The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Colevas
- First Name:
- John Verdun
- Nick Name:
- Des
- Rank:
- Sergeant
- Regimental #:
- WX10609
- Company:
- ‘D’ Company, No. 24 Platoon, later No. 16 Platoon.
- Enlisted:
- 14.01.1941
- Discharged:
- 1.04.1961
- DOB:
- 20.07.1916
- Place of Birth:
- Richmond, Victoria
- Father's Name:
- Spiro Colevas
- Mothers's Name:
- Faye Colevas (nee Esther Kostopulas)
- Religion:
- Greek Orthodox
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Shop Assistant
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp Changi, Johore Bahru, Adam Park, Selarang Barracks Changi
- Force:
- ‘D’ Force Thailand, S Battalion
- Camps Thailand:
- Tarsau, KanuI I ,KanuI River Camp, Chungkai, Tamuang
- Camps Japan:
- Yamane, Niihama
- POW#:
- 8718
- Japan:
- Rashin Maru Party
- Return Details 1945:
- Wakayama‐Okinawa, USS Sanctuary, Okinawa‐Manila, USS Bingham, Manila-Sydney, HMS Speaker, Sydney-Melbourne-Perth by troop train.
General Description
Wounded in action at Sungei Berih at 1000 hours. Admitted to Casualty Clearing Station then to Field Ambulance with gun shot wound to left side of chest wall. Transferred to 2/13th AGH on 15/2/42. Discharged to Unit 22/2/1942.
Changi – Selarang 15/2/42 – 3/4/42
Adam Park 4/4/42 – 27/12/42
Changi 27/12/42 – 13/3/43
Don Force ‘S’ Btn 14/3/1943
Tarsao 23/8/43 – 17/1/44
Chungkai 17/1/43 – May 44
Tamjang May 44 0 June 44
‘Byoki Maru’ June 44 – 9/9/44 Newton Force
Yamanii, Japan 9/9/44 – 18/5/45
Niihama, Japan 18/5/45 – 13/9/45
Recovered Niihama USA Army, train to Wakayama.
Hospital Ship USS ‘Sanctuary’ to Okinowa.
Liberty Ship USS ‘Bingham’ to Manila.
HMS ‘Speaker’ Manila to Sydney.
Returned to Perth by train.
The above was taken from news of Dutch hospital ship Oranje arriving in Darwin Sep 1945 with 800 POWs.
Sergeant John ‘Des” Verdun Colevas spent 12 months after the war as guard sergeant at Marrinup Prisoner of War Camp before embarking for Japan with BCOF with 66th Australian Infantry Battalion. He transferred to Korea as Warrant Officer Class 2 and C.S.M. ‘D’ Coy 3rd Battalion RAR from 1951-1953. He left 3 RAR to return to Australia and became a national Service instructor Regt. No. 5/250.
Hulland, Turrell, Colevas, Holding, Dunnell & Worth
Trevor James, Jim Burns, Alf Worth, John Lane, Des Colevas, Bob Whitield, Joe Pearce (rear), Tom Pilmoor (front), Owen Morris, Jim Elliott, Ron Badock, Gordon Lynam
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.Back Row L-R: Jim Burns, John Lane, Jim Elliott, Cowboy Matthews, Frank Evans, Alf Worth, Trevor James, Wally Lynn, Les Cody, Owen Morris
Des passed away aged 92yrs, May 13 2008, at Wembley, WA.
Go to Stories for further reading D Company
Read Des Colevas’ Affidavit
1951 – Korea. 2nd from left: Des Colevas
Korea – Des Colevas. Back Row 2nd from Right.
Camp Locations:
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- Johore Bahru, - Malaysia
- Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
- Chungkai, 60k - Thailand
- Kanu 1 151.00k - Thailand
- Kanu II, 152.30k - Thailand
- Tamuang, Tha Muang 39k - Thailand
- Nihama, Hiroshima #2-B- Japan
- Yamane, Hiroshima #3-D - Japan