MORAWA BOYS WW2


THE BOYS WHO ENLISTED FROM MORAWA

The Mid West town of Morawa was established in 1913.  It is 371 km north of Perth and 180 km south east of Geraldton, on the railway line between Wongan Hills and Mullewa.
There are probably additional men from 2/4th to be included, but at this moment in time the following men were associated with Morawa at the time of their enlistment:

 

WX9557 DORRINGTON, Frederick John (Fred or Lofty) CPL was born Islington, London, England 1905 sailed to WA aged 17 years 1924.  His mother, brother and sister-in-law also came to WA, probably a few years later.

Fred had been working in the district of Morawa initially as a station hand at Bagowa and later, we believe working as a wool classer,  when he enlisted AIF 4 Dec 1940 later joining 2/4th’s ‘B’ Coy 9 Platoon.
Over several years Dorrington often competed with the local Rifle club with nearby towns.
He sailed from Singapore with the first work party ‘A’ Force Burma Green Force to work on the Burma end of the railway.  He was recovered from Thailand at the end of the war and returned home to WA.

 

WX234 MACDONALD, John (Jock) was born Sunderland, England 1912  He came to WA with his mother, stepfather and family in 1928 when he was about 16 years of age.    He was working at Morawa prior to enlisting with AIF and later joined 2/4th’s ‘D’ Company Headquarters under commanding officer Major Alf Cough.

At Singapore a further Platoon was created from ‘D’ Company and Jock was moved to No. 15 Platoon.  Please read about ‘D’ Company.  The Japanese began their invasion on the night of 8 Feb.  ‘D’ Company was on the frontline with their machine guns and subjected to heavy and continual shelling and bombing for the previous 24 hours.  On the night of 8 Feb 42, the Japanese began landing across the Straits.  Jock was KIA the next day of fighting during the withdrawal from the coast on 9 Feb 1942, he was 29 years old.  The Australian forces were being being overrun by huge numbers of Japanese troops who had landed by barges.
‘John MacDonald  with WX9393 Lt. John Meiklejohn, CO of No. 15 Platoon, D Company,  WX7127 Sgt John Solly, Platoon Sgt  and others were missing the night of 8 February – they were reported KIA fighting their way out from the west coast of Singapore during early morning.  MacDonald was KIA near Ama Keng village on 9 February 1942.  Meiklejohn and Solly were also KIA’.
A most tragic story is associated with Jock’s father who volunteered in WW1. 

 

Below:  both Dorrington and MacDonald are included.

 

 

Below:  Dorrington is included on the list from Bowgada