The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Dawe
- First Name:
- Norman Francis
- Rank:
- Pte
- Regimental #:
- WX4144
- Company:
- D Coy 2/3rd MGB
- Enlisted:
- 14.06.1940
- DOB:
- 27.01.1914
- Place of Birth:
- Cottesloe WA
- Father's Name:
- Dawe Francis (Frank) John Winch
- Mothers's Name:
- Dawe, Ellen Ann 'Nell' (nee Whittaker)
- Religion:
- Congregrational
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Farm hand
- POW#:
- 6834, 34937 Thailand.
- Place of Death:
- Hintock, Thailand
- Date of Death:
- 28.06.1943
- Buried:
- Kanchanaburi War Cemetery Row J, Plot I, Grave 25.
General Description
Review WX4144 Norman Francis’ military records held at NAA.
Norm Dawe was taken POW in Java (then named Batavia) by the Japanese about 8 March 1942. All POWs were interned in one of several POW camp locations until he was one of large work party shipped to Singapore then to Burma-Thai Railway. This work Party Commanding Officer was Weary Dunlop.
Frank Dawe was a patient of Weary Dunlop’s when he died at 0130 hours on 28 July 1943 of amoebic Dysentery at Hintok Mountain Camp on Burma Thai Railway. Dunlop recorded his death in his diary.
From ‘Weary Dunlop Diaries” Jave and Burma Thailand Railway.
Above: Kinsaiyok POW Camp, Thailand Cemetery.
Dawe died of dysentery 28 June 1943. Other West Australian 2/3rd POWs to die of dysentery at at this camp include Watson and Robinson. Those who died of Cholera – Rainbird, Withnell, Todd, Jenkins and Holland.
The 2/3rd men would have known each other well having been together since enlistment and then the challenging time since being taken POWs in Java.
Norm’s parents Francis (Frank) Dawe and Ellen Whittaker married in 1913. Norm had one sister Phyllis and one brother Trevor. The Dawe family family farmed in the Nungarin region until selling their farm in 1943.
Norm’s brother Trevor also enlisted. WX28055.
Norm’s father Frank Dawe b. SA died 1954 aged 73 years and his mother Ellen known as Nell Dawe (nee Whittaker) b. NSW died 24 July 1979 at Nungarin aged 93 years. Both were buried at Nungarin.
Below: History of Norm’s father Frank Dawe.
Below: Tragedy hits the Dawe family – Norm’s Uncle and brother to his father, Archie drowned while swimming at Basendean in March 1928 aged 34 years. Archie was farming at Nungarin. Norm was about 20 years old. The community of the district of Nungarin would have been shocked and saddened.
Below: The following month, April 1928 Norm’s Grandfather Samuel John Dawe died aged 79 years. It was barely a months since his son Archie drowned.
Below: In April 1931 Samuel’s wife and Grandmother to Norm died aged 74 years.
