George enlisted AIF Jul 1940 later joined 2/4th’s ‘C’ Company No. 12 Platoon.
George was one of about 90 men from 2/4th who was unable to re-board their ship Aquitania when it sailed from Fremantle heading to Singapore. (he was charged AWOL on 15 January and fined 203/- shillings!)
These men never re-joined their 2/4th MG Battalion in Singapore as was initially planned. It became evident Singapore would fall to Japan before they arrived in Java. The men would remain in Java as reinforcements to the Allied Forces.
The Australian Troops were formed into ‘Blackforce’. Blackburn was promoted to Brigadier to take command. Brig. Blackburn organised his troops into a Brigade.
1st Battalion led by Lt Col. Lyneham included 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion.
2nd Battalion commanded by Lt Col. Williams was made mostly of 2/2nd Pioneers (engineering)
3rd Battalion under control of Major De Crespigny included engineers, Guard Battalion, escapees from Singapore and approximately 100 reinforcements from Australia.
The Japanese landed on Java on the night of 28 February 1942.
On 12 March, senior British, Australian and American officers signed a formal surrender at Japanese headquarters in Bandung.
George remained a POW in Java throughout the war and was recovered from Batavia 18 Sept 1945.
He was first a POW at Bandeong No. 4 Camp, in the Barracks of 1st Depot of 15th Infantry Battalion and then moved to Tjimahi before finally remaining at Cycle Camp.
At Bandeong Camp he was ill with enteritis 16.4.1943 to 29.4.1943.
At Cycle Camp he was ill with dysentery 16.5.1943 to 26.5.1943 and again 1.4.1944 to 22.4.1944.
George was emplaned from Java 22 Sept 1945 to Balikpapan where he remained until 30 September. Then emplaned to Morotai where he remained another week until 7 October then flown to Melbourne on 13 October 1945. He was detrained to Perth on 17 October 1945.
George obviously had Australian Dr. Ewen Corlette treat him in Java. George Fisher (2/4 Machine Gun Bn) who remained Java wrote in a letter to Ewan’s wife “ Those of us who were fortunate enough in meeting and being treated by him, remember him with affection and gratitude”. From Peter Winstanley’s website in the story of Dr. Ewen Corlette.
Please read about the other 2/4th who remained Java
