THE BOYS FROM MERREDIN & WW2 MEMORIAL

MERREDIN BOYS IN 2/4TH MGB

 

Smaller town sites and localities that are included in the Merredin Shire are: Hines Hill, Burracoppin, South Burracoppin, Goomarin, Korbel, Muntadgin, Nangeenan, Nokanning, Tangedin, Nukarni and Norpa
There were two men from 2/4th who lost their lives included on the Merredin WW2 War Memorial:

 

WX9287 OSBORNE, JOHN ROBERT enlisted 30 Oct 1940 and later joined 2/4th’s ‘D’ Coy No. 15 Platoon under Commanding Officer Lt. Meiklejohn.  Please read further
As a POW was selected in Singapore with ‘F’ Force to work on Burma-Thai Railway and died of illness aged 28 years at Kami Sonkurai Camp, Thailand.

 

 

 

He was born 1915 to parents John and Alice Osbone at Bruce Rock and farmed at  Korbel, near Merredin.
Please read further about ‘F’ Force Thailand.
KORBEL is located 222 km from east from Perth and is a distance of 22km to Merredin. It is within the Shire of Merredin.

WX10808 ROCHESTER John (known as Jack)

 

b. 1905 England to Edward Anderson and Jane Rochester.
John (known as Jack) Rochester sailed to Fremantle from London on ‘Esperance Bay‘ on 14 June 1927 leaving behind his siblings and widowed mother.  He was 21 years old, and his occupation recorded as farm labourer.
In the Western Australian Electoral Rolls for 1931, 1936, 1937 up to 1943 Jack was recorded farming and residing at Burracoppin South.
He enlisted AIF 15 Jan 1941 and later joined 2/4th Company No. 6 Platoon. John Rochester was at Woodside Camp South Australia when he contracted meningitis and was returned to WA on 25.11.1941. He was transferred to the 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion reinforcements ‘E’  Coy on 9.1.1942.
Rochester was KIA at South West Bukit Timah on 11 Feb 1942 aged 36 years.  ‘E’ Coy ran into a Japanese ambush and suffered  a terrible almost 50% death loss.  Please read further.

 

 

 

 

WX7495 BALL, Leo Patrick born Bendigo 1905 to Patrick and Ellen Ball.  Patrick Ball was a ganger for WAGR and permanently located in Merredin, he died in 1941 aged 73 years.  Mr Ball was well known in Merredin and was much involved with local football, as was his son Leo who played throughout 1928-late 1930’s.
Leo was also a member of Merredin Fire Brigade,  competing in regional competitions.
His only sibling, sister Annie married Roy Elleffson who played football and competitive cycling with Leo.

Leo enlisted Aug 1940 and later joined 2/4th’s HQ No. 3 Platoon.
As a POW in Singapore he was sent to work on the Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force V Battalion which suffered terrible work and living conditions with a very heavy death rate.  Please read about ‘D’ Force V Battalion.
Leo Ball was a butcher by trade, and probably worked in Merredin or nearby.  We cannot confirm he enlisted from Merredin.
After the war he he lived in the city and died in Belmont 1980 aged 75 years.
WX9061 BEVIS, Daniel Edmund ‘Danny’ born 1909 to Daniel (Snr) and Mary Bevis.  He enlisted AIF 25 October 1940, later joining 2/4th MGB’s ‘C’ Company as a Corporal of No. 10 Platoon.
He departed Singapore with A’ Force Burma, Green force No. 3 Battalion to work on the Burma end of the railway.
Dan and Thelma Bevis with their children.
Danny was recovered from Thailand at the end of the war.  He worked tirelessly in hospitals assisting doctors as an orderly.
He tragically died four years after returning home at the young age of 40.  He was father to seven children.

 

WX9405 HAMPTON,TOM – we know was working at Merredin prior to enlisting Nov 1940 – his name is included on the Newspaper list below.  He joined 2/4th’s ‘C’ Coy Headquarters.
Below:  mates Eric Teasdale and Tom Hampton.  Tom was best man at Eric’s wedding.

