The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Carter
- First Name:
- Douglas Newington Hunter
- Rank:
- Sergeant (Promoted 28.2.1942)
- Regimental #:
- WX8240
- Company:
- 'B' Company
- Enlisted:
- 16.08.1940
- Discharged:
- 18.12.1945
- DOB:
- 22.07.1916
- Place of Birth:
- Claremont, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- Rupert Newington Carter
- Mothers's Name:
- Dorothy Margaret Carter
- Religion:
- Presbyterian
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Bank Teller
- Java:
- ‘Blackforce’, attached to 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion then Composite Battalion.
- Force:
- ‘D ’Force Thailand, Java Party No. 6, O Battalion
- Camps Thailand:
- Evacuated sick to Tarsau, suffering from malaria and enteritis 5.9.1943
- Camps Java:
- Soekaboemi (2.4.1942-June1942), Tjimahi, Bandoeng ,Makasura
- Camps Japan:
- Ohama Camp No.9B
- POW#:
- 6909, 278
- Japan:
- Rashin Maru Party
- Return Details 1945:
- Ohama-Wakayama by troop train, Wakayama-Okinawa, USS Sanctuary, Okinawa-Manila, USS Haskel, No other details are known.
General Description
Carter was employed as a bank clerk at Carnamah when he enlisted 6 Aug 1940, later joining 2/4th’s ‘D’ Coy 13 Platoon under Commanding Officer Lt Wankey. Also in 13 Platoon were his mates from Carnamah – Ken Lally who was working at Eric H. GURR’s General Store in Carnamah from September 1939 until mid 1940. Bill Baillie & Loller (Bruce Rock) were also in same Platoon and were mates or connected.
He was AWOL when ‘Aquitania’ sailed from Fremantle 16 January 1942 and with about 90 machine gunners who sailed a week or so later, but their ship was diverted to Java as Singapore was about to Fall.
He was taken POW of Japan in Java. Later sent on a work party to work on Thai-Burma Railway and evacuated to Tarsau 5 Sept 1943 suffering from malaria and enteritis from which he was fortunate to survive. Tarsau Hospital was notorious and known by the men as being a place where one was likely not to survive.
Also about ‘D’ Force Java Party O Battalion
Carter was selected fit by the Japanese to work in Japan, and sailed with ‘Rashin’ Maru Party, which first required the men to return to Singapore to board their ship.



Front —–, —–, Joe Lynch
Ohama, Hiroshima POW Camp Renamed Aug 1945 Hiroshima 9-B – Okura Mining Co.
Back Row: L-R (1) Bert Poulton WX9764 (5) Doug Carter WX8240
2nd Last Row: L-R (2) Alf Worth WX7440 (3) Alex Oag WX8481
3rd Row from Back: L-R (4) Aub Schuts WX8562 (8) Bob Whitelaw WX9076
Front Row: L-R (9) Arthur Walker WX16370
Please read about ‘Blackforce’ and Java
Read also The Journey of the Rashin (Byoke) Maru
Also read about Ohama Camp, Japan
Carter was recovered from Ohama Camp at the end of the war.
On returning he resumed working in banking, living with his parents Victoria Ave, Claremont. His mother Dorothy Carter tragically died 29 Dec 1947 aged 53 years, having suicided in their home.
He married Avis Jean Prewett and they continued residing in the Claremont home with Carter’s father Rupert. Rupert Carter died in 1963. Doug Carter is found at Victoria Ave in Electoral Rolls – 1954, 1963 and 1968.
Doug Carter died in 1970 aged 54 years. Avis Carter died in 2004.
Camp Locations:
- Tarsau, Tha Sao 125k - Thailand
- Bandoeng - Java ***
- Makasura - Java
- Soekaboemi - Java
- Tjimahi, Cimahi- Java ***
- Ohama, Hiroshima #9-B - Japan ***