2/4th Enlistments included Barney Doolan (b. Geraldton), William Laurance ‘Bill’ Jeffery (b. Geraldton), R.M. Bob Phelps.
L-R back – Sutherland, Carlyon, Unknown, Front L-R E F Osborne, E E Randall, Dave Cripps
The men from Northampton – Cripps (above) aged 22 years drowned when his POW Transport ship on its journey to Japan was torpedoed by US Submarines in Sept 1944, South China Sea. (his mother donated Davey’s medals to Geraldton RSL) on board ‘Rakuyo’ Maru was Davey’s mate from Northampton E. E. ‘Jimmy’ Randall who also lost his life aged 36 years, Carlyon, Cornell, McEwen, Osborne, Arthur Lindsay Powell, and Simpkin.
Wally Holding (working at Mullewa), Thomas Martin ‘Tom’ Fitzgerald (returned to live in Geraldton after the war and remained there for some years before moving to Qld. Tom died 17 April 1978 at Townsville aged 74 years)
WX16279 OSBORNE, Eric Francis was b. 31 Aug 1922 Perth. He enlisted the day he turned 19 years of age. He was KIA 15 Feb 1942 at Singapore (the date of Surrender) aged 19 years. His pioneering family have connections/roots at Isseka, Northampton and Greenough.
Because of tragic family circum- stances and his Mother’s young death in 1929 Eric aged about 8 years with his two older brothers were sent to Clontarf Orphanage, Geraldton.
