The Soldier's Details

Ted enlisted AIF 10 December 1942.

At Northam Army Camp, he soon became a reinforcement for 2/4th MGB – entrained from Northam to Fremantle with too many young men who had just enlisted and were untrained.  The reinforcements were to board ‘Aquitania’ on 15th Feb at Gage Roads, Fremantle and the ship sailed for Singapore the next day.

Wallin was put into ‘E’ Coy, Special Reserve Battalion No. 3 Platoon under Commanding Officer Lt. Mazza.    Mazza was killed when ‘E’ Coy ran into a Japanese ambush on 12 Feb 1942 at SW Bukit Timah.

As A POW he was sent on 4 April 1942 with a work party to Thompson Road (Caldecote Estate) Camp.

In 1943 he was sent with ‘F’ Force Thailand to work on the Burma-Thai Railway.  Please read about this unfortunate work Party.

Ted was an active member of 2/4th Machine Gun Ex-Members Assoc. and for many years was Borehole Editor. His commitment to 2/4th was extensive over many years.

Aside from Borehole Editor, and his family folding and posted the newsletters – Ted served the following 20 years:

1970-1973  Vice-President

1974-1981 President

1982-1986 Vice President 

1993-1999 President

At the AGM on 25 April 2000  Ted Wallin was elected President and Jim Elliott Vice President.

Ted died 2 May 2000 aged 79 years before he presided over the first meeting of the new year. 

At the 2/4th MGB 2/4th ex-Members Assoc Committee Meeting of 16 May 2000 Jim Elliott addressed the Committee saying Ted Wallin’s death and absence left a space within the Committee which would be hard to fill.  He asked members to be upstanding for two minutes silence in respect.

We wish to acknowledge Ted and his daughter and her husband for their huge contribution over the years for the distribution, folding and posting the Borehole out.

Our sincere thanks.

Please read our Honour Board.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fremantle boy, Ted completed his apprenticeship as a letterpress machinist on 31 October 1941 and enlisted AIF on 10 December 1941.  He was assigned to 2/4th reinforcements ‘E’ Coy boarding ‘Aquitania’ 15th January 1942, sailing to Singapore.  He would have had just a few weeks training.  He was with 3 Platoon under CO Lt. Mazza as a reinforcement.

Below:  Ted celebrates his 21st birthday July 1941 prior to enlisting.

 

From ‘Ghosts in Khaki’ by Les Cody of 2/4th (P129)

At 0300hrs 9 February 1942 – 2/4th battalion was put on stand-by-preparing equipment etc. ready to move  (the Japanese Army began their attack in the early dawn of 8 February!)

Ted Wallin 2/4th said

“It was a bloody shambles in the dark, still trying to sort out our sections, section officers or N.C.Os., covered in grease from unpacking and cleaning an allocation of Bren gun which had just been issued, filling magazines, trying to scrounge a hot drink, and wishing to Christ I had joined the navy after all.  To think that only three weeks before we had been going about business in Northam Camp not greatly worried about the ‘You’ll be sorry’ sign above the gate.  How wrong we were”.

From 9-12 Feb ‘E’ Coy of the Special Reserve Battalion had been decimated. Of the total Coy strength of 90 men – 43 had been killed or were missing in action since its formation.

‘E’ Coy joined 2/4th at Fremantle boarding ‘Aquitania’ 15th January 1942.  Less than a month later they had lost over one third of original draft of 120 men.  Including the wounded, the total battle casualties rose to over 50%.

Half of these men had less than four month’s training.  8 had been in the army less than a 3 months, 6 men less than two months (including Ted).

 

As a POW of Japan, Ted remained in Singapore until he was selected to work on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘F’ Force Thailand which departed Singapore by rail on 16 April 1943 for Thailand.

Please read the story of ‘F’ Force

Ted was at Shimo Sonkurai and Shimo Nikhe.

‘F’ Force returned to Singapore Dec 1943.

Below:  48 men from 3/5th MGB worked F Force.  Compiled by Harold Cowie.

 

Below:  Wallin’s family receive wonderful news from Darwin he is safe and returning home

The above was taken from the story of Dutch Hospital Ship Oranje arriving Darwin Sep 1945 with 800 POWs.

 

 

After the war, Ted returned to his trade as a printer and in 1950 married Dorothy, with whom he had three daughters. Ted Wallin died on 2 May 2000, shortly before his 80th birthday and his and Dorothy’s 50th wedding anniversary.

In later years Ted Wallin worked tirelessly as Borehole Editor.  At the 50th Anniversary Dinner Celebrations, the Committee of 2/4th made a special presentation, as Ted himself wrote ‘for services rendered over the years’.  Ted said it came as a complete surprise to him and wished to thank everybody very much.  The story was included in January 1991 issue of Borehole Bulletin.  

Ted died 2 May 2000 at Nollamara and was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery. His wife died 13 Aug 2003.

 

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Ted was the eldest and one of three boys and two girls born to parents Edward William Wallin (known as Bill) and Maude Orontes Killick who married 1919 Fremantle.  The Wallin family had resided Fremantle for several generations.

Ted’s youngest brother Brian Malcolm Wallin Born 1937 died 10 Sept 1943 aged 6 years and 11 months.

His father Bill was born Fremantle 1898, died 1947 and his mother Maude died Fremantle 1971.

Ted’s grandfather was also Edward William Wallen b. 1857 (Yorkshire, England)  – d. 1913 married about 1884 Queensland to Annastasia ‘Annie’ Ryan.

Ted’s father Bill enlisted WW1 at 18 years – reinforcement with 16th Battalion Service No. 6135.  He was returned to Australia 31 Oct 1917 from France with Trench Feet.

Ted married 16 September 1950 to Dorothy Martha Stasinowsky who was b. Loxton, South Australia.  Her family several generations back came from Germany.

 

Below:  Ted’s Grandmother Annastasia Wallin died 1908.

Below:  Ted’s Grandfather died 1913.

 

Below:  Marriage of Ted’s parents Edward William Wallin and Maude Orontes Killick August 1919 Fremantle.

 

Below:  Both Ted and his father ‘Bill’ Wallin are members of ANA.

Please read about ANA and its focus.

 

Below:  Ted’s Gmother, Ada Killick mother of Maude died Sep 1944.

 

 

Below:  Ted’s father ‘Bill’ Wallin died June 1947 aged 48 years.

 

 

Below:  A little information about ANA.

 

 

Below:  Ted’s story from Northam Army Camp. Please go to their website to read further