WX7831 L/Corp Jimmy Quinn and his red-hot toilets at Victoria Point, Burma 1942
Jimmy was born Scotland however was a Collie boy when he enlisted in AIF Aug 1940. He had been working as a miner at Collie.
He joined Headquarters Company No 3 Platoon under Quartermaster Capt Phelps becoming Lance Corporal.
He was wounded in action on 13 Feb 1942, receiving a shrapnel wound to his left hand resulting in the loss of his fourth finger.
He is described as a ‘busy little no nonsense bloke’ by Les Cody ‘Ghosts in Khaki’ and became responsible for setting up the latrines at Victoria Point Camp, Burma for ‘A’ Force, Green Force No. 3 Battalion.
Please read further about Green Force
He used half a dozen burnt out oil drums which he cut out holes on the top.
Privacy for these latrines was provided by bamboo and atap screens.
The only problem the users found was that the drums became so red hot as they were in full sun – anybody who sat their tail on the seat would be guaranteed their skin would turn purple!
Those with diarrhoea found their lives were further threatened at Jimmy’s latrines!!
Jimmy never bothered too much with those complaining – pointing out that if the seats were too hot for the men then they were ‘too bloody hot for the flies’.
In Jimmy’s mind, flies were a far greater problem!
Doctors on the line would be the first to agree!
Jimmy survived working on the Burma-Thai Railway, was evacuated to Tamarkan Camp Thailand at end of 1943. He was recovered from Nacompaton Camp, Thailand at the end of the war.
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He had come to Australia as a 6 year old with his mother and siblings, settling at Ewington, near Collie.
Jimmy married after the war and again resided at Ewington. He and his wife are believed to have had two sons.
