Above: list includes Ronald Hill, Samuel Ninyette, James Graham Wilson.
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.