The Soldier's Details

Starcevich enlisted AIF 23 Oct 1940.  He later joined 2/4th MGB’s ‘B’ Company & 7 Platoon under Commanding Officer Penrod Dean.

As a POW in Singapore he originally marched to Changi and was accommodated at Selarang Camp prior to leaving on work parties to Jahore Bahru ans Adam Park.

He left Singapore by train to work on the Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force Thailand Captain Fred Harris Party.

Japan:  Sailed with ‘Aramis’ Party.

Joe’s left leg was injured in a rock fall below ground on 5/1/1945 while working at the Omuta Mine, Japan.  Omuta mine was then being run by Mitsui.

The leg in question was amputated over 50 years later which means Joe would have been in his mid 70’s.

 

 

 

 

‘WRS’ or Bob Baker was from Esperance/Norseman area.  The two men knew each other well/  Baker lost his life in Sept 1944 in the South China Sea when his POW Transport ship was torpedoed by American Submarines.

 

 

Read about Capt. Fred Harris Party

 

Please read about ‘D’ Force Thailand, U Battalion

The following day on 23^rd March the group were transported in open flat railway trucks to Kanchanaburi. S, T and V Battalions had already arrived at Kanchanaburi before U Battalion. It was here that Capt. Fred Harris reluctantly agreed to command a 225 strong POW work party which had been ordered by the Japanese be separated and remain behind to load ballast onto trains. When the group moved out of Kanchanaburi several men, Joe Starcevich and James Flanagan were too ill to continue, having consumed pork which was too rich, and remained behind!!

Being the tail end of ‘D’ Force, U Battalion tendered to gather in stragglers from other groups as they passed through from the lower camps of Thailand moving north of Kanchanaburi.  Tom Cato from S Battalion joined U Battalion at Tarsau June 1943.

On 4th April the Japanese arrived to pick up U Battalion in a convoy of trucks to take then to their next destination, Tarsau.  Many had thought they would be marching – so this was a pleasant surprise.

Tarsau  Camp 4 April 1943 to 24 May 1943

Tarsau North Camp 24 May 1943 to 2 June 1943

Tonchan Camp 2 June 1943 to 28 June 1943

Kanu II Camp 30 June 1943 to 10 July 1943

Hintok River Camp 11 July 1943 to 16 July 1943

Around mid July Japanese issued orders for U Battalion to move back down river by barge to the British Camp at Tonchan Central.

Tonchan Central Camp 17 July 1943 to 21 September 1943

We believe Joe would have been selected  to work in Japan while he was at Non Pladuk.

Please read about ‘Arams’ Party to Japan

Please read further about the notorious Omuta Camp, Japan.

Joe was recovered from Japan at the end of the war.

Joe’s records from Japan.

 

________

Joe’s parents Croatian born Joseph Starcevich and Australian born Gertrude May Walter married Laverton 1915. Joseph Frederick (Joe) was the eldest of 10 children born over a period of 16 years.  Joseph (snr) enlisted in the Australian Army Volunteer Defence Corps on 5th April 1942 and was posted to the 8th Battalion.  He died in 1961.

The Starcevich family had five sons serving Australian Military.

Below:  the Starcevich family  receive news of Joe.

 

 

 

 

 

In about 1948 Joe married Myrtle Ellen Allsop.
They had four children.

In the 1954 and 1958 Electoral Rolls Joe and Myrtle resided Carey Park, Bunbury where Joe worked as wood machinist.

The following information has been taken from Carnamah Historial Society  https://www.carnamah.com.au/bio/joseph-frederick-starcevich)

‘Resided in Carnamah 1958-1970
Farmhand for his brother L. Thomas STARCEVICH in Carnamah and later for the WALLACE family in Coorow
From 1968 to 1970 himself and his wife had 4,491 acres of prospective farmland west of Carnamah in Victoria Location 10887.
Victoria Location 10887 bounds the south side of the Carnamah-Eneabba Road and the west side of the Chatfield Clarke Road
In 1970-71 appears to have sold Victoria Location 10887 to Kenneth W., E. Millicent, James K. & Margaret BUSSENSCHUTT.
Father of Kevin, Colin, Brian and Norma.
Died 27 May 2007 and at his request his body was given for research.’

In 1963 Joe and Myrtle were living Coorow farming.

In 1977 Joe and Myrtle were residing 169 Brigids Terrace, Scarborough.  In 1980 they were at same street, but suburb was now known as Wembley.

Joe died in Perth in 2007 but was buried at Esperance.  He was 91 years old.

His parents were also buried at Esperance.  His father Joseph died in 1961 aged 68 years and his mother Gertrude May died 1969 at Esperance aged 72 years.

 

 

 

 

 

Two large families from Grass Patch included the Starcevich and Smith families.  Please read further.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Younger brother Stan Starcevich returns from Korea 1952.

 

 

Below:  Brother Allan’s wife dies 1954