Service of 80th Anniversary sinking ‘Rakuyo’ Maru & 79th Anniversary VJ Day – 11 August 2024 held POW Memorial, Kings Park
Catafalque Party & flag raisers from 502 Army Cadet Unit, Karrakatta
Below: Bugler Ted Tait
Below: Philip Badock gave address and overview of the sinking of Japanese POW transport ship ‘Rakuyo’ Maru in South China Sea 12 Sept 1944 & rescue of some POWs. Philip is son of WX8729 Ronald Badock.
Above: Peter Cripps read out the names of the 38 men from 2/4th who perished and 15 POWs from 2/4th who were rescued by US submarines and Japanese ship. Peter and Davey’s fathers were cousins.
Above Peter Webb and Lynne Dreezen laid the 2/4th wreath.
Above: Members of WX9829 Fred WEBB’S family included Peter Webb, Lynne Dreezen and Bewley Shaylor. Fred was 22 years of age.
Below: Susan Conway and her son Mark attended in respect to WX6623 David William Thomas who was 23 years old when he perished.
Below: Reading of prayers is Jackie Kyros daughter of Jack Kyros WX10715
Above: Reading the Ode is Tina Kyros daughter of WX10715 Jack Kyros behind her is President Harry Tysoe, grandson of WX9226 Harry Tysoe who died of illness as POW in Japan 1943.
Above: Jim Elliott son of WX8619 plays reflective music while the wreaths and rosemary are laid.
2/4th Treasurer, Jim Ridgwell son of WX14197 Dick Ridgwell provides rosemary to attendees to lay at the POW Memorial.
We wish to thank and acknowledge the Catafalque Party and flag raisers from 502 Army Cadets, Karrakatta.
We also thank David Nicolson, photographer.
Above: sons of ‘Jack’ John Alexander McGregor WX12835 and with them is regular attendee Doug Peat.
Please click here to read Philip Badock’s story of the Rakuyo Maru Tragedy