BOYS WHO ENLISTED 2/4TH MGB WW2 from NEWDEGATE AND SURROUNDS
Newdegate is a townsite in WA’s Great Southern agricultural region, 399 km south-east of Perth, 52 km east of Lake Grace. The townsite was gazetted in 1925 and honours Sir Francis Newdegate, Governor of Western Australia from 1920 to 1924.
Sitting Front L-R A Brooker KIA, Walter Breed, John Waddell No 12 Platoon.
WILLIAM ‘CHARLIE’ ROBERTS was b. Ravensthorpe and farming there when he enlisted.
WX9229 BREED, Walter Edward b. 26 June 1902 London England. Enlisted AIF 10 Oct 1940. Later joined 2/4th’s ‘B’ Company, 7 Platoon Corporal Commanding Officer Lt. Dean. Lest Singapore with ‘D’ Force S Battalion to work on Burma-Thai Railway. ‘Bill’ as he was known was recovered from Thailand at the end of the war.
WX9288 BROOKER, John Allen (known as Allen) b. 16 April 1916 Medstead, England. Enlisted AIF 20 Oct 1940. Joined ‘A’ Company 6 Platoon under Commanding Officer Lt. Johnny Morrison as a Driver. Brooker was KIA 15 Feb 1942 during an enemy artillery barrage at Buono Vista on 15 Feb 1942 – the last day of fighting prior to Allied surrender.
Allen was 24 years of age.
WX11580 MCGLINN, Donald Spencer (known as Don) b. 22 Mar 1915 Dangin, Western Australia. Enlisted AIF 9 Apr 1941 from Lake Biddy. Left Singapore with ‘D’ Force S Battalion to work on Burma-Thai Railway. He was evacuated from Kanyu II Camp to Tarsau Hospital Camp where he died of dysentery and Avitaminosis aged 28 years.
WX8739 PRITCHARD, Frederick Francis (known as Fred) b. Kalgoorlie June 1904 to parents Frank James and Isabella Kate Pritchard. Enlisted 23 Oct 1940 and later joined 2’/4th’s Headquarters Company, No. 3 Platoon as a Driver. Fred sailed from Singapore with the first work party. ‘A’ Force Burma, Green Force No. 3 Battalion to work on Burma end of the Railway. Green force worked at Victoria Point on the south-west coast of Burma to repair and enlarge the local airfield left behind by retreating British. It would be 1 Oct 1942 when this party commenced work on the Railway.
Fred was recovered from Thailand at the end of the war. He died in 1954. He had not enjoyed good health.
WX8716 PRITCHARD Francis Kenneth (known as Frank) b. Mar 1914 Northam. Younger brother to Fred Pritchard. Frank with also a Driver with Headquarters Company No. 3 Platoon. Fred fell 10 feet onto his right foot on board ‘Aquitania’ . He remained onboard ‘Aquitania’ and returned to Fremantle to hospital where he was diagnosed with synovitis to his knee. Following an operation his knew was in plaster for three months followed by four months convalescing. Frank joined 2/2nd Pioneers and saw action at New Guinea.
WX9236 WADDELL Eric John (known as John/Johnny) b. 1920 Narrogin to Arthur and Beatrice Waddell. Enlisted AIF Oct 1940 and later joined 2/4th’s ‘C’ Company 11 Platoon.
Johnny left Singapore 1943 with ‘D’ Force Thailand S Battalion to work on the Burma-Thai Railway. At the first D Force POW Camp at Tarsau, he was separated from the main group to ‘D’ Force Thailand ‘U’ Battalion under the leadership of Reg Newton.
Please read further about ‘D’ Force U Battalion
Waddell was evacuated to Tarsau Hospital Camp with cholera from Tonchan Spring Camp where his duties were cookhouse, water carrying and wood party. An improvement on working on the Railway. He recovered to be sent to Tamaung and Non Pladuk Camps where there were few work parties, then to to Nikhe-Nikhe Wood Camp. Then back to Kanchanaburi, Tamuang and to work on go-downs at Bangkok. From there to Nakom Nayok, Phitsanulok and Takuri from where he was recovered and taken to Bangkok before flying to Singapore where Johnny sailed on HMT Tamaroa to Fremantle.
