The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Atkinson
- First Name:
- Herbert
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX9342
- Classification:
- Driver
- Company:
- ‘B’ Company, 7 Platoon
- Enlisted:
- 30.10.1940
- Discharged:
- 11.12.1945
- DOB:
- 19.05.1920
- Place of Birth:
- Whitby, Yorkshire, England
- Father's Name:
- Herbert Atkinson
- Mothers's Name:
- Ann Atkinson
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Farmhand
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp Changi, Thomson Road (Caldecot Hill Estate Camp), Selarang Barracks Changi
- Force:
- 'D' Force Thailand, S Battalion
- Camps Thailand:
- Kanu II (April 1943-July 1943), Tarsau (July 1943-January 1944), Tamuang (January 1944-June 1944)
- Camps Japan:
- Yamine, Niihama
- POW#:
- 3/6821, 8749, 1563
- Japan:
- Rashin Maru Party
- Return Details 1945:
- Wakayama-Okinawa USS Sanctuary, Okinawa-Manila, USS Bingham, Manila-Morotai-Darwin, PBY Catalina aircraft A24-306, Darwin-Perth by aircraft 10.10.1945.
General Description
Atkinson was wounded in action Riley Road, Singapore on 15/2/1942 the day prior to surrender to Japan. Admitted to 2/10th Australian General Hospital with a shrapnel wound to his right wrist. Discharged to unit on 23/2/1992.
He enlisted AIF at end of Oct 1940 later joining 2/4th MGB’s B Company 7 Platoon under Commanding Officer Lt Dean.
Departed Singapore by train with ‘D’ Force Thailand S Battalion on a four day journey to work on Burma-Thai Railway at the Hellfire Pass Cutting.
Kanu II: April 1943- July 1943
Tarsau July 1943 – Jan 1944
Tamuang Jan 1944 – June 1944
Selected fit to work in Japan from Tamuang – entrained to Singapore to await ship – ‘Rashin’ Maru to Moji which became a 70 day journey.
Recovered from Japan when the war ended.
Herbert Atkinson died on 13th August 1991.
__________
Atkinson’s English born parents Herbert Atkinson (Snr) and Ann Hutchinson married 1919 Whitby, Yorkshire, England. We believe Herbert (Snr) came to Australia before his wife Ann and two eldest children Herbert (Jnr) and Sarah in 1923.
The Atkinson family resided at Nyabing and later Katanning. Their family grew to include two further daughters and a son.
Bert (Jnr) married at Katanning to Betty Joy Armstrong in 1946. It is believed they had a family of 3 children with their first born being a son Hedley Stuart born Feb 1947.
Ann Atkinson died Katanning in 1976 and Herbert (Snr) died Katanning 1979.
Camp Locations:
- Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
- Thomson Road (Caldecot Hill Estate Camp) - Singapore
- Kanu II, 152.30k - Thailand
- Tamuang, Tha Muang 39k - Thailand
- Tarsau, Tha Sao 125k - Thailand
- Nihama, Hiroshima #2-B- Japan
- Yamane, Hiroshima #3-D - Japan
