The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Pitts
- First Name:
- Albert Leslie
- Nick Name:
- Slim
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX7626
- Classification:
- Rangetaker
- Company:
- ‘D’ Company, No. 15 Platoon
- Enlisted:
- 10.08.1940
- Discharged:
- 6.03.1946
- DOB:
- 29.01.1918
- Place of Birth:
- Partridge Green, Sussex, England
- Father's Name:
- David John Pitts
- Mothers's Name:
- Maria Pitts
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Farmer
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp Changi
- Force:
- ‘A’ Force Burma, Green Force, No. 3 Battalion
- Camps Thailand:
- Tamarkan, Chungkai, Kachu Mountain Camp (Theatrical Party), Bangkok, Nakom Nayok, Lopburi, Nakom Nayok, Bangkok
- Camps Burma:
- Thanbyuzayat (sick 28.9.1942); Khonkan 55km (evacuated sick 1.7.1943 and September 1943)
- POW#:
- 1537
- Return Details 1945:
- Thailand-Singapore by aircraft; Singapore-Fremantle, HMT Circassia
General Description
Pitts enlisted AIF 10 Aug 1940 later joined 2/4th MGB’s ‘D’ Company, No. 15 Platoon with Commanding Officer Lt Meiklejohn.
Pitts was wounded in action at 0200 hours on 9/2/1942 with ‘D’ Company 15 Platoon. Admitted to Field Ambulance with a shrapnel wound to left thigh. Transferred to 2/10th Australian General Hospital on 18/2/1942. Discharged to unit on 24/2/1942.
From Singapore Slim was selected with the first work Force to leave Singapore. ‘A’ Force Burma, Green Force No. 3 Btn.
When the railway was completed at end 1943 Slim as brought south with all the POWs in Burma first to Tamarkan then to Chungkai Hospital Camp. From here he went with several work parties into Thailand – Kachu Mountain Camp, Bangkok, Nakom Nayok, Lopburi then back to Nakom Nayok – from where he was recovered at the end of war.
WOODSIDE LAMENT by Slim Pitts
On arrival at Woodside Camp, SA
We come from the West where the beer is best, parlez vous
Our Camp was better than all the rest parlez vous
We came over here and God knows why
Unless they brought us here to die, inky pinky parlez vous.
God stiffen the crows we bloody near froze parlez vous
With a barking cough and a running nose parlez vous
If we stay much longer I’ll bet you’ll see
We’ll all end up in the R.A.P. inky pinky parlez vous.
They tell us its colder in months ahead parlez vous
If we don’t want to finish up all in bed parlez vous
We will be getting around in leather vests
With flannel protectors on our chests. inky pinky parlez vous
We were all so glad when we went away parlez vous
From Northam Camp in W.A., parlez vous
How one and all of our thousand men
Are wishing to God they were back again. Inky pinky parlous vous
Above: 1985 Bunbury Reunion
Slim Pitts and Joe Beattie (regretfully we advise ladies are unknown to us – 2020)


Camp Locations:
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
- Chungkai, 60k - Thailand
- Lopburi - Thailand
- Nakom Nayok, Nakhon Nayok - Thailand
- Tamarkan, Tha Makham 56k - Thailand
- Khonkan, 55Kilo Hospital 360k - Burma
- Thanbyuzayat, 415k - Burma
- Kachau Mountain Camp - Thailand