The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Heppell
- First Name:
- Colin Leslie
- Nick Name:
- Hepp
- Rank:
- Corporal (Promoted on 24.1.1942)
- Regimental #:
- WX9348
- Company:
- 'C' Company, No 12 Platoon (Section Commander)
- Enlisted:
- 30.10.1940
- DOB:
- 3.07.1906
- Place of Birth:
- Niangel, Victoria
- Father's Name:
- Robert Heppell
- Mothers's Name:
- Agnes Heppell
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Storekeeper
- Memorial:
- Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Collective Grave, Plot 10, Row C, Grave 3-5, Age 38.
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp and Barracks Changi
- Force:
- 'D' Force, V Battalion
- Camps Thailand:
- Kinsaiyok, Brankassi, Kuii,
- POW#:
- 4/4505 & 2213
- Cause of Death:
- Colitis
- Place of Death:
- Kuii
- Date of Death:
- 6.10.1943
- Buried:
- Grave No. 93, Kuii.
General Description
Colin Heppell spent 12 months with CMF Victoria.
He enlisted AIF Oct 1940 later joining 2/4th ‘C’ Company No. 12 Platoon.
Please read further about men of 12 Platoon
Read about ‘D’ Force Thailand V Battalion and Kuii Camp
Corporal Colin Heppell was a driver for Col. Anketell. He died Kuii POW Camp 6 Oct 1943 of Colitis aged 38 years.
Above photograph taken January 2018, C. Mellor
Colin Heppell was selected in Singapore to work on the Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force V Battalion and departed Singapore by rail to Bampong, Thailand. The first work camp V Battalion was sent to was Kinsaiyok, then Brankassi. It is probable Colin was then sent to Hindaine before arriving at Kuii where he died in October 1943.
Colin was born at Nalangil in Victoria in July 1905. He was one of nine sons and two daughters born to Robert and Agnes Heppell of Colac, Victoria and grew up on the family farm.
He attended primary school at Nalangil and high school at Colac, Victoria. He enjoyed sport particularly Australian Rules football.
After leaving school he joined the National Bank at Colac as a teller. In 1927, he moved to Perth and continued as a teller at the National Bank there.
In 1932, he married Alfreda (Freda) Morton and later became the owner and storekeeper of the general store at Gnowangerup
Prior to enlisting, Colin Heppell and his wife were residing in Gnowangerup where Colin was a storekeeper. Colin Heppell and his wife Freda were very active community people. He was involved in and gave his time to many interests as can be read below.
Above is 1936.
Freda Heppell sells their Gnowangerup Store in 1946 she is now widowed and has 3 sons to care for.
Camp Locations:
- Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
- Brankassi, Prang Kasi, 208k - Thailand
- Hindaine, Kui Mang 200k - Thailand
- Kinsaiyok Main, 170.2k - Thailand
- Kuii, Kui Yae, 185.6k - Thailand
