The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Reay
- First Name:
- George Linton
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX16281
- Classification:
- Stretcher Bearer
- Company:
- Battalion Headquarters
- Enlisted:
- 1.09.1941
- Discharged:
- 4.01.1946
- DOB:
- 9.05.1904
- Place of Birth:
- Newcastle, England
- Father's Name:
- William Reay
- Mothers's Name:
- Esther Reay
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Farmhand
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp and Barracks Changi; Changi Gaol Camp
- POW#:
- 1/9060
- Return Details 1945:
- Singapore-Darwin-Sydney, HMT Arawa; Sydney-Melbourne by troop train; Melbourne-Fremantle, HMT Strathmore
General Description
The following note was removed from this soldier’s paybook and is now held by the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
‘It is with pleasure that I express my appreciation to you on the completion of one year’s duty with the Forestry Company of the A.I.F. Prisoner’s of War Camp Changi. Your duties have been arduous and at times very irksome but you have continued despite the adverse conditions to perform the essential duties of procuring firewood. Without your continued loyalty and devotion to the special work the health and comfort of the A.I.F. would not have been so good as it was. My thanks to each one of you and I hope the period of duty will soon draw to a close.”
Signed
Brigadier General Callaghan
George L Reay departed England on 22 April 1926 on board SS Baradine at 21 years of age. His occupation was recorded as ploughman and his last known address was Birney Hill Farm, Ponteland.
He gained employment throughout rural WA until enlisting in September 1941 and was a Stretcher Bearer with Battalion Headquarters. He remained in Singapore during the war.
After the war he continued working around Brookton, Lake Grace. He passed away on 18th April 1988.
Camp Locations:
- Changi Gaol Camp - Singapore
- Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
