The Soldier's Details

 

Daily enlisted AIF from Kalgoorlie Oct 1940 and later joined ‘B’ Coy 8 Platoon under CO Lt MacKinnon.

As a POW in Singapore he remained at Selarang Barracks in Singapore until he left by train to work on the Burma-Thai Railway in Thailand with ‘D’ Force S Battalion in May 1943.

It was during this time during 1942 Lou was heavily involved in Australian Rules at Changi.  Please read

We can only estimate which POW Camps Lou worked by following the main route of S Btn until he reached Chungkai Hospital Camp where he was recorded, then to Tamuang from where he was selected by the Japanese to work in Japan with what would become known as ‘Rashin’ Maru Party which departed from Singapore 1943 for Moji Japan.  This became a horrendously long voyage of 70 days.  Plaese read about ‘Rashin’ Maru Party.

In February 1941 it was reported in the local Kalgoorlie newspaper that Daily was on leave along with two other 2/4^th men, Jack Sanderson and Leo Walsh, the three mates were in “B” Company.

Neither Sanderson or Walsh survived. Sanderson died 18^th July 1943 of beri beri and dysentery at Tarsau having been evacuated from Kanu I. Leo Walsh tragically died at sea on 12^th September 1944 when the Rakuyo Maru was hit by an American torpedo. Walsh was selected in ‘A’ Force Thailand and was at Tamarkan before sailing on Rakuyo Maru from, Singapore headed to Japan.

Daily and Sanderson were selected for ‘D’ Force Thailand, S Battalion however Daly went to Chungkai and Tamaung and Sanderson went to Kanu II and Kanu I.

He was selected to work in Japan from Tamuang and sailed on ‘Byoki’ Maru – 70 horrific sea journey to Moji, Japan from Singapore. He was sent to Yamane and Niihama in Japan.  He was recovered from Niihama at the end of the war.  From Manila he sailed to Sydney on ‘Speaker’.

‘Apart from Smallhorn, Lou Daily was by far the best credentialed player at Changi. A star for Subiaco in the early 1930’s, he was recruited to Collingwood in 1933 when many clubs, (Such as South Melbourne) were keenly importing Western Australian talent. He played for Geelong in 1934, before returning west in 1935. He promptly won the Sandover medal for best and fairest in the WAFL, and won his club best and fairest in 1936 and 1937. In 1938, after 92 WANFL games, (Plus 7 at Collingwood and 19 at Geelong) , Daily crossed to Mines Rovers in the GNFL as captain-coach. again winning the league best and fairest trophy in 1939. He captained goldfields representative side to a win over Port Adelaide that same year.’

Lou Daily 2 /4th Machine Gun Battalion 

 

 

 

 

Lou commenced his senior football career with Subiaco in 1931. He was a much travelled footballer during his career playing for Collingwood in 1933 and Geelong in 1934 before returning to Subiaco in 1935.

In 1935, ‘36 and ‘37 he won Subiaco’s Fairest and Best award. In 1935 he was the Sandover medallist.

In 1938 Daily made the decision to leave Subiaco and went to Kalgoorlie to captain/coach.    Whilst in Kalgoorlie he continued to play excellent football winning his club’s Fairest and Best in 1939. He also captained a winning Goldfields team against South Australia.

Daily was considered to be one of the finest players of his generation. He was 6’1” tall, known for his strength in the air, superb kicking and his skill of reading the game.

 

Please read the official report of Daily’s very impressive football career

Daily and Sanderson were selected for ‘D’ Force Thailand, S Battalion however Daly went to Chungkai and Tamaung and Sanderson went to Kanu II and Kanu I.

Lou was very much involved in 2/4th Football team

In 1946 it was reported in a WA newspaper Lou was in hospital in Northam.  He had suffered a serious eye impairment whilst a POW.

After the war Lou Daily chose to live in Victoria where he farmed at Listerfield – another newspaper report mentioned he was a poultry famer at Ferntree Gully!  Still Lou preferred Victorian countryside.

Lou’s name was mentioned in the ‘Borehole Bulletin’ from time to time – in April 1972 Lou, his wife Sadie and family living a very quiet life at Lysterfield.  Mates were often trying to tempt Lou to visit WA.

Lou died in Heidleberg, Victoria on 29 August 1974 aged 63 years.

 

 

 

 

 

The above was published in the Daily News, Western Australia 23rd October 1945.  The ship is ‘Rashin Maru’.

 

 

 

 

 

A story from Lou Daily (Jnr) who had two uncles who joined the 2/4^th Machine Gun Battalion in 1940 and this story is dedicated to their memories.

They did not know each other when they joined in 1940 or any time during their service. Lou Daily (WX8778) was in No 8 Platoon B Company and Bill Beer (WX7636) was in No 15 Platoon D Company. This came about because Lou Daily was the elder brother of Jack (Father of the current Lou Daily) and Bill Beer was the brother of Margarette (Mother of the current Lou Daily). Jack and Margarette had not yet met in 1940.

Firstly, a little about Lou Daily the private in the 2/4^th Machine Gun Battalion. He was born on the 31^st January 1911 at Mount Lawley in WA. Lou had three brothers and two sisters. Two of his brothers, Stewart and Frank, joined the 2/28^th Infantry Battalion and fought in a number of battles during the war.

In Lou’s early years, he grew up in Mt Lawley and then Subiaco. Lou was a rather tall person at 6 foot 1 inch. He played football for Subiaco in the WAFL and in the VFL for Collingwood (1933) and Geelong (1934). Lou won the Sandover medal playing as the Full Back for Subiaco in 1935 and was runner-up in 1937.He then moved to the Goldfields and played football for the Mines Rovers during 1938 and 1939.

