The Soldier's Details

Surname:: Slater
First Name:: Albert
Nick Name:: Billy
Rank:: Private
Regimental #:: WX17344
Company:: ‘E’ Company, Special Reserve Battalion
Enlisted:: 22.10.1941
DOB:: 20.09.1921
Place of Birth:: Perth, Western Australia
Father's Name:: Step father William G. R. Linnerah
Mothers's Name:: Not Known
Religion:: Methodist
Pre-war Occupation:: Blacksmith’s Assistant
Memorial:: Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Joint Grave, Plot 10, Row C, Grave 13-14, Age 22.
Singapore:: Selarang Camp Changi, Johore Bahru, Adam Park, Selarang Barracks Changi
Force:: ‘ D ’ Force Thailand, V Battalion
POW#:: 4/6618 & 2288
Cause of Death:: Beri-Beri
Place of Death:: Kuii
Date of Death:: 26.09.1943
Buried:: Grave No 181 Kuii

General Description

‘Billy’ Slater enlisted 22 October 1941 and on 16 January 1942 sailed from Fremantle on ‘Aquitania’ as a reninforcement with 2/4th. He joined ‘E’ Company and during the battle for Singapore was fortunate to survive the ambush at South West Bukit Timah where a large number of ‘E’ Company lost their lives.

As a POW at Selarang he was selected to work onThai-Burma Railway with ‘D’ Force V Battalion, departing Singapore by train for Thailand on 17 March 1943. V Battalion endured far too many deaths under appalling conditions.

Billy Slater died at Kuii on 26 September 1943 six days after his 22nd birthday.

Please read about ‘D’ Force Thailand V Battalion and Kuii Camp

Photograph taken January 2018 by C. Mellor

Sadly we know so little of Billy other than he was a foster son of the Whinnerah family, Albany. William George Raymond Whinnerah and his wife Amelia Louise (nee Ridley) farmed at Redmond a small town out of Albany and before Mt. Barker.

Whinnerah was born Isle of Wight about 1896. It is not known when he moved to WA. In 1915 he enlisted with 28th Battalion, 7th Reinforcements and was with the 1st Cyclist Battalion. During his time in England during training and leave, he met and married his wife Amelia Louise Ridley in 1918 who was residing in Bournemouth, England.

William and Louisa were active members of the Redmond Community where he was involved with potato farming. He became a Justice of the Peace in 1923. Their property was called ‘Boroniavale’ Redmond.

1966 records show he was residing 41 The Esplanade, South Perth, when he was granted Australian citizenship. William died Mt Lawley 1976 and was buried/cremated Karrakatta aged 89 years.

As a foster son, we do not know how long Billy was with the Whinnerah family. However records show he was working and living at Mt Barker as a blacksmith’s assistant when he enlisted October 1941.

Billy’s name is recorded on the Albany WW2 War Memorial.