NUNGARIN WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL
The Shire of Nungarin is in WA’s wheatbelt region with an approx. population of 230. It is situated 40 km north of Merredin and 300 km east of Perth.
Nungarin and Merredin were set up during WW2 as bases for military storage. Both towns accessible by rail but a safe distance from the coast. Even today you can see the huge containers.
WX8245 ADAMS, EDWIN THOMAS
Born 1914 Kellerberrin. Enlisted 16 August 1940 ‘C’ Company. AWOL ‘Aquitania’ Fremantle, sailed to Java, joined ‘Blackforce’. POW at Bandeong, Bicycle Camp Batavia, Makasura Camps Java. Sailed Singapore with ‘D’ Force Thailand, Java Party No. 6, P Battalion to work on Burma-Thai Railway. Survived then selected fit to work Japan. Sailed ‘Rashin Maru’ to Japan (as did McGlinn) worked Yamane (Carpenter’s shop), Niihama copper mine. Returned to Australia.
You can read further about Eddy Adams
Eddy and his two brothers enlisted.
WX7541 KEITEL, CLEMENT CHARLES
Born Adelaide, SA 1899. Enlisted 6 August 1940.
Joined HQ Company, No 3 Platoon however remained a POW throughout war at Singapore. Keital had a history of bronchitis.
Returned to Australia.
WX8478 McGLINN, FRANCIS THOMAS
Born 1909 Northam. Enlisted 18 October 1940, ‘C’ Company, wounded in action Hill 200, Ulu Pandan 11 February 1942 admitted AGH with shrapnel wound to left foot and discharged 26 February 1942. POW Singapore, worked Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force S Battalion around Hellfire Pass area, sailed to Japan ‘Rashin Maru’ as did Eddy Adams, worked Yamane and Niihama Copper Mines, Japan. Returned to Australia. You can read further about Frank McGlinn
WX79439 SAWYER, CLARENCE JOHN
Born 1914 Ashington, England. HQ Company. AWOL Fremantle ‘Aquitania’ sailed Java joined ‘Blackforce’. Please read further. Taken POW. Died illness Allied General Hospital Bandeong, Java 1 April 1942 aged 34 years. Initiallly buried Bandeong. After the war interred Djakarta War Cemetery Plot 3, Row H, and Gave 14.
Clarence ‘Clarrie’ and his wife Elsie share-farmed a property at Kwelkan west of Nungarin prior to enlisting with AIF 13 Oct 1940. Clarrie’s death left his young wife Elsie widowed and his daughter Margaret without a father.
Clarrie is also first cousin to WX7256 Thomas ‘Keith’ Sawyer of Menzies.
THE DORIZZI CONNECTION TO NUNGARIN
Tom, Gordon and Bert moved to Nungarin to work with their trucks after their father moved to the district to take up one of the earliest school bus contacts. The three boys all died at Borneo – at Sandakan, or on the Sandakan-Ranau March.
