The Soldier's Details

Surname:
Quinn
First Name:
Cecil George
Nick Name:
Bluey or George
Rank:
Private
Regimental #:
WX9285
Company:
‘D’ Company, No. 13 Platoon
Enlisted:
30.10.1940
Discharged:
9.01.1946
DOB:
27.07.1903
Place of Birth:
Wagin, Western Australia
Father's Name:
Francis Philip Daniel Quinn
Mothers's Name:
Harriet Quinn
Religion:
Church of England
Pre-war Occupation:
Barber
Singapore:
Escaped to Sumatra, Gloe Gloer, Atjeh Party, Pakan Baroe-Moearo Railway
Return Details 1945:
Sumatra-Singapore by aircraft; Singapore-Sydney, HMT Highland Chieftan; Sydney-Melbourne-Perth by troop train

General Description

Ggeorge Quinn enlisted AIF 30 Oct 1940.  He later joined ‘D’ Coy 13 Platoon under CO Lt Wankey.
Quinn was wounded in action north Lim Chu Kang Road on 9/2/1942. He was wounded again on 11/2/1942 receiving a shrapnel wound to his left foot.
Quinn managed to escaped to Sumatra from Singapore.  He was with Magill and Hopson.  Read about their escape to Sumatra.

Please read about Sumatra

George Quinn worked on the Pakan Baroe Railway.  He was airlifted to Singapore at the end of the war, and sailed home on Highland Chieftan.
Please read about the evacuation of the skeletal POWs from Sumatra at the end of the war
George Quinn had been working at Collie. Please read about the Collie Boys.
According to social notes recorded in ‘Borehole Bulletin’ January 1972 – George lived about 20 miles out of Jerramungup; his farmhouse built high on a hill which got a nice cool breeze in the hot weather.   Ruth and Gus Magor toured the south and visited them.  George’s property had been hit by a bad storm two months earlier.  They had lost a lot of sheep.  George, his wife and daughter were bright and cheerful!
The Magor’s were calling on several 2/4th boys – previously staying with Holdings at Narrogin, where they also met Blue Wilson’s brother who informed them ‘Blue’ had flown in from Hong Kong for a brief visit to see family.  Then to Gnowangerup, the Quinns at Jerramungup, to Albany, Manjimup to Collie where they stayed with Doug and Stella Tanner for a night.  Doug celebrating his 50th birthday.

 

George Quinn was born Wagin 1903 to parents Francis Philip Daniel Quinn and Harriet Agnes King who had married at Katanning.
Harriet Agnes King is sister to Olive Ellen King m. to George Christopher Ellis – parents of WX13079 Ronald Edward Ellis.

 

History of King family.

Emanuel Joaquin KING (Snr)  m. 18 Jul 1874 Lilliput, Victoria to Rachel Ann GEDING.

They had a family of 14 children.  Three of those children are:

  1. Emanuel (Jnr) KING b.29 Jun 1883 Rutherglen, Victoria. d. 3 Oct 1976 Perth.  He m. Helen Edith KELLY.
     Their daughter Sylvia Madeline KING b.25 July 1919 married 7 Feb 1940 Wagin to WX8540 Thomas William GREEN from 2/4th MGB.  Green  enlisted Oct 1940, was Driver with No. 3 Platoon  2/4th MGB.  AWOL at Fremantle Tommy Green missed boarding ‘Aquitania’ 16 Feb 1942 when she sailed for Singapore. He was sent to Java and taken POW of Japanese.   Selected to sail to Singapore from Java with ‘A Force Burma Java Party No. 4, Black Force.  Tommy  remained behind in Singapore when this Force departed for Burma, Tommy was obviously ill.  He was transported to Kuching from Singapore and joined ‘E’ Force at Sandakan. Tommy Green d. Sandakan 22 Jan 1945.

Below:  Tommy Green

 

  1. Harriet Agnes KING B. 19 JUL 1889 Rutherglen, Victoria m. Katanning to Francis Phillip Daniel QUINN.
Their son WX9285 Cecil George QUINN b. Wagin Jul 1905. Enlisted ‘D’ Coy 13 Platoon 2/4th  Quinn was wounded Lim Chu Kang Road on 9 Feb 1942 and then again 11 Feb 1942 with shrapnel wound to left foot.   Miraculously Quinn managed to escape (with 2 boys from  2/4th) to Sumatra where he was taken POW of Japan. He worked with Atjeh Party in north Sumatra.  Then was transported to work on Sumatran Railway where work conditions were brutal and finally there no food for the POWs or Japanese.
The Australian POWs were airlifted out of Sumatra on Duke Gloucester’s aircraft.  Quinn returned to Fremantle aboard Highland Chieftan.  Several other WA 2/4th former POWs from Sumatra were flown to Perth because their health was so frail.

Below: Quinn

 

  1. Olive Ellen KING b. 5 Feb 1895 Rutherglenn, Victoria m.1911 Katanning to George Christopher ELLIS of Wagin.
  • Their son WX13079 Ronald Edward ELLIS DOW Singapore 11 Feb 1942. Ellis was reinforcement with ‘D’ Coy 16 Platoon, 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion.
  • Below:  Ron Ellis
George Quinn married 1941 to Norma June Firkin. They had two children Donna Gail and Daniel Benjamin.
His father died 1955 and his mother 1966.

He died 21 May 1974 at Jerramumgup.

Camp Locations:

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  • Gloe Gloer Camp - Sumatra
  • Pakan Baroe-Moearo - Sumatra **
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