MOSMAN PARK (6012) WW2 HONOUR BOARD

MOSMAN PARK DISTRICT HONOUR BOARD WW 2

WX17754 Pte James ‘Jim’ BROWN b. 1921 Brown Hill, Victoria to James Reed and Mabel Wilson Brown.  Jim was a Trainee Teacher when he enlisted AIF 8 Oct 1941 – boarded ‘Aquitania’ at Fremantle 16 Jan 1942 to sail Singapore as a reinforcement for 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion.  He joined Battalion HQ as a clerk with advanced HQ Orderly Room.

Following Surrender at Singapore on 15 February 1942, Jim Brown aged 20 years, was standing at Raffles College Square  with 100s POWs when soldiers of Japanese Imperial Army approached the group requesting drivers.  Jim was taken with 2/4th officers Lt Raphael and Capt Thompson.  The three men were never seen again.

WX8397 Pte Robert William ‘Bob’ CHIPPERFIELD b. London 1916 – was a Fairbridge Farm School Boy for 10 years.  He was recorded residing Buckland Hill in 1936 Electoral roll.   Bob enlisted AIF 7 Oct 1940.  He later joined 2/4th MGB’s ‘A’ Coy 5 Platoon.  Bob earned himself the reputation of being the tallest soldier at 6′ 8″ tall in 2/4th.   His uniforms were made to fit him.   Bob also had the reputation of being gentle and a generous man.

He left Singapore as a POW to sail with ‘B’ Force Borneo to work in Sandakan airfields in North Borneo where only six POWs survived and they miraculously escaped.  Every other POW was the target of starvation and death by their captors.

Bob died 11 Feb 1945 of cardiac beri beri whilst on the First March Sandakan to Ranau.   Please read further.