The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Cryer
- First Name:
- Albert
- Nick Name:
- Albie, Bert or Bertie
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX9004
- Classification:
- Despatch Rider
- Company:
- 'D' Company, No. 15 Platoon.
- Enlisted:
- 25.10.1940
- DOB:
- 17.09.1910
- Place of Birth:
- England
- Father's Name:
- Charles Henry Cryer
- Mothers's Name:
- Martha Cryer (nee Edmundsen)
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Shop Assistant
- Memorial:
- Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Plot 1, Row H, Grave 73, Age 32.
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp Changi, Johore Bahru, Adam Park, Selarang Barracks Changi.
- Force:
- 'D' Force Thailand, S Battalion
- Camps Thailand:
- Tarsau, Kanu II.
- POW#:
- 8760
- Cause of Death:
- Typhus
- Place of Death:
- Kanu 1 River Camp
- Date of Death:
- 28.07.1943
- Buried:
- Kanu 1 River Camp Cemetery, Grave No. 75.
General Description
Cryer did an excellent job in action.
Please read further about ‘D’ Force 15 Platoon
Whilst at Adam Park where sleeping conditions were extremely cramped Bert slept head to head with Ron Badock.
Whilst in Singapore Bert was selected with ‘D’ Force S Battalion to work on the Burma-Thai Railway. He left Singapore on14 March 1943.
On 28 July 1943 at the age of 32 years and only a few months after arriving in Thailand Bert died of typhus at Kanu I River Camp (area of Hellfire Pass) and was buried in the nearby cemetery. At war’s end his body was interred and he rests at Kanchanaburi War Cemetery where he is one of 91 men from the 2/4th.
Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, 2018
Bert Cryer arrived Fremantle on ‘Omar’ 2 April 1922 aged 11 years with his mother Martha and sister May. Albert was one of at least 6 siblings in his family and it is believed one of more siblings also moved to Australia to live including brother Charles.
Prior to his enlistment, Bert was residing in Subiaco and recorded his mother Martha as his NOK.
Albert’s sweetheart pre war was Joan Guthrie (at that time Joan Chalmers), it is unsure whether they were engaged or not. Joan worked at Foys and was a very good friend of Fred Badock, Ron’s brother. It is assumed that a letter from Albert in 1941was passed on to the Badock’s when Joan and Ray, her husband, had passed on. Read the letter from Albert to Joan.
Postcards were rarely received by family from the POW’s, this is one received by Albert’s mother.
Camp Locations:
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- Johore Bahru, - Malaysia
- Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
- Kanu II, 152.30k - Thailand
- Tarsau, Tha Sao 125k - Thailand