The Soldier's Details

Surname:
Giddens
First Name:
William Marcus
Nick Name:
Bill
Rank:
Private
Regimental #:
WX5335
Company:
‘A’ Company (transferred from Battalion Headquarters 22.11.1941)
Enlisted:
27.07.1940
Discharged:
14.12.1945
DOB:
3.05.1920
Place of Birth:
Bunbury, Western Australia
Father's Name:
Henry Boradlaugh Giddens
Mothers's Name:
Maude Hilda Giddens
Religion:
Church of England
Pre-war Occupation:
Dairyhand
Singapore:
Selarang Camp Changi; Johore Bahru; Adam Park; Selarang Barracks Changi
Force:
'D' Force Thailand S Battalion
Camps Thailand:
Kanu II, Rin Tin, Tamarkan, Chungkai, Nacompaton, Nakom Chassi
POW#:
4/6157 and 8781
Return Details 1945:
Thailand-Singapore by aircraft; Singapore-Labuan-Morotai-Sydney by aircraft; Sydney-Melbourne-Perth by troop train

General Description

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Len Bullock and Bill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bill, Len Bullock, ?

Bill enlisted AIF 27 July 1940 and later joined 2/4th’s Battalion HQ before transferring on 22 Nov 1941 to ‘A’ Company 4 Platoon under CO Lt. McCaffery.
As a POW in Singapore he was selected to work on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force Thailand S Battalion around the Hellfire Pass Cutting.  Please read about D Force S Battalion
He was recovered at the end of the war from Nakom Chassi Camp, Thailand.  Please read about this camp

 

 

 

 

Bill’s parents Henry Boradlaugh Giddens and Maude Hilda Piggott married 1916 Wellington.  Bill is one of 4 sons and one daughter.  He is named after his paternal grandfather,  His mother died Harvey in 1939 and his father died Bunbury 1969.

Bill’s father Henry and two brothers enlisted WW1.

Henry/Harry joined 7th reinforcements for 10th Light Horse Brigade on 15 Feb 1916. His Service No. was 2353.  He was 20 years old and 5′ 7″ tall. Harry was transferred July 1916 to Camel Corps.  Having spent numerous visits to hospital with various illnesses and complaints, Harry disembarked Fremantle August 1919.

 

Below:  Bill’s uncle Albert Stephen Piggott, brother of his mother, died France 1918.

 

Above:  Bill’s aunt Sylvia, sister of his father died 1918.

Above:  Bill’s grandmother Mrs H M Giddens advertises as a nurse in Bunbury. Nurse Giddens worked for many decades. Adelaide Mayston Giddens died 13 October 1927. Aged 70 years.

 

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Bill’s grandfather Henry Marcus Giddens was born 1860 Liverpool, Lancashire married Adelaide Mayston Butterfield 1889 in Melbourne, Victoria. They had six children. He died 1930 in Perth, aged  70.  Throughout his life he was a prolific writer of letter on all ranges of topics to various South West Newspaper Editors with sometimes readers responding to his letters. An example is below. Henry Marcus was also regularly in court facing petty offences!    He was an agitator.

 

 

 Returning from war Bill married in Queensland in 1945 to Daphne Margaret Pool.
Below:  Bill chooses to retrain

 

In 1949 Bill and Daphne are residing Benger, Bill is labourer. His father Henry is residing Capel and works as a water Borer.
In 1954 and 1963 Bill and Daphne were farming at Pemberton.  In 1977 and 1980 Bill is living in Rivervale.
William passed away aged 84 yrs, 29 Jan 2005, at Mount Lawley, WA and was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.

 

 

 

 

Camp Locations:

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  • Johore Bahru, - Malaysia
  • Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
  • Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
  • Chungkai, 60k - Thailand
  • Kanu II, 152.30k - Thailand
  • Nacompaton, Nakom Pathom Hospital - Thailand
  • Rin Tin, Lin Tin 180k - Thailand
  • Tamarkan, Tha Makham 56k - Thailand
  • Nakom Chassi - Thailand
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