After working in slave conditions in the copper mines, in October 1945, Lou along with other Australian prisoners were “recovered” from the Japanese. He was sent to Manila for rest and rehabilitation, then onto Sydney and finally home to Perth. He was discharged from the Australian Imperial Forces in August 1946.

Shortly after family reunions, Lou moved to Melbourne and met and married Sadie Catherine McDonnell on the 25 March 1947 at St Monica’s Church in Moonee Ponds. They produced two sons, Joseph and Anthony (Tony). Lou only travelled to Perth on several occasions over the years. He died in the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital at the relative early age of 63 on the 29^th August 1974. Although Lou’s death was the result of numerous skin cancers that spread into his body, his war service was no doubt a contributing factor.

Please read about HMAS Speaker arriving Sydney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below:  Daily’s nephew – Lou Daily at POW Memorial, Kings Park.

 

Uncles Louis (Lou) Joseph Daily and William (Bill) John Beer

A story from Lou Daily who had two uncles who joined the 2/4^th Machine Gun Battalion in 1940 and this story is dedicated to their memories.

They did not know each other when they joined in 1940 or any time during their service. Lou Daily (WX8778) was in No 8 Platoon B Company and Bill Beer (WX7636) was in No 15 Platoon D Company. This came about because Lou Daily was the elder brother of Jack (Father of the current Lou Daily) and Bill Beer was the brother of Margarette (Mother of the current Lou Daily). Jack and Margarette had not yet met in 1940.

Firstly, a little about Lou Daily the private in the 2/4^th Machine Gun Battalion. He was born on the 31^st January 1911 at Mount Lawley in WA. Lou had three brothers and two sisters. Two of his brothers, Stewart and Frank, joined the 2/28^th Infantry Battalion and fought in a number of battles during the war.

 In Lou’s early years, he grew up in Mt Lawley and then Subiaco. Lou was a rather tall person at 6 foot 1 inch. He played football for Subiaco in the WAFL and in the VFL for Collingwood (1933) and Geelong (1934). Lou won the Sandover medal playing as the Full Back for Subiaco in 1935 and was runner-up in 1937.He then moved to the Goldfields and played football for the Mines Rovers during 1938 and 1939.

Lou enlisted in the 2/4^th Machine Battalion in October 1940. He trained with all the other new soldiers at Northam and sailed to Singapore in January 1942. Following the surrender of Singapore by the incompetent British General, Arthur Percival, Lou was a prisoner of war and was sent to work on the Burma railway. Later he and many other prisoners, over 1000 Australians and 200 Dutchmen were placed on an old dilapidated Japanese ship and after a nightmare trip of three months, when a number of ships in the convoy were sunk by American submarines, they arrived in Niihama in Japan.

After working in slave conditions in the copper mines, in October 1945, Lou along with other Australian prisoners were “recovered” from the Japanese. He was sent to Manila for rest and rehabilitation, then onto Sydney and finally home to Perth. He was discharged from the Australian Imperial Forces in August 1946.

Shortly after family reunions, Lou moved to Melbourne and met and married Sadie Catherine McDonnell on the 25 March 1947 at St Monica’s Church in Moonee Ponds. They produced two sons, Joseph and Anthony (Tony). Lou only travelled to Perth on several occasions over the years. He died in the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital at the relative early age of 63 on the 29^th August 1974. Although Lou’s death was the result of numerous skin cancers that spread into his body, his war service was no doubt a contributing factor.

Bill Beer

Above:  A typical Aussie bloke – Bill Beer.

Now a little story about Bill Beer. He was born on the 7^th February 1917 in Bunbury and grew up there with his three brothers and four sisters. His parents were George Beer and Mother, Margarette Beer.

The service to country was in the family, as his father, George Beer, earlier had enlisted in the 11^th Battalion Australian Imperial Force and was sent to the Trenches in France in May 1917. He was severely injured and after hospitalisation, he returned home in August 1918.

In those days, Bunbury was a small country town and Bill enjoyed his childhood surrounded by a large family structure. He attended the local St Mary’s Convent School until he left at the age of 15.

Bill then worked in various shops and as a labourer in Bunbury. He was active in sports and played football for the South Bunbury Football Club and was considered a fair player.

At the age of 23, Bill enlisted in the 2/4^th Machine Gun Battalion on the 10 August 1940. Following the necessary training, he along with all other members of the 2/4^th Battalion sailed to Singapore in January 1942.

Following the fall of Singapore, Bill was sent to Sandakan in British North Borneo by the Japanese with many other Australian and British troops (total 2434). We are aware of the cruel and brutal treatment given by the Japanese troops to the Australian Prisoners while in Sandakan to build the airfield for the Japanese.

In 1945, as ordered by the Japanese high command that no prisoners were to survive, Bill along with many others, still able to walk, were murdered by the Japanese soldiers on one of the “Death Marches“ from Sandakan into the Borneo jungle. The actual date of Bill’s death was the 14^th June 1945 and the location approximately four miles east of Boto.

Following the completion of the war, The War Graves Commission relocated all the remains of the soldiers, including Bills, found in British North Borneo to the island of Labuan off Kota Kinabalu. Members of his family have visited his grave.

As Bill was a single person when he enlisted, therefore he did not leave a wife or children. Only his parents and siblings remained to mourn him and give thanks for his service to Australia.