The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Lee
- First Name:
- Leslie Wallace
- Nick Name:
- Big Les
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX15744
- Company:
- 'A' Company, No. 6 Platoon
- Enlisted:
- 13.08.1941
- Discharged:
- 20.02.1946
- DOB:
- 7.08.1916
- Place of Birth:
- No Man's Lake (Via Narrogin), Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- William Joseph Lee
- Mothers's Name:
- Emily Ceila Lee (nee Wallace)
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Farmhand
- Java:
- 'Blackforce'
- Force:
- 'D' Force Thailand, Java Party No. 6, O Battalion - transferred Singapore to Java Party 5A to Burma
- Camps Thailand:
- Kanchanaburi, Tarsau (evacuated sick on 1.9.1943)
- Camps Burma:
- Alepauk, Apalon, Apalaine 80km, Aunggaung
- Camps Java:
- Bicycle Camp Batavia
- POW#:
- 1602, 2/17232, 6654
- Return Details 1945:
- Thailand-Singapore by aircraft, Singapore-Fremantle, HMT Highland Brigade
General Description
Lee was one of about 100 men from 2/4th who was AWOL at Fremantle from ‘Aquitania’ when it sailed for Singapore on 16 January 1942. (Large number of 2/4th managed to get back to the ship before it sailed – many lost their stripes and/or were fined). Please read further
Lee was captured at Garoet on 9/3/1942 becoming POW of Japanese.
He departed Java with Java Party No. 4 to Singapore – ‘D’ Force Thailand, Java Party No. 6, O Battalion He remained behind in Singapore because he was ill when his Party departed, he then joined Java Party 5a, Robertson Force. This party was sent to the Burma end of the Railway.
He became one of four 2/4th men in this party and under Japanese Commander Mizutani the conditions and death rates were horrific especially at 80 km Camp. Please read about this camp
Mitzutani was sentenced to death by hanging for his war crimes.
Welcome news below: Lee is safe and returning home 1945.
The above was taken from news of the Dutch hospital ship Oranje arriving Darwin Sep 1945 with 800 POWs.
__________
Lee was the second youngest in a family of about 8 children of whom 5 were boys to William Joseph Lee and Emily Celia Wallace who married 1900 in Victoria. Les Lee was the 8th born child. The children were born between 1901 and 1918. The family arriving from Victoria to Nomans Lake about 1904. Les was born 1916 at No Mans Lake – which later adopted a slight variance in spelling becoming Nomans Lake.
Nomans Lake was successful in having a school erected in 1914. The town also boasted a railway siding.
Below: His Grandmother died in 1937.
Les played football for Towns.
His father William Joseph died in 1946 not long after Les returned.
His mother died June 1955 at Narrogin.
Returning home after the war, Les married about 1950 to Alice Eileen Halyburton (nee Hill) originally from Narrogin. Alice had one son from this marriage which ended in divorce 1949 from James A.L Hallyburton.
In the 1954,1958 Electoral Roll Les and Alice were residing Yilliminning, farming. In 1968 Electoral Roll they are residing Felspar St, Narrogin however Les is still farming. In 1970 they are back in Narrogin. In 1972 they are farming at Cuballing. In 1977 they are residing Narrogin and it appears Les is no longer farming.
Leslie Lee died Williams 21 May 1979 aged 62 years and was buried Narrogin.
Camp Locations:
- Tarsau, Tha Sao 125k - Thailand
- Alepauk, Rabao, 18 Kilo - Burma
- Aungganaung,105Kilo - Burma
- Apalon, Apalaine, 80 Kilo, 337k - Burma
- Bicycle Camp, Batavia, Jakarta - Java ***
- Garoet - Java
