The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Hortin
- First Name:
- Melville William
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX9323
- Classification:
- Scout
- Company:
- ‘B’ Company, No 7 Platoon, No. 1 Gunner, 1 Section.
- Enlisted:
- 30.10.1940
- Discharged:
- 17.12.1845
- DOB:
- 22.11.1913
- Place of Birth:
- Bully Acre, South Australia
- Father's Name:
- Willaim Lawrence Hortin
- Mothers's Name:
- Jane Hortin (nee Stagg)
- Religion:
- Methodist
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Share Farmer
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp and Barracks Changi; Kranji Hospital Woodlands
- POW#:
- 1/8093
- Return Details 1945:
- Singapore-Darwin ‐Labuan, 2/1st H.M. Australian Hospital Ship Manunda; Labuan-Darwin-Broome-Perth, PBY Catalina (2.10.1945)
General Description
Hortin enlisted AIF 30 Oct 1940 and later joined 2/4th MGB’s ‘B’ Company 7 Platoon under Commanding Officer Lt. Dean.
Admitted to 2/9th Field Ambulance with shell shock. Transferred to 2/13th Australian General Hospital 16/2/1942 and discharged to unit on 21/2/1942. Hortin was in a gun pit when hit, he could not recall anything of the incident however suffered full body (except his head) partial paralysis. He was also with Curly Collins at the Cathay Building when hit in the elbow with shrapnel.
He was permanently unable to work.
Hortin suffered from asthma when it rained and because the extensive concrete areas at Changi aggravated his condition he was transferred to Kranji Camp, Woodlands, a dirt camp. Asthma was the reason Hortin and Lush were not sent away from Singapore suffering from asthma when it rained.
NB. There were three reasons for retention in Singapore, these being age, health or that the soldier provided an essential service in the way of a trade skills to the Changi Cantonment.
Melville Hortin was recovered from Kranji Camp 31 August 1945.
Please read about the Boys from Bruce Rock
Below: Mel’s grandmother died in 1946 in SA.
Mel Hortin’s parents William and Jane moved to Western Australia with their six children. Melville was the eldest of 5 boys and 1 sister residing in the Shackleton/Bruce Rock area.
After the war Melville married Irene Winifred East in June 1947. They had one daughter and one son.
Melville Hortin died 12 February 2010, Perth.
Below: Remembrance Plaque at the Kwinana RSL Park Wall. The other 2/4th is Bryan Manwaring, who started the Kwinana RSL Sub Branch.
Camp Locations:
- Kranji Camp Woodlands - Singapore
- Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
