The Soldier's Details

Krasnostein enlisted AIF August 1940.  He later joined 2/4th’s Headqquarters Coy No. 3 Platoon as a Driver.

Les was wounded 10 Feb 1942 Jurong Road.  Admitted to 13 AGH with shrapnel wound to right shoulder.  He was transferred to 2/9th Field Ambulance 15 Feb 1942.  Discharged to unit 22 Feb 1942.

Les was selected from Selarang to work on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force Thailand, V Battalion, leaving Singapore Railway Station on 17 Mar 1943 on a 4 day horror trip to Thailand.  He had been a POW in Singapore for just over 12 months.

Les was in Thailand from March 1943 to June 1944.  It is known he was at Hindaine Camp and Non Pladuk from where he was selected on 4 March 1944 with ‘Aramas’ Party  to work in Japan.

Please read further about ‘D’ Force Thailand, V Battalion

V Battalion suffered one of the highest death rates on the Railway.

The Aramis Party were sent by train back to Singapore where they were accommodated at Orchard Road Camp prior to sailing to Japan on 16th Dec 1944.

Read furrther about ‘Aramis’ Party.

After arriving in Japan Les was assigned to work at Fukuoka sub-Camp No. 17, Omuta.  He remained here from July 1944 to Sep 1945.  During April 1945 Les was badly beaten.

Read Affidavits by Les Krasnostein.

Read about Omuta Camp

He was recovered from Japan at the end of war.

 

 

 

 

After the war Les changed his name to Krass and moved to Victoria where he passed away on 29/8/1995.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Krasnostein’s mother Matleh Weinstein b. Russia 1866  died 18 Dec 1936 Zichron Yacon, Israel and his father Yitzhak Bonstein (Krasnostein) b. 1863 Russia died 24 May 1933 Zikhron Yaakov, Israel.

In Dec 1928 Les married Beatrice Zeffertt, known as Dolly.  Dolly was born in Liverpool, England 13 Aug 1900 she was the youngest of nine children.

In September 1929, Dolly’s mother Yetta Zeffert died aged 70 years in Perth.  Her husband Jacob Zeffert  b. Poland, had died in Liverpool, England in 1919.

 

 

 

 

 

In 1939 Les and Dolly are residing Hammersley Street, Cottesloe he is a Dealer.

In the 1954 Electoral Roll Les and Dolly are residing 19 Broadway Street, St Kilda.  Les is a Belt Manufacturer.

 

 

Les Krasnostein died 28 August 1995 in Victoria and was buried Melbourne Chevra Kadisha – Springvale.

 Beatrice died in 1979.

 

These are the Jewish details of  Les Krasnostein’s death  and burial in Melbourne, Victoria.

 

Below:  Les is interviewed for the Australian Jewish Newspaper Friday 28 April 1995 at Montifore Aged Care Home, where he resided. He passed away just a few months later.