The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Smith
- First Name:
- Jack Edward
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX12252
- Company:
- ‘D’ Company 14 Platoon
- Enlisted:
- 2.05.1941
- Discharged:
- 25.03.1946
- DOB:
- 17.08.1919
- Place of Birth:
- England
- Father's Name:
- John Henry Smith
- Mothers's Name:
- Alice Smith
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Farmhand
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp Changi
- Force:
- ‘A’ Force Burma, Green Force, No. 3 Battalion.
- Camps Thailand:
- Tamarkan
- Camps Burma:
- Victoria Point, Tavoy, Thanbyuzat, Thetkaw 14km, Meiloe 75km, Aungganung 105km
- POW#:
- 2930
- Return Details 1945:
- Thailand-Singapore by aircraft, Singapore‐Fremantle, HMT Highland Brigade.
General Description
Read about Jack’s mother receiving mail from Burma and Jack’s mates.
Jack was selected in Singapore to work on the Burma end of the Railway with ‘A’ Force Burma Green Force No. 3 Battalion.
Please read about Green Force No. 3 Battalion
At the end of the war Jack was at Tamarkan Camp, Thailand and was recovered from there.
Jack Smith died in Perth in 1955, aged 34 years having been fatally injured at his work place.
His tragic and young death seems unfair. Jack had survived some very tough years as a POW working on the railway and almost 4 years as a POW of the Japanese. He was newly married, he and his wife had their first child and were looking forward to their lives ahead.
His mother died in 1971 and his father in 1981.
Jack departed England November 1924 on the ‘Bendigo’ to Western Australian with his parents and younger sister, 3 year old Vivian Alice who died August 1930 aged 9 years. His father John Henry Smith recorded his occupation as soldier. He enlisted in 1912 as a 17 year old and served with the Queen´s Royal West Surrey Regiment.
There were 3 additional children after the family arrived in WA, Albert, Stanley and Muriel.
Please read about other 2/4th men injured or killed in workplace accidents.
Camp Locations:
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
- Tamarkan, Tha Makham 56k - Thailand
- Aungganaung,105Kilo - Burma
- Kendau, Kandaw, 4 Kilo - Burma
- Meilo, 75 Kilo, 340k - Burma
- Tavoy (Dawei) - river port - Burma
- Victoria Point, Kawthoung - Burma. \'A\' Force, Green Force No. 3 Btn
- Thetkaw 14 Kilo - Burma
