F’ Force – recovered Changi.
WX9230 Malcolm Ashton Hunter – Java – recovered Thailand.
WX8106 Trevor Ernest John James – recovered Niihama, Japan.
WX7697 L/Cpl. Ronald Ralph Jeffery – Both Party – recovered Saigon.
WX10897 Evan Bartlett Jones – ‘J’ Force – recovered Japan.
WX8543 Leslie William Samuel (Les) Kemp – recovered Thailand.
WX7250 George Kidd – ‘H’ Force – died Thailand 24 Oct 1943.
WX8369 Joseph John Lynch – died illness Thailand 1 Jul 1943.
WX8611 Laurence James McGrath – Injured and evacuated to Australia.
WX7675 Cyril John McPherson – recovered Thailand.
WX8013 Edwin Ernest Miller – ‘F’ Force – recovered Changi.
WX8749 Archie Gerald Newell – recovered Niihama, Japan.
WX7940 Walter George Nicholson – lost ‘Rakuyo’ Maru Sep 1944
WX5222 Les O’Neil – died Sandakan 15 Dec 1944.
WX8642 Douglas Parker – recovered Thailand.
WX8562 Aubrey Vincent Schuts – recovered Ohama Camp, Japan.
WX7784 John Wilfred Smith – recovered Thailand.
WX7913 Frederick Thomas Ward – recovered Thailand.
WX8765 John Warren-Smith – died Thailand 17 Jul 1945.
WX9076 Robert Greigson Whitelaw – recovered Ohama Mine, Japan.
Reinforcements:
WX15433 Cpl. James Lorimer Anderson – ‘F’ Force – recovered Changi.
WX12427 Robert Arthur Foster – recovered Thailand.
13 Soldiers died.
43 TOTAL SOLDIERS
Lance Corporal Dick HINDLE WX8869 – Driver/mechanic 9 Platoon ‘B’ Coy bled to death 30 Sep 1944 after falling rock severed his leg at Sumitomo Besshi copper mine, Japan. He was a father of four children including his youngest Denis, who had died aged 4 years in 1937.
Hindle had worked and survived working on Burma-Thai Railway around the Hellfire Pass Cutting with D Force Thailand S Battalion At the end of 1943 the rail was completed with many lives lost and many more ill and dying being transferred the main camp hospitals in Thailand – Hindle was sent to Tamuang Camp where with a large number of 2/4th POWs, he was selected by the Japanese to be fit to work in Japan.
Dick had grown up in Palmyra and was a popular footy player with the local team
He was one of seven children born to parents Lawrence William Hindle and Bridget Emily Danks who married at Mount Margaret 1895. When their youngest child was 12 months old, Lawrence William Hindle enlisted in WW1 with 11th Battalion. He was tragically killed in action at Pozieres, France 23 July 1916.
He married about 1927 to Phyllis Harris of Fremantle, older sister to WX4985 Norman Joseph HARRIS, also with 2/4th.
Hindle and Harris enlisted about the same time in 1940 later transferred to 2/4th, ‘B’ Coy 9 Platoon under C.O. Lt Don Lee. Harris was promoted on 24 Jan 1942 to Platoon Sergeant (No. 2 IC)
Norm’s parents Elijah (Thomas) Richard Harris and Clara Matilda Kjellgren married SA 1901. They had a family of two children Veronica and Ernest when they moved to Fremantle. Their third child Phyllis May was born in 1908 and Norman Joseph born 1910 Fremantle. The Harris family remained living in Fremantle.
Harris was one of 20 men from 2/4th who sailed with ‘Wales’ Maru Party to Japan, departing their barracks 15 May 1943. Norm Harris was recovered from Toyama at the end of the war.
On returning to WA, Norm spent time at Lady Mitchell Convalescent home. He required treatment to his eyes which had suffered due to vitamin deficiency. Tragically Norm’s eyesight further deteriorated.
In 1937 Norm had married Agnes Mary (known as Bobbie) Clifford.
In 1949 Norm and his wife Agnes were residing Hamilton Road, Spearwood, market gardening the property purchased through rehabilitation.
The couple relocated to Caloundra, Qld. He died 3 June 1970 Caloundra aged 57 years, and was buried at Caloundra Cemetery. Bobbie died 1994 Caloundra.
Also in Platoon 9 was WX8433 Robert W. HALDANE who drowned in Sydney’s Port Jackson on 9 Jan 1942 whilst ‘Aquitania’ was moored. Haldane had enlisted about the same time as Hindle and Harris. The whole platoon would have felt the loss of their mate aged 22 years.
Haldane was born Broome March 1923 to parents William and Charlotte Haldane. Charlotte known as Lottie (nee Hilliard) died in 1936 when Bob was 17 years old.
The Hilliard family were Broome and Nor West Pearling pioneers.
You can read more about the family