The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Wilson
- First Name:
- John
- Nick Name:
- Jack
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX17973
- Company:
- 'E' Company, Special Reserve Battalion
- Enlisted:
- 10.12.1941
- DOB:
- 23.03.1907
- Place of Birth:
- Newcastle, England
- Father's Name:
- John Coutts Wilson
- Mothers's Name:
- Ann Wilson
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Timber Worker
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp and Barracks Changi
- Force:
- 'D' Force Thailand V Battalion
- Camps Thailand:
- Tarsau, Brankassi
- Cause of Death:
- Dysentery
- Place of Death:
- Brankassi
- Date of Death:
- 25.08.1943
- Buried:
- Kanchanaburi War Cemetery
General Description
Jack enlisted AIF 10 Dec 1941 and quickly joined 2/4th MGB. He was entrained from Northam to Fremantle where he boarded ‘Aquitania’ 15 January 1942 at Gage Roads and joined ‘E’ Battalion SRB.
At Singapore Jack was fortunate to survive the Japanese ambush at South West Bukit Timah where more than half ‘E’ Force, made up a new recruits were KIA or WIA. Jack was able to make a safe getaway. Please read further about Bukit Timah
As a POW at Singapore, Jack departed by train to work in Thailand on the Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force Thailand, V Battatlion. Please read further.
Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Thailand
It is apparent Jack Wilson was a very popular and highly regarded your man with so many notices from friends and family.
Unfortunately we have no knowledge of when Jack arrived in WA. It appears his mother and some of his family also came to WA. His mother Ann Wilson married 1925 Denzil (Denny) Simpson and they resided for some time at Collie and then according to his death notices below, Denny and Annie resided at Bunbury. Denny died in April 1948.
Jack married about 1932 Collie to Olive Elsie Mills of Bowelling. They had two sons Denzil John b. 1939 and Brian Edward b. 1940. Denzil John was named after Jack’s stepfather Denny Simpson.
