The Soldier's Details

Edward Hardey, aged 18 years enlisted WWI on 27th August 1917 at Blackboy Hill and departed Australia on HMT ‘Ormonde’ with 22nd Reinforcements, 28th Battalion. Service No. 7310.  He joined 51st Btn  on 4th June 1918 with whom he remained until his discharge on 19th September 1919 and served in  France.  He was wounded in the left buttock during his service in WW1.

Whilst in Singapore he was again wounded, this time in the right buttock.

(His mate ‘Bluey’ Cooper reckoned the last bullet in his buttock evened him up!)

He was moved to D Company No. 16 Platoon newly formed in Singapore under CO Ron Arbery.  These ‘D’ Coy Platoons came under intense Japanese artillery fire and were overrun.

Hardey’s father had also enlisted with WW1, having earlier served with WA contingency at the Boer War.  Hardey Snr was discharged with ill health and was returning to WA about the same time his son was training and leaving WA heading to England.

Above: Edward James Hardey

Below: Ted’s brother Stan dies in 1920.

 

Ted’s Grandfather died in 1933.

 

 

Below:  Ted’s mother died in 1943.

 

 

 

 

 

It is believed Edward Hardey and Florence Thatcher married about 1937.

After enlisting 2nd Australian Imperial Force at Claremont 2nd May 1941 and prior to joining 2/4th MG Btn, he served with:

1st Australian Training Btn

13th Australian Training Btn

2nd Australian Training Btn

Ted was wounded 10.2.1942 admitted to 2/10 Field AMB transferred to 13 AGH with bullet wounds to right buttock and lower leg then transferred to 10 AGH 6.3.1942.  Discharged to Unit 27.3.1942.

With ‘A’ Force Burma he was at Victoria Point May-Aug 1942,

Tavoy 17/8/1942 to 22/11/1942.

Thanby, 4.8K 28/4/1942 to 15/2/1943.

14K 17/2/1943 to 15/5/1943,

75K 17/5/1943 to 15/8/1943,

105K 1/5/1943 to 31/12/1943.

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

When the Railway was completed, other than the very seriously ill and maintenance parties  – all POWs working on the Burma end of railway were sent south to Thailand.  Nearly all arrived at Tamarkan in varying degrees of light sick, heavy sick!

 

Below:  Ted and Jim Scott are mentioned in Jack Smith’s postcard from Moulmein, Burma in 1943.

 

Tamakan – selected for Japan 6/4/1944 and travelled to Phnom Penh-Saigon-Singapore to River Valley Road Camp before departing for Japan ‘Awa Maru’ 16th December 1944. In Japan he was sent to Fukuoka Camp No. 17.

Read about ‘Awa Maru’ Party

Please read further about Omuta, Fukuoka Camp No. 17

He was recovered from Omuta, Japan 13th September 1945.

 

 

In 1968 Florrie and Edward Hardey were residing in South Perth he was a truck driver.

Ted Hardey died 8th March 1977.

Read how small the population was at that time in WA

Ted Hardey’s name was mentioned on a ‘Japanese post card’ his mate Jack Edward Smith WX12552 was fortunate enough to have arrive at his mother’s home in Perth.   (POWs would mention mates names in their cards not knowing whether any word would arrive at the intended destination!).  Jim Scott WX12949 was the another name Smith mentioned – they were all mates in ‘C’ Company prior to arriving in Singapore.

Before the war Hardey, who lived in Canarvon with his family,  was Kangaroo shooting with his mate Aussie Climie, who joined 1940.  Although not in the same Company, they were together at Selarang and left Singapore with the first work party – ‘A’ Force Burma, Green Force No. 3 Battalion – working on Burma end of the Railway.

Read about Climie

And please read the list of Carnarvon enlistments.

In Oct 1986 ‘Borehole Bulletin’ a letter was printed from Mr. D.E. Powell who gave his address as ‘Int’l. Airport Projects, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’.  He was a nephew of WX Edward Charles (Ted) Hardey ‘D’ Company and was hoping somebody from 2/4th could provide any information.

The following information was included in his letter:

Powell thought his uncle Ted Hardey had seen service in France WW1 and enlisted again May 1941 with a mate, Climie.  Climie had in fact enlisted July 1940 and was with ‘C’ Company. Ted Hardey enlisted May 1941 also ‘C’ Coy,  aged 43 years. He gave his address as 29 Woodville Street, North Perth.

Hardey and Climie had been mates together and kangaroo shooting (for payment in those days) around Carnarvon. Hardey’s family resided in Carnarvon.

Both men were selected with ‘A’ Force Burma, Green Force No. 3 Battalion to work on the northern end of railway in Burma. Their ships departed Singapore Harbour 14 May 1942 for southwest Burma. Green Force disembarked at Victoria Point, with their main focus on repairing and extending the airfield. At completion ‘A’ Force Green Force No. 3 Battalion were the first Burma work party for the railway and arrived Kendau 4.8 km Camp commencing work 1 October 1942. The two men moved to other designated camps – Thetkaw 14km, Meiloe 75k, Augganaung 105km between 1 Oct 1942 to end of December 1943. At this point when the railway was completed, the Japanese transported all POWs working in Burma south to Thailand to one of 4 or 5 large Camps, depending on their health.

Hardey and Climie were very fortunate to remain fairly healthy during the time and arrived at Tamarkan where the POWs were able to take advantage of better food and living conditions. Climie was selected fit to go to Japan with what would become ‘Rakuyo Maru’ Party. Powell wrote ‘Hardey missed out on this draft – he was with a work or ration party. Eddie tried every way to get himself into ‘Rakuyo Maru’ Party – his efforts unsuccessful.’

Climie reached Japan having survived his time in the South China Sea until he was picked up with survivors by a Japanese ship. The POWs already traumatised and injured were not treated like survivors – in fact were treated appallingly and delivered to Japan having first sailed to Taiwan.

Climie out of luck,  was killed during an Allied air raid over Kawasaki Camp 14D on 13 July 1945 – just one month short of the end of the war. He was 37 years old.

Hardey fared a little better in that he did make it home – he sailed to Japan with ‘Awa Maru’ Party but had the misfortune to be sent to Omuta, the Mitsui Camp which was run by American Mafia and brutal Japanese guards.

You can read further about Omuta