WX4927 Austin Newman ‘Aussie’ CLIMIE – was the only son to Murray and Eliza Climie.
He spent his early years at Kalgoorlie, his father died following a mining accident when he was two.
Aussie worked out of Carnarvon. At one time with his mate Hardey. He was tragically killed during an Allied air raid at Kawasaki Camp No. 4 D in Japan July 1945 aged 37 years.
He had worked on the Burma end of the Burma-Thai Railway. Survived the sinking of ‘Rakuyo’ Maru sinking in the South China Sea in Sept 1944.
WX83812 Robert Philip ‘Bob’ ELVISH died of illness at Chungkai POW Camp Hospital, Burma-Thai Railway October 1943 aged 42 years. He left Singapore with ‘D’ Force Thailand, V Battalion which suffered terrible loss of lives.
Bob sailed from London 3 October 1925 to Fremantle. He was 23 years old, his occupation was recorded as Farm Worker. From 1931 to 1937 he worked at ‘Cooralya’ Station, about 75 kms north of Carnarvon. We believe he returned to England about this time, however sailed back in 1938. It is also likely he continued working at ‘Cooralya’ Station as a Boundary Rider up until his enlistment.
WX12157 Edward Charles HARDEY – b. 1902 Bunbury was a mate of Climie. He enlisted May 1941. He was recovered from Omuta, Japan at the end of the war. Hardey had previously worked on the Burma end of the Burma-Thai Railway.
WX8180 Edward George ‘Snow’ TAYLOR – enlisted at Carnarvon, however was b. Narrogin 1919. the son of George and Elsie Taylor, his life was to take a cruel twist at 15 when his father, a renowned horseman and bush vet, died. It left him to take on the responsibility of caring for his mother and two younger brothers, Vic and Ray. This led him to go north to work on a cattle station, while his family relocated to Perth.
He remained in Singapore throughout the war and was recovered from Changi.
WX8753 Jack Logan WHEELOCK
b. Carnarvon to Darcy and Edna Wheelock. Jack’s grandfather
Charlie Wheelock was a pioneer of Carnarvon. Jack
enlisted AIF 23 Oct 1940 and later joined 2/4th MGB’s ‘B’ Company 8 Platoon. He was selected to work on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force, Thailand Capt Fred Harris Party.
Jack was later selected with ‘Both’ Party to work in Japan. They were forced to shelter at Saigon, French Indo-China. The POWs remained here until the end of the war.
WX8706 Jimmy/Scotty WILKIE
In 1937 Electoral Roll he was recorded at Gascoyne River Loc. 179, Carnarvon, Tropical Grower. Wilkie’s life at Carnarvon ended, we are unsure how long he lived there and he moved to Norseman and took up mining. It was from Norseman he enlisted AIF 23 Oct 1940. He later joined HQ Company. He was mates with Bill Struthers, Dick Blaschek, Jimmy Hall.
Jimmy/Scotty Wilkie died 17 May 1945 at Sandakan aged 36 years. He was one of 71 men from 2/4th to died in Borneo.
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