The following men fought in WW1 for Britain or Australia, Tragically seven lost their lives.
WX8874 Private Alexander William FINDLAY was a POW of Germany WW1 as well as Japan WW2
Father to two children, Findlay died of illness on the Burma-Thai Railway, Thailand 19 Jan 1944.
WX13977 RSM George Frederick AIREY MM
Served during WW1 with 1/15th East Lancashire Regt. No. 203106 in France and at Chanak, Turkey with British army of occupation. During WW1 he was recommended for an award for his actions on the night 18-19th June 1917 and awarded the Military Medal.
WX3376 Lieutenant-Colonel M.J. ANKETELL – No. 3009 served as Lieutenant ‘B’ Coy, 44th Battalion, France.
Lt Col Anketell, Commanding Officer of 2/4th MGB was accidently shot by one of his own men during the Battle for Singapore. He DOW at Alexander Hospital, Singapore on 13 Feb 1942. He was 51 years old.
Below: Anketell, WW1 standing Rt.
WX8098 Warrant Officer Class 2 William BURGESS. Served with British Army.
Irish-born Bill was a gold miner when he enlisted with AIF August 1940. He served with ‘A’ Coy 2/4th MBG under CO Major Saggers. At Singapore an additional Platoon was formed which Major Saggers became CO – it was Special Reserve Battalion. Capt Thomas WX3423 became CO of ‘A’ Coy.
Bill was sent to Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force S Battalion. Recovered from Thailand at the end of war.
WX9316 Pte Albert BROOKSBANK served with West Yorkshire Yeomanry ‘Prince of Wales Own 14th on Foot’ and transferred 7th Armoured Car Coy, Royal Tank Corps. He served in India for seven years.
Remained Singapore trhroughout war. Involved in garden party.
WX3451 Major Colin CAMERON served as Trooper George Clowes VOEGE No 1563 A with Third Camel Regiment, 8th and 4th Australian Light Horse Regiments. (He later changed his name to Colin Cameron). He was on Regimental strength when the famous mounted charge took place at Beersheba 31 Oct 1917 against fortified Turkish positions.
WIA (date unknown) receiving a bullet in the base of his spine.
After end of WW1 Cameron served as Captain with 10th Australian Light Horse before resigning his commission to enlist with 2nd AIF with 2/16th Battalion. He attended N.C.O. school at Randwick, NSW but was unable to continue with his service due to the wound he had received in WW1.He then rejoined the Australian Light Horse Regiment before enlisting a second time in 2nd AIF becoming a member of 2/4th MGB.
WX7620 Pte Thomas Henry EDWARDS MM
Served with British Army with Lacashire Fusilers with Regt. No. 52912. He was awarded Military Medal for:
Conspicious bravery and devotion to duty during the British Offensive in Foret de Mormon 4th Novermber 1918. In spite of very heavy shell and machine gun fire and nunerous casulaties this man carried on his duties of runner and guide with great courage for four hours continuously. By his action he maintained communication and was of the greatest assistance in assuring the succes of this attack in his sector.
Thomas Edwards DOW Hill 200 Ulu Pandan, Singapore 12 February 1942. Wounded in the trench by a shell burst from enemy artillery fire. Stretcher bearers carried him to Regimental Aid Post 100 yards away. 2/4th Doctor Capt. Anderson pronounced him dead. He was 42 years old.
WX8874 Private Alexander William FINDLAY served with 51st Highland Division in France, WW1he had enlisted underage. He was taken POW of Germany.
Of course Findlay never talked of his WW1 experience – the following information was sent to us from a relative.
‘Alex Findlay was with Company B of the 5th Battalion Gordon Highlanders and captured at Fresnoy 21st of March 1918. His service number was 265300. The record from Giessen POW camp near Hamburg shows “granatspl arm und bein” which we believe indicates grenade splinters in his arm and leg.’
Below: Findlay with his wife and two children taken before his departure to Singapore 1942.
Findlay died of illness on the Burma-Thai Railway, Thailand 19 Jan 1944. He was 44 years of age.
You may read further about Alexander Findlay
WX7225 Private Thomas FIRNS enlisted Royal Australian Navy on 30 Sep 1918. Served as stoker No. 6880 at HMAAS Cerebus, Westernport Bay, Victoria. He also served on HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Sydney until he received a medical discharge on 9 Sept 1920.
Above: Tom Firms remained at Singapore throughout the war. His Classification was Carpenter, and this was probably why his services became essential at Selarang and Changi.
WX7801 Private Albert HACKSHAW served with 28th Battalion WW1 No. 52068.
Hackshaw, b. Surrey, England worked as a Fireman with the Main Roads Department. He enlisted with AIF Aug 1940 and joined 2/4th MGB’s ‘B’ Company 9 Platoon. He left Singapore by train to work on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘F’ Force about May 1943. He died of tropical ulcers at Tanbaya Hospital Camp 2 Nov 1943, aged 43 years.
