The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Hadfield
- First Name:
- Ralph William
- Nick Name:
- Whacker
- Rank:
- Corporal (Promoted on 24.1.1942)
- Regimental #:
- WX7246
- Classification:
- Rangetaker
- Company:
- ‘C’ Company, No. 10 Platoon (Section Corporal)
- Enlisted:
- 1.04.1940
- Discharged:
- 2.05.1946
- DOB:
- 12.08.1917
- Place of Birth:
- Leonora, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- Herbert Thomas Hadfield
- Mothers's Name:
- Nancy Teresa Hadfield (Cummins)
- Religion:
- Roman Catholic
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Dairyman and Truck Driver
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp Changi; Johore Bahru, Adam Park (4.4.1942-27.12.1942); Selarang Barracks Changi (27.12.1942-14.3.1943) River Valley Road Transit Camp
- Force:
- ‘D’ Force Thailand, S Battalion
- Camps Thailand:
- Tarsau (27.3.1943-24.4.1943); Kanu II (25.4.1943-11.7.1943; Hintok River Camp (11.7.1943-23.8.1943); Tarsau (23.8.1943-26.4.1944); Tamuang (26.4.1944-21.6.1944)
- Camps Japan:
- Yamane (10.9.1944-18.5.1945); Niihama (18.5.1945-13.9.1945)
- POW#:
- 4 /4500, 8730 and 1546
- Japan:
- Rashin Maru Party
- Return Details 1945:
- Wakayama‐Okinawa, USSSanctuary; Okinawa-Manila, USS Bingham; Manila-Sydney, HMS Speaker; Sydney-Melbourne-Perth by troop train
General Description
Ralph William Hadfield was born 1917 Leonora to parents Herbert Thomas and Nancy Teresa Hadfield (nee Cummins) who married in Victoria in 1912.
He was one of six children, five sons and one daughter.
His father Herbert Thomas Hadfield died at Leonora 1955. His mother died at Leonora in 1974.
His father was Leonora’s Milk Purveyor, ‘Jersey Dairy’ which is where Ralph was working. Herbert Thomas was an active community member, involved in many local events including the Roads Board.
He enlisted with AIF at Leonora 1 Aug 1940 and later joined 2/4th MGB’s ‘C’ Company 10 Platoon under Commanding Officer Lt. Wilson as a rangetaker.
Also from Leonora was Gilbert Hadden WX7213 who joined ‘C’ Coy 12 Platoon.
Wenn Collection – 10 Platoon
Back L-R: Jimmy Quinn, Les Marriott, Johhny Clare, Clarrie Henderson, Ralph Hadfield. Front L-R: Don Maning, Wenn, Ern Ricketts.
The following are the camps Hadfield was sent as POW
Adam Park, Singapore 4 Apr – 27 Dec 1942
Selarang Barracks, Singapore 27 Dec 42 – 14 Mar 1943
‘D’ Force Thailand S Battalion
Tarsau Camp, Thailand 27 Mar – 24 Apr 1943
Kanu II (Burma-Thai Railway) 25 April – 11 Jul 1943
Hintok River Camp (Burma-Thai Railway) 11 Jul – 23 Aug 1943
Tarsau Hospital Camp 23 Aug 1943 – 26 Apr 1944
Tamuang Camp 26 Apr – 21 Jun 1944 – Selected to work in Japan with ‘Rashin’ Maru Party
Yamane, Japan 10 Sep 1944 – 18 May 1945
Niihama, Japan 18 May – 13 Sep 1945
He was recovered from Niihama at the end of the war.
Whilst working at Yamane he was bashed on head by mechanical shovel and was ‘sick’ 15.8.1945.
Front: George Chatfield, Norm Thompson, Claude Dow, Andrew ‘Mick’ Lambie.
Hadfield sailed to Manila to Sydney, Australia on HMS ‘Speaker’ please read about Speaker
Ralph Hadfield married in 1946 to Grace J. Whittington. Several mates from 2/4th were able to attend – Tom Finlay, Len Armstrong, Jim Flanagan and Albbie Miller. Harry Fuhrmann was unable to attend as he was then in hospital.
He died in 1992 at South Perth.
Camp Locations:
- Adam Park Camp - Singapore
- Johore Bahru, - Malaysia
- River Valley Road Camp - Singapore
- Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
- Hintok River Camp, 158k - Thailand
- Kanu II, 152.30k - Thailand
- Tamuang, Tha Muang 39k - Thailand
- Tarsau, Tha Sao 125k - Thailand
- Nihama, Hiroshima #2-B- Japan
- Yamane, Hiroshima #3-D - Japan
