BYFORD WAR MEMORIAL
BYFORD, MUNDIJONG, JARRAHDALE REGION
ANZAC Memorial Park, ANZAC Crescent, The Glades, Byford.
ANZAC Memorial Park commemorates those from Byford who served in WW1 and WW2. There are 321 names superimposed on the above brick wall, in no particular order.
We can positively identify the following 2/4th men:
Don Day ands his nephew Martin Day were from Jarrahdale.
WX7240 DAY DONALD ALEXANDER
Day enlisted AIF 1 Aug 1940 later joining 2/4th ‘B’ Coy, 8 Platoon under CO Lt MacKinnon. He died of wounds received at West Mandai Road, Singapore 11th February 1942 aged 28 years. He was wounded whilst withdrawing No. 3 gun back 100 yards to a new position on Madai Road.
His nephew WX17391 MARTIN WILLIAM DAY
was KIA Singapore 11 February 1942 aged 21 years. Martin enlisted 27 October 1941 and became a reinforcement for 2/4th’s ‘E’ Coy. He was KIA at South West Bukit Timah when they were ambushed . He had lost his life within 4 months of enlistment. Martin was one of a large number of barely trained reinforcements to join 2/4th, many lost their lives in the battle for Singapore and later as POWs of Japan.
WX8425 LEADBITTER, EDWARD JONATHON
Died of cholera Kuii POW Camp, Burma-Thai Railway 10 October 1943, aged 24 years. He was working on the Burma-Thai Railway with D Force V Battalion. (Ted Leadbitter was a former Fairbridge Farm School Boy). Ted had recently married.
WX7474 RUBERY HERBERT MICHAEL
Born at Gosnells, Rubery attended school at Byford.
Enlisted AIF 6 Aug 1940 later joined 2/4th’s ‘A’ Coy No. 4 Platoon. He died of illness 22 February 1943 at Roberts Barracks Hospital, Changi. He was 24 years old.
WX2848 James Pryor THATCHER 2/3rd MGB – farmer of ‘Wattle Creek’, Byford, died Tarsau 1943.
On the front of the Memorial is the following inscription:
ANZAC Memorial Park
This memorial was unveiled on the 18th April 2015 by the Western Australian State President of the Returned & Service League of Australia the Hon Graham Edwards, AM
We remember with thanksgiving those who made the supreme sacrifice for us in time of war
May the offering of lives have not been in vain.
Today we dedicate ourselves to the cause of justice, freedom and peace ; and for the wisdom and strength to build a better world.
Lest we forget
Men who enlisted from Byford area and joined 2/4th and returned to Australia include:
WX9035 CORNISH RONALD HAMILTON
enlisted 26 October 1940 and joined ‘A’ Coy, No 5 Platoon as Platoon Sgt. He worked on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force Thailand S Battalion. He was recovered at war’s end from Thailand and was flown to Singapore before sailing to Fremantle on HMT Moreton Bay. Ron Cornish was tragically killed in a work-related accident in 1971, at the age of 55. He was a father to 4 children.
FIVE 2/4TH MEN FROM MUNDIJONG
WX8630 BISHOP HECTOR JOHN
Enlisted AIF 23 Oct 1940 and later joined 2/4th’s Headquarters Coy No. 3 Platoon as a Driver under COs Capt Phelps and Lt O’Sullivan.
Died of wounds received during battle for Singapore 12 February 1942 at Ulu Pandan aged 29 years. He was married. His first child and son Dennis was born 2 weeks after his death on 26 February 1943. (Hector Bishop is also recorded at the Mundijong War Memorial).
WX15873 Syd Darby – enlisted on 19 August 1941 became a reinforcement for 2/4th MGB – joined the Battalion on board the ‘Aquitania’ anchored off Fremantle one night on it’s journey to Singapore with reinforcements for the ill-fated 8th Division.
– was KIA 10 February 1942 aged 19 years on the Sungei Kranji-Sungei Jurong Defence Line, and was thought to have been killed by a Japanese sniper whilst on patrol.
WX16736 Stephen Gleeson enlisted 8 September 1941 (recorded his birth as 1919 i.e. aged 22 years when in fact he was born 1923 and was 18 years old). He left Singapore with ‘H’ Force Thailand to work on the Burma-Thai Railway.
When the railway was completed ‘H’ and ‘F’ Forces returned to Singapore by rail. Gleeson was amongst the sick left behind at Kanachanburi Hospital Camp where it is believed he had his right leg amputated. He returned to Singapore sometime after December and before April 1944. It was at Changi he was fitted out with temporary leg.
WX16355 George Leipold enlisted 3 September 1941 – joined 2/4th reinforcements ‘E’ Coy with Darby, Gleeson and Swann.
He was KIA 11 February 1942 aged 19 years during the ambush at South-West Bukit Timah where E Coy Special Reserves Battalion suffered heavy loss of life, almost 50%.
Please read about ‘E’ Coy, Special Reserve Battalion
WX17907 Bill Swann enlisted 7 December 1941 (aged 22 years) and joined his mates with
‘E’ Coy on board the ‘Aquitania’ 16 Jan 1942 sailing to Singapore.
Bill was fortunate to remain at Changi throughout the war where he was working at the vitamin factory. He was included in X Party during 1945 excavating tunnels for the Japanese Garrison. It was obvious to the Japanese that their war was almost over, however they proceeded everywhere, with programmes where they could store ammunition or use as air raid shelters or places where POWs could be disposed.
Swann and Gleeson were the only two to return home to WA.
Hector Bishop was the eldest of the boys from Mundijong, he was also the first to enlist in 23 October 1940. Bishop was a driver with Headquarters and was KIA on 12 February 1942. Hector was married and his son and first born child was born 2 weeks after his death.
Syd Darby enlisted 19 August 1941 was KIA 10 February 1942. Syd lived in Holyoake with his family. It is believed he worked around Mundijong. He was a good mate of George Leipold.
Steve Gleeson was a very lucky man as he survived his leg being amputated below his knee whilst working on the railway about 1943. He returned home.
Bill Swann, an apiarist, enlisted on 7th December 1941. With very little training Bill was fighting in Singapore with the reinforcements and his mates from Mundijong within 2 months.
Bill returned home to WA. He remained in Changi as POW and was involved with work in the Vitamin Centre.
Except for Hector Bishop, the four young men had only minimal training prior to being selected for 2/4th reinforcements.
Below: The drive from. Jarrahdale to Byford is about 15 minutes.
Above: Historical map.
Jarrahdale had 14 mills. Working in the mills was fraught with danger, causing lifelong injuries and even death. The last Mill closed in 1997.
