Stories
Affadavits
Ramsbottom Affidavit
DORE AFFADAVIT OF KAWASAKI CAMP, JAPAN
Fitzgerald Affadavit Nacompassi, Thailand
WX13562 Moate, Peter Affadavit – Hintok Camp Bashings
Ken Vidler’s Affidavit
Affidavit from A J Hambley WX10745 – Fukuoka sub-Camp 17
Japan’s 1942 Invasion of Burma and capture of vital Airfields
Krasnostein Affidavit regarding Beatings of POWs at Fukuoka sub-Camp No. 17, Omuta, Japan and in particular his own beating in April 1945
Colevas WX10609 Affadavit AWM 54 1010/4/34
Affidavit War Trials. Hinnrichsen, Frank WX8198 from Kawasaki-Kobe House (Osaka area)
John Leahy’s account of life at Osaka Camp No. 9, Notagawa, Japan.
Camps
PUDU GAOL, KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYA
Omuta & its Mafia – just when you thought you have read the worst story!
POWS from Sumatra Flown to Perth
Sandakan – Ranau – Detailed Map of Camps – Portrait Photos of Soldiers
Showa-Denki – One of the Kobe Factories
Nacompaton Hospital Camp, Thailand
Java & POW Camps
HAKENSHO – FUKUOKA SUB-CAMP NO. 9 – Roy Deveson and William ‘Pop’ Davey
Hindaine Camp 10.7.1943 – 31.8.1943
Kobe House, Japan (Central Story)
The Singapore POW Camps
Korea – Destination for Ted Roots, Jack Taylor, Jim Clancy, Bill Gray and Hubert ‘Dutchy’ Holland
KILOMETRE CHART OF THE THAILAND-BURMA RAILWAY
Adam Park Revisited
Company
4 AUG – 6 SEP 1945 by Tom BUNNING, CHANGI POW CAMP
‘A’ Company, No. 4 Platoon
Headquarters Company No. 2 Platoon Anti Aircraft
‘D’ Company No. 15 Platoon
‘C’ Company No. 12 Platoon
‘D’ Company (No 16 Platoon) – Vickers Machine Gun Companies – Central Story
‘D’ Company No. 13 Platoon, Lim Chu Kang Road 8th February 1942
Doctors
PAVILLARD, Capt. Stanley Septimus (Medical Officer, Straits Settlement Volunteer Forces)
Weary Dunlop – Misery of POW Camps
Dr Rowley Richards -one of 42 Australian Doctor POWs on Burma-Thai Railway.
Captain David Clive Critchley HINDER NX76302 2/19th Battalion – Medical Officer Thailand & Japan
Khonkan Hospital 55km – William (Bill) Hood WX7471, Tom Davison WX7909, Allan Bamford WX8485 – Khonkan 55 Km Hospital Camp
TANBAYA HOSPITAL CAMP – 50 KILO CAMP, Burma 1943 & MAJOR BRUCE HUNT, MEDICAL OFFICER (MO) ‘F’ FORCE
Dr Albert Coates & Dr Claude Anderson
The remarkable Dr Phil Millard, Kanu No. 2 Camp – by Mick Wedge
Captain Claude L Anderson WX3464
Events of War
British Military Mission 204 – Bush Warfare School, Burma
‘E’ COMPANY SRB – SEARCH FOR BODIES DECEMBER 1942
Fall of Singapore Service 14 Feb 2010 – Kings Park
ATOMIC BOMB HIROSHIMA – 6 August 1945
Fall of Singapore – 20 years later
POWs of WW1
How Singapore Fell – The West Australian big weekend Saturday Feb 9 2002 – Rod Moran report
From Hell to Eternity – WA Gunners nightmare of battle and Prison Torture
Singapore’s Defence Plan Feb 1942
Victoria Point, Burma – Major Green
Successful bombing raid May 1945 steel bridge, Tamarkan
Fremantle Port was Second Largest Submarine Base during WW2
BOONPONG SIRIVEJCHAPAN – saviour of many sick POWs
Atomic Bomb – ‘West Australian’ September 1945
SANDAKAN – Newspaper reports
Atom Bomb Nagasaki – Jack Maude’s memories whilst at Fukuoka sub-Camp No. 24 Sendyu
Aussie Mateship by Otto Kreefft
Borneo Sep 1945 – Owen Colin Campbell one of 6 survivors – 600 Australian POWs reported died
The 1945 Bombing of Kobe
Tanjong Priok, the main harbour Java February 1942
Report on urgency of recovering POWs in Japan
Northam to Perth March
Original 2/4th Flag
Leave Denied
Fairbridge Farm School, Pinjarra
Japanese Atrocities
Honours and Awards
Members of 2/4th nominated for Medal but not awarded
Hill 200, Ulu Pandan IV (Mapanyang) 12th February 1942
Adam Park – Recovery of bodies at Hill 200
Selarang Barracks Changi & 2/4th story
Two Came Home – The Firing Squads
‘E’ Company, Special Reserve Battalion by Major Bert Saggers – South West Bukit Timah, 11th February 1942
Force & Work Parties
X Parties – Singapore 1945
H6 OFFICER’S PARTY
‘D’ Force V Battalion Group 6 – Brankassi, Kuii, Hindaine.
