Rob Sloane enlisted AIF Aug 1940, trained as a Driver and later joined 2/4th’s Battalion HQ under CO Lt-Col Michael Anketell.
Rob Sloane & Percy Gibbs –
Good Mates – Rob Sloane KIA 9/2/1942, hit during a bombing raid by Japanese aircraft & his mate Percy Gibbs who RTA.
Above: Standing L to R : Rob, believed to Keith, Arthur known as Bunny (RAAF) with their father. Rob and Arthur lost their lives.
Rob Sloane WX7506
Rob Sloane WX7506
Rob’s family learnt of his tragic death almost immediately, he had been KIA 9 Feb 1942 at Jurong Road, Singapore. He was killed during bombing by Japanese aircraft.
Robert Sloane was of four sons born to parents Walter John Sloane and Annie Lillian Tempest who married 1910 in the Murchison.
Annie Lilian Sloane (nee Tempest) was daughter of Annie Josephine and Arthur Tempest.
Below: Annie’s father Arthur William Tempest died 1915. The Sloane family were then residing in Greenbushes. Annie’s mother Annie Josephine died 1929. By this time the Sloane family had moved to Victoria Park where they would continue to reside.
Prior to Rob’s marriage in about 1937 Rob was residing with his parents in Victoria Park. He married Evelyn Magee, known as Betty about 1937.
Rob left his widowed wife Betty and young son Bobby.
Confirmation of Rob’s death was received by his family prior to surrender on 15 Feb 1942. Was this a blessing? So many families waited as long as 1946 for confirmation of the death of their loved ones.
Below: Rob’s brother Arthur Henry Sloane, with RAAF died 4 Sept 1945. He is buried Ambon Cemetery, Indonesia.
Above: Walter Sloane was son of Janet Sloane. She was also grandmother to Rob Sloane. Janet’s daughter Alberta was married to Carl Giese who was brother to WX7998 Phil Giese’s father Ernst Emil Giese and Aunt to Phillip Arthur Giese. Western Australia’s population was less than 500,000.
Evelyn ‘Betty’ Magee’s father died 27 June 1930 aged 75 years and was buried at Narrogin. Her mother Anne died in 1935. Anne was obviously a talented tennis player.
