The Soldier's Details

Lt Vic Warhurst enlisted at Paddington NSW and following training at Duntroon and was allocated to the Western Australian raised 2/4 MGB. He was sent with the Battalion firstly to South Australia and then  Northern Territory for further training.

At Singapore Vic Warhurst was allocated to the position of  CO of the newly formed ‘E’ Coy HQ with Lt Harry DeMoulin as his 2 I/C.

The CO of ‘E’ Coy was Major Bert Saggers who was transferred from ‘C’ Company.

At Singapore three newly created ‘E’ Coy Platoons were formed – their soldiers were mostly reinforcements from Northam Army Camp, some with a month or two training and many with as little as week or no training.

No. 1 Platoon  Lt Green

No. 2  Lt Jimmy Till No.

No. 3  Lt Mazza.

‘At 0100 hours on 10 Feb ‘E’ Coy SRB was positioned astride Jurong Road with a British Battalion on one side and an Indian Battalon on the other forming a defensive line. They had been ordered by Percival to retake Bukit Timah – a desperate attempt  as  the 22nd Brigade had withdrawn and this order was more than likely to fail with such small forces.  

At dawn Saggers ordered his Battalion to move off this vulernable location. The British did also. Everywhere Japanese soldiers could be seen in the dawn light and at 7.30am fighting began. At 0850 orders came that the combined force was to retire (fight their way out) with the Indians on the left Flank, Australians in the centre and the British on the right flank.

The three columns marched about a mile through dense scrub and reached a bare saucer like depression of open country about 600 yards by 400 yard wide. As the columns moved forward light automatic and small arms fire broke up the three columns and men scattered in all directions.  The Indians in particular panicked holding up white flags.  Many had fallen before some order was restored and those still standing managed to attack the Japanese in a bayonet charge.  Reformatory Road was their target.

A head count revealed 88 of the original 200 E Coy men now remained.  They had to leave wounded and a men would be found having made contact with other Platoons.

Green, Till and Mazza were all killed, as well officers De Moulin and Warhurst. At South West Bukit Timah the Platoons were virtually pinned down and tragically only 88 of 200 men survived.

It is believed there may have been as many as 1100 of the total 1500 (Allied) soldiers were killed at Sleepy Valley.  Only 400 soldiers managed to escape from the Japanese to the Australian defence line at Ulu Pandan.’

 

Warhurst was wounded in action by mortar fire when ‘E’ Coy SRB ran into Japanese ambush at SW Bukit Timah on 11 Feb 1942 resulting in many KIA and injured.   His thigh was shattered as a result of the blast. An eye witness stated that five Japanese soldiers appeared on the scene and ended this young man’s life with his own rifle and bayonet.

Please read further about E Coy, SRB

 

 

Vic was 24 years old when he was killed 11 Feb1942 at Singapore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vic and his twin brother Raymond Wilfred (Wilf) were born Jan1918 to parents Victor Arnold Warhurst and Olive Drew Sharland who married in SA in1913.  The boys had two older sisters.

Vic’s father Victor Arnold Warhurst died in 1943.  His mother died 1957.

Vic married Dec 1940 to Joan Shirley Verco of Adelaide. Joan moved to live in Northam when Vic was transferred.  Joan died 2024 and was buried SA.  Vic and Joan had a daughter Patricia, whom Vic never had the opportunity to meet.

Joan was the daughter of Jessie Constance and Frank Amos Verco.  Her mother died Jan 1949 and her father Frank died May 1950 in South Australia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below:  Vivc’s father Victor Arnold Warhurst died in 1943.

 

 

Below:  Vic’s twin brother Wilf married in Dec 1946.