SUMATRA – Atjeh Party & ‘Harujkiku’ Maru – SS Van Waerwjick Party
‘D’ Force Thailand, S Battalion (incl. T Battalion) – Central Story
‘J’ FORCE & ‘WALES MARU’ PARTY (Central Story)
‘D’ Force S & T Battalions, Thailand
Pakan Baroe – Moearo Railway Line, Sumatra
‘Awa Maru’ Story
‘H’ Force Group No 3 – H3 & H6 Officers Party
X10 Party, Changi
Java Party No 3 & 4 – Black & Williams Forces – Williams No. 1 Mobile Force – Central Story
‘B’ and ‘E’ Forces, Borneo – SANDAKAN to RANAU – Central Story
The ‘Both’ story – SAIGON PARTY, French Indo-China
‘Aramis’ Story – To Japan
Capt Fred Harris Party & WO II John Dooley Party
POWS from Sumatra Flown to Perth
Black and Williams Forces – Java Parties No.s 3 and 4
Dunlop Force – Java Party No. 6 – O and P Battalions
Robertson Force, Java Party 5A
“Six out of 2500 escaped to tell the tale.”
‘A’ Force Burma – Green Force No. 3 Battalion
‘D’ FORCE, U BATTALION – ‘Roaring Reggie’ NEWTON
‘F’ FORCE
AWOL Fremantle – ‘Blackforce’ Java
Sandakan Marches
Bukit Timah & Johore Bahru
Changi Camps – Work Parties
Puffin Magic – ‘Puff, Puff Makin’ for Road works at Singapore Golf Course
Leadership
BLAMEY, CURTIN & MACARTHUR
LT. COL POND 2/29th Battalion AIF, 8th Division
PERCIVAL, MacARTHUR, WAINWRIGHT, BENNETT & WAVELL
Today’s view of Leadership Singapore & POWS
BOONPONG SIRIVEJCHAPAN – saviour of many sick POWs
Saggers & O’Sullivan first to arrive home 1945
‘D’ Force V Battalion Group 6 – Brankassi, Kuii, Hindaine.
WX3451 Major Colin Cameron
Anketell, Michael Joseph, Lieutenant-Colonel , Commanding Officer, 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion
‘E’ Company, Special Reserve Battalion by Major Bert Saggers – South West Bukit Timah, 11th February 1942
Newspaper Reports
The Shirker WW1
Agony of PoW’s Nov 11 1997
Tamaroa – Fremantle Oct 1945 with Returning POWS
2/4th Memorial Darwin 2008
POW 1943 News – Jim Elliott, Wally Holding, Ted Feltham
‘Rakuyo’ Maru survivors bring their story to Australia & news Japanese POW Camp conditions
SANDAKAN – Newspaper reports
Saggers & O’Sullivan first to arrive home 1945
Kemp, Wheelock, W.J. Smith, Mellor & De Castilla return ‘Otranto’ 1945
We Sailed For Singapore (Published 15 February 1945)
Rohan Rivett’s (war correspondent) Sept 1945 writing about Bushido
10,000 Western Australians enlisted WW2
1941 Training at Lancelin
WX10370 Hall, WX6067 Dean, WX8441 Mellor, WX4986 Taylor, WX9764 Poulton – POW news during War
2/4th Woodside 1941
Borneo Sep 1945 – Owen Colin Campbell one of 6 survivors – 600 Australian POWs reported died
POWs returned Perth by train 17 October 1945
Collie & Worsley & COLLIE WW2 MEMORIAL – Timber & Mining Country
News received at home from POWs in 1943
Anniversaries
Diplomat Gets a Grim Reminder
British Belief in Own Propaganda
For your tomorrow they gave their today
POWS from Sumatra Flown to Perth
WA was hit by fear
News of POWs 1943 and 6 degrees of Separation!
