The Soldier's Details

Jack Colbey was driver to Capt. Smith-Ryan.

During the fighting at Singapore, he was ordered by C.O.  to lay down arms at Botanic Gardens 2000 hours 14 February 1942.

Changi – Selarang  Feb 1942 – May 1942

Thomson Road  May 1942 – Dec 1942 (Caldecote Hill Estate Camp)

Changi Gaol Camp Dec 1942 – Nov 1943

Blakang Mati  Nov1943 – Aug 1945

Colbey was available for ‘F’ Force, however was evacuated to AGH Changi on 18 Apr 1943 with amblyopia (impaired vision).  He was recovered from Kranji  Camp on 31 August 1945.

Colbey married at Fremantle in 1941 to Elizabeth Stella Mulchay.

After the war the couple were found to be living in 1949 at Norseman where Jack Colbey was a miner, in 1958 they were living at Preston Point Road , East Fremantle then from about 1972 through to 1980 Jack was working as a station-hand and the couple were residing at Milly Milly Station, Cue.

Elizabeth died October 1983 and Jack died 28 October 2011 at the age of 99 years.  Elizabeth and Jack were buried at Karrakatta cemetery.

John Colbey’s father Harold Cuthbert Colbey died 1919 South Australia and his mother Clara Isabella Blaser died in 1958 in SA. They had married about 1910 in Mylor, SA. John or ‘Jack’ was one of four children of this marriage.

Below:  Harold Colbey died 1919 only 32 years old.  His is son of Thomas James Colbey and Charlotte Ann (nee Kennell).

Clara Colbey remarried in 1929 to Arthur Hampton. Clara’s parents are Carl Blaser and her mother Johanne Louisa Augusta Pobke.

None of Jack’s siblings came to WA – we would assume he moved to WA Goldfields seeking a fortune or work!  He was working at Norseman when he enlisted in 1940.