Narrogin War Memorial – WWII

Above:  list includes Ronald Hill, Samuel Ninyette, James Graham Wilson from 2/4th.

 

 

WX12663 FLOYED, ARTHUR ERNEST died malaria Sandakan, Borneo 12 March 1945 aged 26 years. Born Narrogin 1918 to John Bertram and Ada Clare Floyed, ‘Artie’ enlisted 9 May 1941.  He was one of a large contingent of reinforcements, many with little or no training, to join the 2/4th Battalion which had been training in SA and NT to sail 16th January 1942 on  ‘Aquitania’ from Fremantle to Singapore.  Artie was fortunate to survive the battle for Singapore, particularly as a very large number of reinforcements in ‘E’ Company lost their lives.

 

From Singapore he was selected to sail to Borneo with ‘E’ Force. There were only 6 POWs who survived Sandakan (they escaped) and tragically Artie never returned home – he was one of 73 men from 2/4th to die at Sandakan.  Their names are inscribed on the Sandakan Memorial at Boyup Brook.
Please read further about Sandakan.
Also you may like to look over the map of Sandakan-Ranau.

 

 

 

 

 

 

WX8174 O’LEARY, DANIEL MARTIN Lance Sergeant, was born 1910 Kalgoorlie to Jeremiah and Hannah Ethel O’Leary,  He enlisted August 1940 and joined ‘A’ Company.  He remained in Singapore as a POW until sent to work on the Burma-Thai Railway with ‘F’ Force.  ‘F’ Force encountered appalling conditions and little food.  He died of malaria and dysentery at Kami Sonkurai Camp, Thailand.  He was 33 years old.

Please read further  ‘A’ Force Burma, Green Force No. 3 Battalion

 

 

Daniel had commenced his working life as a railway cleaner and advanced to a railway fireman.  His father Jeremiah was a loco engine driver with the WAGR.

 

 

 

 

 

 

WX9406 Charles Percival ODGERS b. 1919 Narrogin to Percival William Clunes and Florence Mary Odgers. Odgers enlisted AIF 21 Nov 1940.  He was taken on strength at Darwin having completed his officer training.  At Singapore he was transferred to ‘E’ Company Special Reserve Battalion as Adjutant to Commanding Officer Major Saggers.
When the SRB walked into the Japanese ambush at South West Bukit Timah on 11 Feb 1942, he was one of those KIA.

Please read about the Ambush at Bukit Timah

Charlie Odgers was 22 years old when he died.

 

WX15402 JAENSCH, Lawrence (Laurie) was b. SA 1907.  He spent his formative years on his family’s farm at Koonunga. He  came to Narrogin before 1931, we believe because he had an Uncle farming in the district.  His uncle John Friedrich Christian m.1915 to Rachel E Johnson in 1919.  He  was brother to Laurie’s  father. John F.C. Jaensch died about 1932.  He had no children.

Laurie was recorded between 1931 and 1937 residing in Narrogin and up until 1943 residing at Williams, farming.
He enlisted Jul 1941 and joined 2/4th reinforcements on ‘Aquitania’ at Fremantle 15/16 January 1942.  He became a reinforcement to HQ Coy No. 2 Platoon, Anti-Aircraft.
Laurie left Singapore with ‘D’ Force Thailand  V Battalion.  This Battalion suffered an exceptionally high number of deaths working on Burma-Thai  railway.  Laurie died of acute enteritis and malaria at Kuii POW Camp 6 Oct 1943 aged 36 years.