The Soldier's Details

Surname:
Roots
First Name:
Stephen Edgar
Nick Name:
Ted
Rank:
Private
Regimental #:
WX15893
Company:
‘A’ Company 6 Platoon
Enlisted:
20.08.1941
Discharged:
4.12.1945
DOB:
14.12.1921
Place of Birth:
Albany, Western Australia
Father's Name:
Stephen Roots
Mothers's Name:
Ethel Blanche Roots (nee Lockyer)
Religion:
Church of England
Pre-war Occupation:
Truck Driver
Singapore:
Selarang Camp Changi; Johore Bahru; Adam Park; A.G.H. Roberts Barracks Changi (appendicitis on 24.4.1942); Selarang Barracks Changi;
Force:
Japan ‘B’ Party Korea
POW#:
347 and 528
Return Details 1945:
USS Mercy for two weeks (U.S. hospital ship) at Pusan; British Destroyer D50 from USS Mercy to the HMS Colossus; Pusan-Manila, HMS Collossus; Manila-Morotai-Darwin, PBY Catalina aircraft A24-377; Darwin-Perth by aircraft

General Description

Ted enlisted AIF 20 Aug 1941 and as a reinforcement joined 2/4th’s ‘A’ Company 6 Platoon under Commanding Officer Lt Johnny Morrison.
At Singapore Ted was admitted AGH Changi with appendicitis 24 April 42.  Discharged 1 July 1942.
As a POW in Singapore Ted was selected with Japan Party ‘B’.  He would go to Korea with 4 others from 2/4th – Taylor, Clancy, Gray and Holland.
  Please read further.

 

 

Pte Roots document bought from Korea
Pte Roots document bought from Korea

Ted Roots

Camps Korea – Keijo (shrine and warehouse 25/9/1942-1/9/1943)
Konan (carbide Factory, 14.9.1943-21.9.1945) The POWs were released by the Russians at the end of war.
For more information read “Korea – Destination for Ted Roots, Jack Taylor, Jim Clancy, Bill Gray and Hubert ‘Dutchy’ Holland”
Please read about Ted’s letter providing the events in naming his mate Arthur Morrison, ‘Snow White’
Please read about 2/4th boys from Albany region.

 

 

His parents Stephen Roots and Ethel Lockyer married in 1907 at East Coolgardie. They had a family 3 daughters Alice, Sylvia, Amy and Marie sons Stephen (Ted) and William (Bill)

Above: Ted’s Grandfather Frank Roots died in 1928.

Below:  Ted’s sister Amy marries in 1941

Below:  Ted’s father has business challenges when Ted enlists.

Above:  Ted’s father died in Aug 1946.

 

 

After the war Ted married at Williams to Evelyn M Henderson in 1946.

 

Below:  Evelyn was a hockey player.

 

 

 

Above:  Ted Roots obviously knew Albany newspaper reporter or was related – his name was frequently mention in these early years!

 

Ted Roots died 28 October 2000.

 

Camp Locations:

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  • Johore Bahru, - Malaysia
  • Roberts Barracks Changi - Singapore
  • Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
  • Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
  • Keijo - Korea ***
  • Konan - Korea
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