The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Hinds
- First Name:
- Francis
- Nick Name:
- Frank
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX8597
- Company:
- ‘B’ Company, 9 Platoon
- Enlisted:
- 18.10.1940
- Discharged:
- 17.12.1945
- DOB:
- 17.01.1911
- Place of Birth:
- Maylands, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- Thomas Hinds
- Mothers's Name:
- Emily Hinds
- Religion:
- Roman Catholic
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Plumber and Brick Machinist
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp Changi; Thomson Road (Caldecot Hill Estate Camp); River Valley Road Camp; Selarang Barracks Changi; Changi Gaol Camp; Levelling Party Changi Aerodrome; X6 Party; P Party; Changi Gaol Camp.
- Force:
- ‘F’ Force Thailand
- Camps Thailand:
- Shimo Sonkurai
- POW#:
- 3/8121
- Return Details 1945:
- Singapore-Darwin‐Sydney,HMT Arawa; Sydney-Melbourne by troop train; Melbourne-Fremantle, HMT Strathmore.
General Description
Frank enlisted AIF Oct 1940 later joining 2/4th MGB’s ‘B’ Coy 9 Platoon under CO Lt Lee.
Following surrender to Japan Frank was first interred at Selarang Camp Changi. He then moved to Thomson Road (Caldecott Hill East Camp).
Entrained from Singapore to Thailand to work on the Burma-Thai Railway with ‘F’ Force Thailand. This work party had a wretched time – starved, over-worked, subjected to usual Japanese brutality and never ending tropical illnesses.
Frank was fortunate to survive his time on the Burma Railway – and towards the end of 1943 all the POWs were moved to Kanchanaburi and then Singapore. (Except for the sick and there were many of them). All of ‘F’ Force returned to Changi in a deployed state – skeletel, sick, filthy dirty and dressed in a few rags.
Please read about ‘F’ Force Thailand.
Returning to Singapore he was seconded to work Levelling Party Changi Aerodrome, X Party and P Party.
Below: 48 2/4th men of F Force compiled by Harold Cowie.
Front —–, —–, Joe Lynch
back row: J Gregory, L O’neil, E Teasdale, A Newel, R Hindle
front: R Haldane, M Hunter, T James, F Hinds, D Parker
Frank with Gunner
Returning to Singapore Frank worked with several parties – Levelling Party Changi Aerodrome, X6 Party and P Party.
As mentioned above, Frank was a keen rower and tennis player prior to enlisting.
Please read other families who received POW cards in 1943
Below: In 1945 Frank’s father Thomas Hinds died Sydney. Frank was then a POW.
Frank’s parents were born at Yass, NSW and married there in 1902, soon after moving to WA goldfields. They had three sons and two daughters.
Frank married 1946 to Ivy Pearl Truscott in Perth. He and Ivy resided many years in Maylands before moving to Bayswater and nearby suburbs.
Alderton’s suicide in 1952 was felt closely by Ivy and Frank. Jack Alderton was also a Maylands boy.
Frank passed away 6 May 1982, aged 71 Hollywood Repatriation Hospital. Ivy died June 1979 aged 59.
Below: Frank Hinds
Below: Frank and his mother.
Below: Artie and Frank Hinds playing tennis tournament,
Below: Tennis, both Frank and his brother Arthur known as ‘Artie’ are mentioned.
Camp Locations:
- Changi Aerodrome - Singapore
- Changi Gaol Camp - Singapore
- River Valley Road Camp - Singapore
- Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
- Thomson Road (Caldecot Hill Estate Camp) - Singapore
