The Soldier's Details

Jack enlisted AIF 25 May 1941.  He was 30 years old.  He recorded his NOK as Ellen Cormack 13 Hammer Street, Palmyra and had been a banana grower in Carnarvon.

He joined ‘A’ Coy 6 Platoon under CO  Lt Johnny Morrison.

Jack was sent to work on Burma-Thai railway from Java, where he landed rather than Singapore because he was one 90 odd 2/4th men who went AWOL from Aquitania when it anchored for one night at Gauge Roads off Fremantle on its journey to Singapore 15 January 1942.  Please read further

Also read about Java Party No. 4 Williams ForceThey were shipped to Burma.

Following the completion of Burma-Thai Railway, Jack was selected as fit to work in Japan with ‘Awa Maru’ Party which was initially sent mostly by rail to French Indo-China to Saigon where Japanese planned to send men to Japan on a ship.  Because the American Submarines had so effectively blockaded the port and area, the Japanese were forced to send POWs by rail back to Singapore to ship from there.  Please read about ‘Awa Maru’ Party.

Please read about Sendyu Camp, Japan

He suffered from the Nagasaki bomb radiation at Fukuoka sub-Camp No. 24 Sendyu.  Jack relayed his story of returning to the surface from working in the mine the day of the Atomic bomb – how surprised they were to see the sky lit up.  He spent time at Hollywood hospital throughout his life for the lingering after affects which plagued him throughout his life.

In his later years he would sit with others whilst they dined but he preferred not to eat with company.  His diet was limited, his eating very slow and awkward.

Read further about Jack’s memories of 9 August 1945 at Sendyu

He was reported by Japanese radio to be POW 16 September 1944

Below:  His Japanese records

 

 

 

Family history.…..There are several versions.   Jack would not have been told any facts of his life prior to going to Fairbridge and would not have been sure of anything.  Most Fairbridge children knew little of their backgrounds.

 

Jack had been sent out to Australia from Swanley Boys Orphanage in Kent to Kingsley Fairbridge Farm School.

He arrived Australia 9/3/1921 on “Omar” having just turned 10 years old.  His group was the first to be sent from England after WWI and consisted of just 15 boys and girls. Later groups were much larger.

At about 14 years of age he was ready for work and sent to a farm at Katanning for 5 shillings a week.  Worked 22 hours daily on a dairy farm – up at 4.30am to 8.45pm.  He was given 6 hours off on sundays.

Another job was at Katanning lumping wheat bags between 160-200 llbs a bag on horses without a track.  He also fed and groomed about 6 -8 horses.

1. This is one version – Jack’s father was a doctor who was killed about 1920 serving with the French Army during WW1 in Germany.

His parents Charles William Maude married 1906 Leeds, All Saints, Yorkshire, England to Edith Alice Worsnop.

2. Jack’s father was a tailor according to the 1911 Census and his mother worked as a milliner.

Above:  1911 Census for Yorkshire-West Riding, Leeds.

According to 1921 census Jack had by this time a younger  brother Geoffrey.  His father was then working as a tailor’s manager and cutter.

Name	Charles W Maude
Gender	Male
Marital Status	Married
Age	37 Years 11 Months
Relation to Head	Head
Estimated Birth Year	1883
Birth Place	Leeds, Yorkshire, England
Residence Date	1921
Residence Street Address	255 Maldon Rd, Colchester
Residence Place	Colchester, Essex, England
Occupation	Tailors Manager & Cutter
Occupation Code	400/6
Employer	Messrs Everett & Sons
Employer Code	341
Place of Work	2 High St, Colchester
Number of Children Under 16	2
Inhabited	Y
Ward	West
Parliamentary Division	Essex Pc, Colchester Div.
Registration District	Colchester
Registration District Number	198
Sub registration district	Colchester North West
Sub Registration District Number	2
Respondent	Mr Maude
Enumeration District Name	Colchester Mb
Enumeration District	16
Schedule	197
Schedule Type Code	E

Household members

Name	Age
Charles W Maude	37 Years 11 Months
Edith Maude	38 Years 1 Month
John W Maude	10 Years 9 Months
Geoffrey W Maude	7
Hilda H Baines	17 Years 5 Months

Hilda Baines is classified as Servant.

 

3.  Charles William Maude served in WW1 from 1914-1920:

Company WO 329 Regiment or Corps Labour Corps Regiment Number 124679 Medal Awarded British War Medal and Victory Medal.

His mother’s brother Roy Worsnop died 2 Sept 1918 France.

It is more likely, version 2 is correct.  However it is unknown why Jack was/when he was placed in an orphanage.

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Jack’s mother died in 1957.  It is not known if Jack and his mother ever communicated.

 

Jack maintained a life friendship with several other Fairbridge Kids including twins Dorothy and Florence Webb who also sailed with the “Omar” group.

His working contract from Fairbridge took him to Carnarvon 1921-1926, then 1929-30 he was located at Boyanup, Dardanup and Mt Barker.  Between the years 1931-1935 Jack was back working in the Carnarvon area and in 1941-42 was recorded in the City Directory as residing in Palmyra.

With  Fairbridge mates Ken Waters and Steve Brown, Jack regularly visited and maintained the friendship of Dorothy Webb and Henry Hawkesford, the first couple to marry at the new Fairbridge Church. The Hawkesford’s farmed at Cowaramup.   Phoebe Pinker (nee Hawkesford) daughter of Dorothy & Henry remembers ‘Uncle Jack’ being quietly spoken and a caring man.

Jack was competing in cycling out of Carnarvon throughout 1936, 1937.

 

Jack returned to Australia and took up several jobs gardening and worked at Perth College, Mt Lawley for many years; in 1952 he took a trip to England.

Jack took great care to remain healthy and fit.  He was a keen and talented tennis player; a member at East Fremantle Tennis Club.

When he retired he boarded at ‘Auntie Flo’s’ house in Fremantle. Florence being the twin sister to Dororthy Webb. When Flo died unexpectedly and her house sold, Jack found new accommodation close by where he had a carer look after him until his death in 2001.

Jack played tennis throughout his life however  he was a competitive cyclist in his early years.

 

In the above race, contestants included Ron Wheelock, younger brother to Jack Wheelock from 2/4th.

 

Above:  list includes Jack Wheelock WX8753 who also enlisted and joined 2/4th.

 

 

 

 

Below: Jack began a friendship with Colette Redolfi many years ago when she worked in Administration at Hollywood Hospital. Colette has provided these photos. Jack sent this one in 1995.

Colette lives interstate with her husband.

 

Jack’s Obituary written 2001 by Ron Moran, West Australia.

 

 

Typed version of Maude’s poem.

Below:  Jack Maude with Colette, Fairbridge.

 

 

 

Below:  with John Lane 1999.

Above: Jack Maude’s ashes were placed in the rose garden beside the chapple at his beloved Fairbridge.

 

 

Digger lived to tell of A-blast that flattened Nagasaki

Sunday Times-14th August 1994

 

 

 

Jack died on 18 March 2001.