The Soldier's Details

Surname:
Hill
First Name:
Jack Harris
Nick Name:
John
Rank:
Captain
Regimental #:
WX3434
Company:
Battalion Headquarters
Enlisted:
5.11.1940
DOB:
11.11.1919
Place of Birth:
Victoria
Father's Name:
Stanley Albert Hill
Mothers's Name:
Agnes May Hill (nee Wheatley)
Religion:
Church of England
Pre-war Occupation:
Staff Corps, Royal Military College Duntroon
Memorial:
Toowoomba War Cemetery, Queensland, Plot B, Row B, Grave 16, Age 26.
Singapore:
Selarang Camp Changi, Johore Bahru, Adam Park, Selarang Barracks Changi
Force:
'D' Force Thailand, V Battalion
Camps Thailand:
Kinsaiyok, Brancassi,Hindaine (evacuated sick), Non Pladuk
Cause of Death:
Basal Fracture to the skull
Place of Death:
Cabarlah, Queensland, Australia.
Date of Death:
24.01.1946
Buried:
War Cemetery, Plot B, Row B, Grave 16, Aged 26 years
Return Details 1945:
Thailand-Singapore by aircraft, Singapore - Fremantle HMT Highland Brigade

General Description

This Officer was appointed Adjutant of  2/4th Machine Gun Battalion with the rank of Temporary Captain on 1.11.1940.
He was previously with Staff Corps, Royal Military College, Duntroon.
Read story of D’ Force V Battalion
John Hill left Singapore to work on the Burma-Thai Railway with V Battalion, with Commander Alf Cough.  They were to suffer most terribly.  Alf Cough wrote about his concern for Johnny’s health at Brankassi, June 1943, arranging for him to be evacuaterd.

 

 

Below:  Alf Cough’s complete page from his diary.  The copy has been highlighted by Murray Ewen for ‘Colour Patch’.

Also read about Hindaine Camp.

Jack was recovered from Non Pladuk Camp, Thailand at the end of the war.
After his return to Western Australia on 15.10.1945 Jack (or John as he was known) married Elizabeth Ashton Hunter on 14.11.1945. Sadly Elizabeth would soon find herself widowed. At 1600 hours on 24.1.1946 John was travelling in an army truck along Allora Road, Toowoomba, Queensland. Due to the tropical rains the road was flooded and John leant out over the back of the truck to place his map case over the truck’s exhaust. The vehicle suddenly lunged and John was thrown from the vehicle and under one of its wheels, where upon his skull was crushed. The tragedy was compounded by the fact that this officer had endured so much heartache and hardship as a Prisoner of War.

Harris, Jack & Beth

 

 

Johnny Hill died 24 Jan 1946 Cabarlah, Queensland aged 26 years and was buried Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia.

 

Elizabeth Hunter was born Northam 1917 however he Hunter family and Elizabeth lived much of their lives at Katanning.    She later remarried to Maurice Kenneth Lee.  Elizabeth died in Perth, WA 2010 and was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.
John was the second son of three surviving sons born to parents Stanley and Agnes Hill.

 

Stan Hill had enlisted WW1 in Western Australia where he was then working at a surveyor (His wife Agnes was born in WA)  joining 5/5th Pioneers in 1917. He was promoted to Lieutenant.  In 1917 he was awarded Military Cross in France.

 

Stan Hill died Dec 1960 in Geelong and Agnes died Jul 1982 Wendouree, Ballarat, Victoria.

Camp Locations:

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  • Johore Bahru, - Malaysia
  • Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
  • Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
  • Brankassi, Prang Kasi, 208k - Thailand
  • Hindaine, Kui Mang 200k - Thailand
  • Kinsaiyok Main, 170.2k - Thailand
  • Non Pladuk, 0k - Thailand
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