The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Henderson
- First Name:
- Clarence Gordon
- Nick Name:
- Clarrie
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX7642
- Company:
- ‘C’ Company, No. 10 Platoon
- Enlisted:
- 10.08.1940
- Discharged:
- 2.07.1947
- DOB:
- 25.07.1917
- Place of Birth:
- Bunbury, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- Robert Clarence Henderson
- Mothers's Name:
- Ada Henderson
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Taxi Driver and Mechanic
- Java:
- ‘Blackforce’
- Force:
- ‘D’ Force Thailand, Java Party No. 6 (coal mining)
- Camps Java:
- Bicycle Camp Batavia
- Camps Japan:
- Fukuoka sub-Camp No. 13, Saganoseki (copper smelter); Omine Divisional Camp No. 6 (coal mining)
- POW#:
- 575
- Japan:
- Rashin Maru Party
- Return Details 1945:
- Nagasaki-Hong Kong by US. aircraft carrier; Hong Kong-Manila by ship; Manila-Morotai-Darwin-Perth, PBY Catalina aircraft A24-377
General Description
Back L-R: Jimmy Quinn, Les Marriott, Johhny Clare, Clarrie Henderson, Ralph Hadfield. Front L-R: Don Maning, Wenn, Ern Ricketts.
Rear L-R Kev Moir, Clarrie Henderson, Fred Webb
Front Taffy Jones, Cyril Anderson, Jock Leith, Chris Mc Lennan, Les Marriot, Ern Ricketts, Paddy Byrne. S Morris, Bert Fidge.
Kneeling Harry Norris
Henderson was wounded in action Singapore receiving a gunshot wound to his right that caused a stiff middle finger which was amputated in November 1944.
Whilst in Japan an accident necessitated the amputation of two more fingers on his right hand on 27.2.1945.
Clarrie Henderson was AWOL when the ‘Aquitania’ departed Fremantle in January 1942. He was later one of the 98 2/4th men sent to Java. Java capitulated to the Japanese and he was a POW from 9th March 1942 to January 1943 at Bicycle Camp No. 4 before being transported via Singapore (arriving 7.1.1943 and departing 19.1.1943) to Burma-Thai Railway in Thailand.
Please read further about D Force Thailand Java Party No. 6
When the Railway was completed the Japanese congregated the majority of POWs in 3-6 major camps (other than the sick) from where they chose the fittest to work in Japan. Clarrie was selected to sail with the ‘Rashin’ Maru Party. Please read further.
He was sent to Fukuoka sub-Camp No. 13, Saganoseki Copper Smelter and then onto Omine Divisional Camp No. 6 where he worked in a coal mine. Clarrie was recovered from here at the end of the war.
Clarrie married about 1937 to Mollie Josephine Skinner.
__________________
His parents Robert Clarence Henderson and Ada Jacques married Leederville 1914. Clarrie was one two sons and two daughters. Their six year old daughter Phyllis died in 1932. Robert Henderson enlisted WW1 and served in France, returning home and discharged following multiple GSW.
Below: Henderson is recorded in below’s list of Bunbury region’s 1917 enlistments.
Clarrie’s father Robert Henderson died in 1947.
Clarrie Henderson died 14 September 1996 at Bunbury and was cremated at Bunbury Cemetery. His wife Mollie was also cremated at Bunbury. She died 30 Sep 1981.
(Should descendants of Clarrie and Mollie read this – we would like to hear from you to learn further about their lives.)
Email: 2nd4thmgb@gmail.com
Camp Locations:
- Bicycle Camp, Batavia, Jakarta - Java ***
- Omine, Hiroshima #6-B - Japan
- Saganoseki, Fukuoka #13-D - Japan