WX12157 Private Edward Charles HARDEY enlisted Blackboy Hill 27 Aug 1917. Departed Australia HMT Ormonde with 22nd reinforcements 28th Battalion, No. 7310. Joined 51st Battalion 4 Jun 1918 remaining until discharged 19 Sep 1919. Was WIA in his left buttock during WW1.
During action Singapore he was wounded in his right buttock. His mates thought this was rather hilarious!
Left Singapore with ‘A’ Force Burma Green Force No. 3 Battalion to work on northern end of railway. Hw survived to be selected to work in Japan. Departed with ‘Awa’ Maru Party from Singapore for Moji, Japan. Sent to work Fukuoka sub-Camp No. 17 Omuta. He was recovered from here at the end of war.
WX8207 Warrant OFFier Class 2 Arthur Sidney HEWBY NCO worked his way through the ranks to be promoted to 2nd Lieutenant, 44th Battalion in France. He had enlisted WW1 24 Mar 1916 and left Australia with 7th Reinforcements 44th Batallion, No, 1840. He was WIA 20 Oct 1917 receiving GSW to his left side.
Hewby was sent to Thai-Burma Railway with ‘D’ Force Thailand, V Battalion which suffered a very high death rate. He survived and was evacuated to Chungkai Hospital Camp. Once recovered Hewby was sent to work at Ubon from where he was recovered at end of war. He returned to WA via aeroplane from Thailand to Singapore to Sydney. Then troop train to Perth.
WX8327 Private Charles Henry IRONMONGER is beleived to have served with the British Army in France with 11th Essex Regiment as well as the Scottish Rifles (Cameronions).
‘We had a very sensible Sgt Major in our Company, a real old timer, probably had a family as old or older than I was. When the drafts were made up he would keep our names off. He knew we were not old enough to go to France. Sometimes we would go to see him in his tent and say we wanted to volunteer for France. He would say “get the hell out of here or you’ll get my boot where it hurts.” There were a number of us young lads like that, some parents claimed, some got old enough to go until there were only two of us in my Company. So the Sgt decided to get rid of us for a while and sent us to Woolwich, for a course of shoeing horses that took two to three months. When I came back I could wear a horse shoe on my sleeve. From then on till Oct 1916 I was doing guard duties. A blizzard hit camp and blew everything flat and what a mess. Everything had to be put up again then the news came that I was on draft for France.
Home leave. I told them that I was going to France to shoe horses. I’m afraid I never put a shoe on a horse after I left Woolwich till I came to Australia in 1922.”
At 17 Charles was sent to France and first stationed at Corbie on the Somme. During March 1917 he was called to the Orderly Room where the adjutant questioned him about his age. “Evidently someone had written to him and told him I was under age. It turned out to be my brother-in-law who was a Lt. in the Leicesters.”
At this time Charles was sent back to England, transferred to the 2/6 Scottish Rifles and sent to Ireland. Most of the Battalion was youngsters who had been sent home from France.
Charles went back to France in February 1918 and spent time in and around Arras and Loos. In August 1918 they were all sent to the French Front at Chatteau Thierry.
“Marched 24 hrs then straight over the top. Had tremendous losses 17 men and a Sgt out of my Company of 200. Lost all officers (a bit different from WWII we couldn’t lose them if we tried). Some companies suffered worse.”
Charles was demobbed on 11th March 1919. “2 months before I turned 20 – only a kid in years but an old man in experience.”
Charles went back to England and settled in Leicester rather than Corby, “where I knew some people and my mother lived there. I soon found a job driving a furniture wagon but it didn’t last long before I was in the shop learning how to sell furniture.” After a number of jobs Charles decided to join the RIC (Royal Irish Constabulary) and went back to Ireland. Charles was part of the team that was sent to Belfast to guard King George when he opened Parliament there. He was then sent to Wood Laven in County Galway and there to protect Lord and Lady Ashtoun.
Ironmonger remained in Singapore throughout the war – initially working with Garden Control Party. Sent to AGH Roberts Barracks Changi followed by Kranji Hospital, Woodlands before being sent back to Changi from where he was recovered.
WX8702 Private Gilbert JAPP served in the Royal Flying Corps as an ACII Class from 19190-1920. His Service No. 334883.
Japp was selected in Singapore to work on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force S Battalion which departed by train for Bampong, Thailand about 14 March 1943. Following a harrowing 5 days travelling in crowded carriages the men stayed a few nights at the Konma Transit Camp before being trucked by the Japanese to Kanchanaburi. After a short stopover they moved to Tarsau which was soon to become the ‘D’ Force Admin Camp, and later their hospital Camp. onto Kanu II. He was possibly evacuaterd from rail to Chungkai moved to Nacompaton Hospital Camp. From here sent to work at Pechaburi and Nakom Chassi. Recovered from Thailand,
WX8643 Sergeant Ambrose McQUADE – served with Australian 11th Battalion Service No, 1590. WIA Gallipoli receiving GSW to Chest and lung. Transferred to 51st Battalion then fighting in France then to 13th Machine Gun Coy that would later become 4th Machine Gun Battalion.