 

 

WX8031 MILLER, EDWIN ERNEST (TED) enlisted AIF August 1940, later joined 2/4th MGB’s ‘B’ Coy 9 Platoon under Commanding Officer Lt C D Lee.

 

Miller worked on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘F’ Force
He survived and returned to Singapore where he worked with different parties and was recovered from here at the end of the war.
Again please read about F Force.

 

 

WX1338 MILLER, Reginald James (Reg) enlisted 25 May 1941and joined ‘A’ Coy 4 Platoon, was Lance Corporal to  CO Lt McCaffery.
Reg worked on Burma-Thai Railway with Captain Fred Harris Party, having set out from Singapore with ‘D’ Force Thailand.  When the rail link was completed at end of 1943,  the Japanese began moving all POWs south to one of several large POW camps in Thailand.  Reg was selected as being fit by the Japanese – fit to work in Japan.  He was railed to Singapore then boarded ‘Aramis’ to sail to Japan.  It was here that Reg was sent to work at No. 17 Omuta POW Camp.
Omuta was a ‘hell hole’ – the camp itself was run by a group of US who likened themselves to the American Mafia.  The working conditions in Omuta mines were just as notorious. By the time of the atomic Bombs and end of war, the POWs were existng only nervous energy.

Japan was starving and so were the POWs.

Please read about Omuta.

Miller was returned to Manila then to Sydney on board HMS Speaker.

WX13562 MOATE, Peter Joseph although not included in the lists above, we know Peter Moate worked with WAGR at Merredin and joined several local sporting teams.
He also returned to Merredin after the war.
Moate was originally with 25th Light Horse at Merredin prior to enlisting AIF.  He was selected as reinforcement to 2/4th and TOS to Woodside, SA on 5 October 1941 to join the Battalion’s ‘C’ Coy Headquarters under CO Capt Colin Cameron.
He was AWOL when their ship ‘Aquitania’ left for Singapore 16 January 1942 and instead sailed with about 100 men from  2/4th soldiers to Java. Please read further

He was taken POW of Japan in Java in March 1942.  He later sailed to Singapore and would work on the Burma-Thailand  with ‘D’ Force Thailand, Java Party No. 6, O Battalion.  Please read further
You may wish to read the War
Affidavits written by Peter Moate 

 

Please read about 25th Light Horse Militia of which Moate and Hampton were members of the Merredin Branch.

 

Above:  2/4th men on the above list include Reg Miller, Ted Miller, Tom Hampton, Peter Moate, John Osborne, Bill Struthers, M J Smith, Eric Teasdale.  (there may well be additional names.)

 

WX8738 STRUTHERS, William  (known as Bullets) enlisted 23 Oct 1940 joined HQ Coy as a Driver.  Struthers was born at Leslie, Scotland.  He sailed to Australia in 1924 as a 17 year old with his 18 year old sister. Prior to enlisting he recorded his occupation as farmhand and miner.
He worked on Burma-Thai Railway around Hellfire Pass Cutting with ‘D’ Force Thailand, S Battalion and was recovered from Ubon at war’s end.
Please read about ‘D’ Force V Battalion which suffered a tragically high death rate.
You can read further about Ubon
And Bill’s handwritten diary.
WX10865 TEASDALE, Thomas ‘Eric’  born 1919 to Herbert William and Mary Elizabeth Teasdale of Merredin.  Eric enlisted AIF 12 April 1941 and later joined 2/4th MGB’s ‘B’ Company, as Acting Sergeant to No. 9 Platoon under C.O. Lt. Don Lee.  He was promoted (24 January 1942) to Corporal.  
Eric was sent to Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force Thailand, S Battalion, working around the Hellfire Pass Cutting.
Teasdale was recovered from Nacompaton Hospital Camp, Thailand when the war ended, returning to Merredin.
Eric was a talented sportsman and very much involved with Merredin’s sporting clubs.

 

 

Below:  Light Horse was popular in the Merredin District.  Advertising a Militia Ball.

Below: Playing cricket Merredin – Tom Hampton, Peter Moate, Eric Teasedale and possibly Miller (cannot be certain)