88TH L.A.D. (LIGHT AID DETACHMENT) – ATTACHED TO A.A.O.C. AUSTRALIAN ARMY ORDINANCE CORPS
Commanding Officer: WX1101 Capt. A.H.R. Odlum – Engineering Officer. Remained Singapore Camps throughout war and recovered from here at war’s end.
Warrant Officer II: WX9558 W.O. A.R. Green – Electrical Fitter. ‘A’ Force Burma, Green Force No. 3 Battalion to work on Burma end of Burma-Thai Railway. Recovered from Thailand at end of war.
Staff Sergeants:
WX9560 Staff Sgt John William Wainwright – Fitter. ‘F’ Force Thailand Burma-Thai Railway. He operated oil fueled burners which were used for cooking rice at Selarang Barracks, Singapore. Recovered Singapore end of war.
WX9562 Sgt. Ivor Edwin Thorley, Fitter ‘B’ Force Sandakan, North Borneo d. 4 Mar 1945 aged 43 years.
Corporals:
WX9561 Cpl. A.E. Dahlberg – Fitter. KIA 10 Feb 1942 Ulu Pandan, Hill 200, Singapore aged 30 years.
WX9559 Cpl. William Hamilton Hickson – Electrical Fitter. Initially embarked HMT ‘Zealander’ ex Fremantle with 2/6th Field Park Coy as 86 Light Aid Detatchment 30 May 1941. Transferred to 88th L.A.D. 8th Division Salvage Unit then attached to 2/4th MGB.
‘A’ Force Burma Green Force No. 3 Battalion Burma end of Burma- Thai Railway. Recovered Thailand at end of war.
WX9563 Cpl. John Randall – Butcher. Sailed Java (not Singapore). ‘Blackforce’ attached 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion. ‘A’ Force Burma Java Party No. 4 Williams Force to Burma end of Burma-Thai Railway. Selected to work Japan, sailed ‘Both’ Party which reached Saigon where the POWs remained and worked till end of war. Recovered Saigon at end of war.
Privates:
WX10920 Neville Ernest Bailey – ‘B’ Force Sandakan, North Borneo d.10 June 1945 aged 24 years.
SX11457 Edwin Henry Cole – ‘E’ Force Sandakan, North Borneo. d. 18 May 1945 aged 35 years. Cole was a father to two children.
NX73270 Bernard James Howard – ‘A’ Force Burma, Green Force No. 3 Battalion worked on Burma end of Burma-Thai Railway then selected to work Japan. Perished when POW transport ship ‘Rakuyo’ Maru was sunk by US submarines 12 Sept 1944 South China Sea. Aged 29 years.
WX8435 Robert McCann – ‘F’ Force Thailand d. 23 Nov 1943 beri beri Kami Sonkurai POW Camp, Burma-Thai Railway, Thailand aged 25 years.
WX9260 Stanley Edward Neale – 2/4th Field Workshops 11h Recovery Section. Taken on Strength Darwin. ‘B’ Force Sandakan, North Borneo, d. 28 Feb 1945 aged 30 years.
NX73279 Cecil William Newman – Born and lived Scone, NSW. Taken on Strength Sydney 9 Jan 1942. ‘E’ Force Sandakan, North Borneo d. 11 March 1945 aged 25 years.
WX8340 Nigel John Sheedy – Driver HQ Coy. ‘A’ Force Burma, Green Force No. 3 Battalion. Worked Burma end of Burma-Thai Railway then sailed ‘Awa’ Maru Party Japan. Recovered Fukuoka sub-Camp No 24, Sendyu Mine, Japan.
WX8506 Walter John Smith – Driver. Sailed Java (not Singapore). ‘Blackforce’. ‘D’ Force Thailand Java Party No. 6 O Battalion Burma-Thai Railway. Recovered Thailand at end of war.
WX8467 L/Cpl Roderick Heslop Campbell Spence – HQ Company. ‘B’ Force Sandakan, North Borneo d. 31 May 1945 aged 40 years.
WX11744 George Edwin Willimott – Fitter. ‘A Force Burma, Green Force No. 3 Battalion working on Burma end of Burma-Thai Railway. d. dysentery Thanbyuzyat Hospital Camp, Burma 4 June 1943 aged 32 years.
WX11745 James Frederick Willimott – Fitter. (Older brother to George Willimott) ‘F’ Force Thailand working on Burma-Thai Railway. Evacuated to Kanchanaburi Hospital Camp. d. dysentery 15 Dec 1943 aged 39 years.
Of the 18 men in the above 88th Light Aid Detatchment men 11 died and did not return home to Australia.
Six died starvation/illness Sandakan, North Borneo
One KIA Singapore
Three men died starvation/illness on Burma-Thai Railway
One man perished when his POW Transport Ship ‘Rakuyo’ Maru to Japan was sunk in 1944.