The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Atkinson
- First Name:
- Herbert
- Nick Name:
- Jack
- 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 (nee Hutchinson)
- 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.
__________
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 Dec 1923 on the ‘Largs Bay’.
The Atkinson family resided at Nyabing and later Katanning. Their family grew to include two additional daughters and a son.
After the war Atkinson (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. A daughter Jennifer Joy Atkinson was born in 1950.
In 1968 Electoral Roll Jack and Betty are residing 19 Shenton Road, Claremont, both recorded as proprietors.
Bert’s Parents Ann Atkinson died Katanning in 1976 and Herbert (Snr) died Katanning 1979.
Jack Atkinson died 13 Aug 1991and was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery. Betty died 2013 at Kinross.
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