1940 Population of Western Australia was 466,686
Dr Albert Coates & Dr Claude Anderson
Personal Stories
WX227 Alf STEVENS & SANDAKAN SECRET UNDERGROUND NETWORK
BETRAYAL OF 5 AUSTRALIANS – SENT OUTRAM ROAD GAOL
WX7444 ATTENBOROUGH, Bill
How Precious is Freedom by John Ramsbottom (later changed to Lane)
Sutherland, Neale & Rouse family connection – Ainsworth, Ajana.
Mates – WX8690 Hall, WX8709 Blaschek, WX8738 Struthers, WX8706
11th Battalion WW1 – Fried Snapper & History
Danny Bevis Diary
‘Greater Love Hath No Man – Darwin 1941’
WX11046 RICHES, Leslie Gordon (Pard) ANZAC VETERAN
KUHL and HARRIS – 1941 Adelaide
Wenn Collection Photos
Cousins Ron PAGE & Manson BUTCHER
Bill Struthers Notes
Butler family & Benedictine Mission, New Norcia
‘Bully’ HAYES & ‘Buck’ ROGERS
Ron BADOCK – Singapore Survivor 70 Years Later
Phil BEILBY – POW on ‘Pampanito’
WX9418 Doug ‘Trader’ Horn
Bendall WX17864 & Allan Trigwell – died Sandakan
Bill Beard WX7883 – Jim Goldie WX7627 – Charles ‘Bubbles’ Holme WX16416 – George Lake WX17582 died Sandakan 1945
WX8003 Alexander Meora ‘Alec’ HACK died Sandakan 4 February 1945
Neville Matson receives by post from Singapore 1946, his pre-war photographs
Ridgwell’s memories of Tarsau’s Ulcer Ward
2/4th Signature collection by Fred Whitaker WX16274
Mentiplay survives Bayonet through neck
Death of WW1 Soldier taken POW of Germany – Grandfather of WX17615 Ernest James THOMSETT KIA Singapore 10 February 1942 aged 19 years
How ‘Snow White’ earned his name!
Outram Road Gaol – McGregor WX12835 & Dean WX6067 & WX227 Stevens
Khonkan Hospital 55km – William (Bill) Hood WX7471, Tom Davison WX7909, Allan Bamford WX8485 – Khonkan 55 Km Hospital Camp
Vale – W.T. (Bill) Castles WX8792
WX9229 Walter Edward ‘Bill’ Breed – Former POW of Japan, 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion, man with big personality returns farming Gnowangerup
‘My Grand-Pop was a Hero’ by Amanda Van Hall (granddaughter of Wally Winter WX10373
Helsin Family – WX10095 John Frederick Helsin
Diary of Overland trip Adelaide to Darwin by Sgt Arbery
Stowaway on-board ‘Aquitania’ – WX16931 OSWALD, Henry Christopher (aka Hugh) ‘Horse’ or ‘Harry’
Kobe Japan – Gilmour, Hutchinson and Ramsbottom – POWs of Japan enjoy laugh when possible
WX9055 HARRY PICKETT – one of the lucky few! Rescued by ‘Pampanito’ South China Sea
Prisoners of War of Japan – returning home did not end their suffering and anguish
Soldiers of 2/4th who were ill and returned to Australia and those who were not taken POW
Hutchinson, Wally’s bath at Kobe, Japan
Baxter, ‘Slew’ WX8140 – by Wally Holding
Fuhrmann, Henry Charles, WX7852 Acting Corporal, DCM
Fitzgerald WX5425 Affidavit – ‘Scarface’ at Nacom Chassi, Thailand
POWs Put Ordeal On Record
Salute to Victory
A man who fought but had no vote
Escape from Singapore & the Sumatra Story
Jimmy Smith entertains -A glorious moonlit tropical night
Tom Lewis WX74412 – His was a most Unfair Life!
Smith Ryan’s lucky escape from a Japanese firing squad 1942
Ridgwell, Bill Reeves Fly from Singapore to West Australia 1945
Obituary for John Lane (formerly Ramsbottom) A Fairbridge Kid
COCKING – Released Prisoner of War – Survived sinking of Rakuyo Maru – rescued by USS Pampanito, returned November 1944 Western Australia
Clay & Wade return to Singapore
Frank Armstrong – First Sandakan Tragedy and Korean & Formosan Guards
Anketell Street, South Perth.