When enlisting WW2 6th Aug 1940, McQuade stated he had no previous military service.
Born in York 1797, McQuade remained in Singapore as a POW – Selarang, Johore Bahru, Adam Park, Sime Road and was recovered from Changi.
WX7336 Private Harold Bertram OCKERBY enlisted WW1 11 Dec 1917 embarking on HMT Ormonde 13 Mar 1918 with 22nd reinforcements for 28th Battalion, Regt No. 7338. Transferred to 51st Battalion with whom he remained until end of war.
Ockerby was Lt. Col Anketell’s driver – both men being WW1 veterans having fouught in France during WW1.
Driver Harold Ockerby, along with several 2/4th soldiers, taken by Japanese and executed on 19th February 1942. Harold was 42 years old. The Japanese offered no reason in taking this group of men away.
WX5123 Private John Stanley PASS served with the Royal Marine Artillery from 1916-1923 and onboard HMS Hood. Pass also served in the Militai in Australia from 1932-1940 before enlisting with 2nd AIF.
Pass was a driver with ‘C’ Coy. Wounded Ulu Pandan 12 Feb 1942, admitted to field ambulance with shrapnel wound to right foot. Transferred to 2/13th AGH then to 2/10th AGH on 4 March 1942.
Was awarded ‘A’ Medical Classification by Japanese Oct 1942. Remained Singapore throughout war and recovered from Changi at end of war.
WX5054 Private Daniel Adair Cormack QUINN – enlisted from Kalgoorlie goldfields on 21 Jan 1916, serving with 2nd Tunnelling Coy with Regt. No. 856. He was blown up at Sallon Farm in September 1916 after which he was invalided back to England.
He was involved in the mining at Charleroi, Belgium 1918 and was invalided out of AIF with a tumour on 18 Aug 1919.
Quinn b. 1895 Grimsby England remained as POW in Singapore. Selarang, River Valley Road Camp, AGH Roberts Barracks (Aug 42 -Jan 43), back Selarang, Changi and was recovered from Kranji Hospital Woodlands at end of war. He managed to return to Perth on the Duke of Gloucester’s aircraft ‘Endeavour’ . He had been evacuated to 110 (p) MH Perth from 2/14th AGH Singapore.
WX11046. Lt Leslie Gordon RICHES MC
Served as a Lieutenant and original member of 11th Battalion Regt. No. 925. Lt Riches participated in first landing at Gallipoli and was an original Anzac.
His citation reads;
On 11 August 1918 near Lihons, when the left flank was held up by a strong enemy post and machine gun nest, Riches was then sent forward with a party of men from HQ’s details to dislodge the enemy, He repeatedly led the men against the enemy position, bombing then down the trench, putting an enemy machine-gun out of action and capturing the machine-gun. Later with the assistance of trench-mortar fire he rushed and captured the enemy position, thus enabling the flank to advance and allowing the battalion on our left flank to come forward and line up. Throughout the operation he showed conspicious gallantry and ability to command.
Date of London Gazette: 1st February 1919
Date of Commonwealth of Australia Gazette: 3rd June 1919
WX9385 Warrant Officer Class 2 James UNSWORTH served with British Army -the Duke of Cambridge’s Own, Middlesex Regiment (known as the Diehards) with SN 4720. He was WIA three times at Mons where this Unit suffered many casualties. Prior to enlisting WW2 he served in the 28th Militia Battalion. He trained with 2/4th’s Company Headquarters under CO Capt McEwin and was Company Sergeant Major.
WO Class 2 acted at WO1 at Changi.
He left Singapore with ‘A’ Force Burma, Green Force No. 3 Battalion. He was medical orderly at Reptu 30km. Evacuated from Burma Line to Tamarkan when the railway was completed. Was sent to Chungkai Bangkok and recovered from Nacompaton Hospital Camp at end of war.
WX7166 Pte Herbert Stanley WERRETT
Served in France withj 28th Battalion with Regt. No. 7386. He also sailed on HMT Ormonde with 22nd reinforcment that included 2/4th boys Harold Ockerby and Edward Hardey. He was discharged on 17 October 1919.
Werrett died during fighting to save Singapore – He had been missing in action from 11 Feb 1942 possibly from Ulu Pandan area. He died of wounds at Alexandra Hospital Singapore on 14 February 1942 aged 42 years.
WX6958 Private John YOUNG enlisted 7 Dec 1917 serving with Royal Flying Corps in WW1 as a fitter-armourer with No.s 176 and 274 Squadrons. At the end of war he served with Palestine Brigade H.Q. and then No.s 111 and 14 Squadrons achieving the rank of AC 1st Class. He was discharged July 1926 having experienced first hand the formation of the Royal Air Force. His Service No. was 157766 – The RAF then it was still part of Army.
Young died at Nacompaton Hospital Camp on last day of war, 15 August 1945. He is also the last name on the 2/4th MGB Honour Roll.
