The Soldier's Details

Hal Worsdell aged 25 years enlisted AIF 26 July 1940.  He later joined 2/4th MGB’s ‘D’ Coy No. 14 Platoon as a Driver under C.O. Lt. Tomkins.  He had previously been employed as a truck driver.  Hal recorded his father Henry as his NOK.

Please read further about ‘D’ Companies.  

Several men from 13,14 and 15 Platoon were moved to create the new 16 Platoon at Singapore.

 

 

 

 

Worsdell WX5204 & Robert Hutchison – both men were in 14 Platoon.   Hutchison lost his life when ‘Rakuyo’ Maru sunk  South China Sea Sept 1944 following an American Submarine attack.

Worsdell was selected in Singapore to work on Burma Thai Railway with ‘H’ Force.  Please read further.

Hal contracted cholera at Malay Hamlet – he was one of the very fortunate survivors – there were far more deaths from this dreaded disease.

Returning to Singapore at end of 1943, Worsdell was initially at Sime Road Camp.  He was seconded in 1945 to work with X10 Party.  Please read further.

 

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Born in Rushall, Wiltshire, England in 1915 to Henry Worsdell and Martha Emily Preddy who married in 1914.  Hal was the only child from this marriage, however Henry had 8 sons and 3 daughters with his first wife who died. Hal sailed to Australia in 1927 as a 12 year old.  His mother had  died in 1926.

 

The Wiltshire Times, dated October 22nd, 1927

“A YOUNG EMIGRANT. Harold Worsdell, the youngest son of Mr. Henry Worsdell, of Upavon, formerly of Rushall, and Linkenholt, Hants, sailed on Thursday from Tilbury by the S.S. ‘Bendigo’ en route for Freemantle, Australia, where he is to join his step-sister. Although only twelve years of age he is travelling alone, under the care of the steamship company.”

Hal joined his step-sister Amy and her husband Joe Stockley.

According to the ‘Balranald’ Passenger Shipping list, Harold Worsdell travelled with Ernest and Eliza Wilkes and their children.  The ship arrived Fremantle 7 Dec 1927 ex Falmouth.

(Although the newspaper report wrote Bendigo, we know the ship was Balranald).

 

 

 

As a young man working in rural WA Hal became a skilled horseman and later competed in equestrian events.

 

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Returning from war, Hal and Theresa (Dawn) Forward became engaged in December 1946 and married during 1947.

 

 

The Worsdell family returned to Miling to live and where Hal worked as a farmhand. Their son Gary was born in 1950.

In 1956 Hal and Dawn’s daughter Karan was born and at about this time they took up farming 5,400 acres at Meckering.  Following several prosperous years Hal and Dawn moved to Goomalling where they operated a bus contracting business.

In 1970 Hal and Dawn built a house at Bentley and semi retired with Hal operating a bus service for handicapped children.   In the 1972 and 1977 Electoral Rolls they resided at Bentley.

In 1975 Hal became fully retired.  Both their children married and they decided on a smaller more manageable  residence at Stirling where their daughter and her family resided next door.  In 1980 Electoral Roll they resided Stirling.

In 2000 Hal had a hip replacement.  Additional complications slowed his recovery and affected his general health.

Harold James Worsdell died 29 Oct 2008 at Kingsley, he was 93 years old.