The Elliott family visit Singapore for the 75th Anniversary of Fall of Singapore 2017
Holding, Wally WX17634 His Story – Part 2
WX8493 Bert Norton’s recollections as per his diary
Holding, Wally WX17634 ~ His Story (Part 1)
Correspondence between Mrs Trigwell (mother of Vern Trigwell) with H.T. Bunker who survived Rakuyo Maru sinking
Fuhrmann, Harry WX7852 his personal story
Pte. Harry Tysoe WX9226
Cpl. William James Paterson WX9073
Schurmann, John Henry WX5007 – Random Recollections
Three Newling Brothers
Pte. Tom Wayman WX7502
Burchell Brothers – Fairbridge
Poetry by Slim Pitts
Digger’s remains found at last – 2001 story of Rolf Newling
Lesley William McCann WX17837 Escape From Death
Jack George Kyros (Kyriakos) WX10715
McGlinnn, Fank WX8478 his Diary written of final weeks as POW in Niihama, Japan
Jim Elliott obituary, March 2011
Heppingston, Ian – obituary 1999
Wally (Walter George) Worth WXC10012
Alf Worth and Jim Elliott – 2010
Lawyers On The Notorious Burma Thailand Railway
Carlyon, Bill – Changi Veteran recalls POW hell
Angela Gazey – Premier’s Student Tour Group 2012
Joe & Daniel Pearce
Dimopoulos Peter ANZAC of the year 2013
Borrow, Joseph WX8712 – Born 4/12/1916 & Died of wounds 15/2/1942, Singapore.
2002 Visit by Joe Pearce & John Morgan to Lim Chu Road (8 February 1942)
Dick Ridgwell’s POW’s story – never assume Japanese do not speak English!
Dick Ridgwell encounter with a Sikh, Singapore
Hodgson, Leonard Sydney ‘Tim’ – WX9231 – died Khonkan 55.5 km camp, Burma.
Nicknames
Morrissey, Albert Edward (Bert) WX15751 ‘A’ Company
Dorizzi brothers – Sandakan
Post War
TOJO’S REMAINS
Suspected Japanese War Criminals suffering mental health and physical exhaustion
SINGAPORE WAR TRIALS – Major Totaro Mizutani
Borneo Trials – Baba Masao, Susumi Hoshijima, etc.
SANDAKAN RELICS DISCOVERED
Owen Campbell – 1991 – Last Sandakan Survivor
How Precious is Freedom by John Ramsbottom (later changed to Lane)
Peace & Its Aftermath – John Ramsbottom (later changed to Lane)
75th Anniversary VJ Day 2020 Service, Address given by C. Mellor
War Widows Guild – Lifeline for 2/4th Widows
ANZAC DAY 2020
2/4th Assoc Incorporated advertised April 1946
Fall of Singapore 2000 – conducted byJohn Lane
50th Anniversary – Borehole Bulletin
Country Re-union 1972 – Narrogin hosts Win & Wal Holding
Address for BOYUP BROOK SANDAKAN SERVICE 2019
‘Rakuyo’ Maru – 75th Anniversary torpedo attack & sinking 12 Sept 1944
Ted McLaughlin -Man behind Sandakan Memorial, Boyup Brook – 1991
Sandakan Memorial, Boyup Brook – 2/4th Sandakan Committee
Lady Mountbatten visits WA 1946
2/4th First Reunion Ball 1947
Kemp, Wheelock, W.J. Smith, Mellor & De Castilla return ‘Otranto’ 1945
Wankey & Gleeson – War Limbs sent AWM, Canberra
Mates – look after each other, risk their lives for each other…
Gilmour, John Barry WX8622 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion’s last surviving veteran
1946 Formation 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion Ex-members Association
2/4th Members still On Strength end December 2000
Victims of Japan win compo battle May 2001
Outram Road Gaol War Crimes Court 1946
2/4th Kalgoorlie Assoc. 1946
Vale – W.T. (Bill) Castles WX8792
Pre-War & After War Work Place Deaths and Accidents
Lemnos Hospital for Mentally Incapacitated Soldiers
Lady Mitchell Convalescent Home, Eric Street, Cottesloe
Singapore Club
We still remember
Drink at Alhambra Bar, Perth, WA (1946)
Sentences passed on Japanese Criminals
POW Leadership
WX3451 Major Colin Cameron
Tribute to Lt-Col G E Ramsay & Ramsay Force No. 1 Battalion – ‘A’ Force
Ships & Submarines
‘WALES’ MARU with ‘J’ Force – Their Journey to Japan 1943
Hellships – ‘A’ Force Singapore to Burma by Rohan Rivett
Rashin (Byoki) Maru Party to Japan
Rescue by Pampanito, Queenfish, Barb, Growler & Sealion – ‘Rakuyo’ Maru sinking Sept 1944. (Central Story)
HMS ‘Speaker’ sails into Sydney from Manila with returning former POWs of Japan – Australia’s dark war history with Waterside Workers
‘Aquitania’
Hospital Ships evacuation of sick, injured to Ceylon February 1942
Harukiku Maru – SS Van Waerwjick Party, Sumatra
Rakuyo Maru – the Story – 38 men from 2/4th who perished
Sport & Social Groups
Anketell Cup – Perth Dinghy Club
Tamuang POW Camp, Thailand 17 August 1944 Australian Rules Football
Tamuang Camp Aug 1944 International Basketball
2/4th Cricket Team, Northam
Football team – 2/4th (Central Story)
Where Did They Come From?
MENZIES, WA WAR MEMORIAL
BUDE, CORNWALL WAR MEMORIAL – Tom DAVISON
2/4th KOORDA BOYS – WW2 MEMORIAL
MURADUP WAR MEMORIAL – Includes Kojonup & surrounds
Katanning WW2 Memorial
Youngs Siding, Bornholm, Torbay, Kronkup
2/4th Machine Gun Battalion OBE – ‘Over Bloody Eighty’
Midland WW2 Memorial – Men of this area
Boys from Bruce Rock area.
Pingelly WW2 Memorial
Quairading WW2 War Memorial
Understanding Group Settlement Scheme
MANJIMUP WW2 WAR MEMORIAL
BRIDGTOWN WW2 MEMORIAL
10TH LIGHT HORSE MILITIA – NOV 1939 to APR 1940
Wooroloo, Mundaring, Mt Helena, Sawyers Valley Enlistments 2/4th MGB
Capel WW2 Memorial
Bunbury War Memorial
Bill Beard WX7883 – Jim Goldie WX7627 – Charles ‘Bubbles’ Holme WX16416 – George Lake WX17582 died Sandakan 1945
WX8003 Alexander Meora ‘Alec’ HACK died Sandakan 4 February 1945
Boyup Brook WW2 Memorial
Busselton World War Two Memorial
Toodyay Honour Memorial WW2
Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital, WW2 Memorial Plaques
Armadale WW2 Memorial
Esperance Enlistments
Gascoyne, Shark Bay, Roebourne, Ashburton and Pilbara Enlistments
Carnarvon 2/4th Enlistments
Australia Remembers
Northampton – the men & WW2 Memorial Inscriptions
Abergavenney & District War Memorial, Wales
Wanneroo WW2 War Memorial – Barney Facey, Jim Gibbs and Lacey Gibbs
Gosnells War Memorial
Shire of Brookton War Memorial
Mt Barker War Memorial
Albany WW2 War Memorial
Carnamah War Memorial
Denmark WWII War Memorial
Shire of Wagin War Memorial & Prisoners of War of Japan
Byford War Memorial
Guildford War Memorial
Augusta Region
Augusta – Jewel Cave and Spackman
Narrogin War Memorial – WWII
Nungarin War Memorial
Boyanup War Memorial
Wyalkatchem WW2 War Memorial
THE BOYS FROM MERREDIN & WW2 MEMORIAL
Donnybrook War Memorial – 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion AIF WW2
Yarloop War Memorial
Collie & Worsley & COLLIE WW2 MEMORIAL – Timber & Mining Country
Wesley Colllege, South Perth – 2/4th Soldiers who were former students who lost their lives WW2
Gnowangerup/Tambellup/Ongerup
Old Scotch Collegians
Shackleton Community’s Tribute to Langdon & Venemore,
Cripps & Northampton enlistments – Rakuyo Maru
Five from Mundijong
The Boys from Mukinbudin
Indigenous Western Australians who joined 2/4th
Fairbridge Farm School, Pinjarra
Beacon Memorial
Donnybrook Boys – Vern Trigwell, Allan Trigwell, ‘Harry’ Cain & Bert Wall
