On 3 September 1939 Australia’s Prime Minister Robert Gordon Menzies announced the beginning of Australia’s involvement in the Second World War.
At Toodyay Jack Baker, Les Raynor, Bert Heal and Gordon Dorizzi are farewelled 1 Nov 1940, heading by train to Claremont to enlist in AIF.
These young men would have been full of energy and excitement. At this moment in their lives they are looking at a journey to the unknown! Who was to know what lay ahead? Certainly they all thought they would be fighting the Germans and their allies.
Only one man would return from war.
Above: Newcastle Hotel, Toodyay.
Below: Newcastle Hotel as originally built early 1900s.
At Toodyay Emily and Henry Rayner ran the Newcastle Hotel, for many years.
Emily was widely known as ‘Ma’ – she ran a very ‘well behaved’ hotel – a resilient and very experienced hotelier having previously ran the Marble Bar Hotel for some years she was well respected and the men of the town knew ‘never to play up’ in her pub! ‘Ma’ was a legend.
WX9357 Leslie Robert (Les) RAYNER was second of three sons of Emily and Henry Rayner. His brothers Harry enlisted with AIF and brother George enlisted with RAAF. He also had two step-sisters Flo and Doris.
Les was farming at Nabawah prior to enlisting. He had also announced his engagement to Doris Ash of Dindiloa, Chapman Valley, near Geraldton.
After the war Doris Ash married 2/4th’s Ron Simkin of Northampton. Please read further
Henry was Hotel Manager at Marble Bar from at least 1912 through to 1922. Les would have spent his early years growing up here.
Les was wounded in action on the last day of war, 15.2.1942 at Buona Vista. Admitted to 2/13th Australian General Hospital with shrapnel wounds to both legs, he had one leg amputated. He died 27 February 1942 aged 24 years.
A number of ‘A’ Coy men were KIA at Buona Vista.
WX9320 Herbert William HEAL (Bertie/Bert) had been working as a yardman in Toodyay prior to enlisting with AIF.
As a POW in Singapore Heal was selected to work on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘F’ Force Thailand.
The majority of POWs who made up ‘F’ Force had been former patients and/or older soldiers. It is probable Bertie had been hospitalised prior to this selection and many POWs had been ill, hospitalised or recently released to their Units.
Bert was evacuated from the railway line to Tanbaya Hospital Camp in Burma where he died of beri beri and dysentery on 22 Dec 1944 aged 33 years.
Bert had interests in yachting and side-car racing at Claremont Oval.
WX9367 John ‘Jack’ Robert BAKER would later join 2/4th ‘s ‘A’ Coy 6 Platoon under CO Lt Johnny Morrison. The 2/4th were firstly sent to train in Woodville, South Australia and then Darwin, N.T.
Born in Perth, Jack married Toodyay girl Sylvia ‘Joyce’ Smith. He was employed as a Linesman with WAGR at Toodyay. Jack lived much of life around Toodyay. He was best mates with Tom Dorizzi. Tom’s wife Ellen and Jack’s wife Joyce were sisters and talented sporting women, in particular hockey.
John ‘Jack’ Baker missed boarding ‘Aquitania’ 16 Feb 1942 before she sailed for Singapore. Baker was one of about 90 men from 2/4th to be left behind.
Baker arrived in Java some weeks later, joined forces with other Australians. He was assigned to ‘Blackforce’. The Dutch capitulated to the Japanese without a fight! They were taken POWs of Japan about 8 March 1942.
It is estimated there were about 3,500 Australian POWs in Java. Most of these men were sent to work on the Burma-Thai Railway. In early Oct 1942, Jack was sent with ‘A’ Force Burma Java Party No. 4 under CO Lt. Col J.M. Williams to sail to Singapore first, then sail to northern Burma to Rangoon, up the Salaween River to Moulmein, then either train or truck to Burma end of the Railway – Thanybyuzyat. ‘Williams’ Force as it became known had the hard task of maintaining or repairing problems on the rail. Most of the POWs were engineers with 2/2nd Battalion. They were constantly on the move.
There were 43 men from 2/4th in Williams Force of which about 10 men died.
Jack was recovered from Thailand at the end of the war to return home to Toodyay.
Jack died 17 November 1962 in Perth aged 55 years.
WX9274 Gordon DORIZZI also known as ‘Punch’ is one of three Dorizzi brothers who enlisted AIF and joined 2/4th MGB. His parents Tom and Mary Ann Dorzzi had five sons tand resided in the old Gaol at Toodyay, with each son having his own cell as his bedroom.
Bert Dorizzi had enlisted a short time earlier and Tom enlisted May 1941. Tom and Gordon were with ‘A’ Coy and Bert with ‘D’ Coy. Both Bert and Tom received wounds during the fighting at Singapore.
Tom and Bert left Singapore with ‘B’ Force Borneo and Tom left short time later with ‘E’ Force Borneo. The three brothers were all working on the aerodromes at Sandakan. The camp was run by a ruthless Japanese officer and the POWs lived a tough time. But it wasn’t until 1945 that things really turned nasty at Sandakan. More than 2,000 POWs would die during the months of Jan-Aug 1945 – of which 71 men were from 2/4th. They died of starvation first complicated by tropical illnesses. Gordon was 28 years old when he died 11 Feb 1945 at Sandakan. Bert died aged 26 years also died on 11 Feb 1945 and Tom Dorizzi was 31 years old when he died 11 Mar 1945 at Ranau Camp, North Borneo.
The following detailed diary is by QX6306 Captain Fred Stahl, Staff Captain (Administration) to Lt. Col Kappe, 8th Division Signals – appointed CO Australian contingent of ‘F’ Force.
Below: This page includes details of Japanese information to Singapore based POWs encouraging 7,000 POWs to leave with ‘F’ Force Thailand – it would be in order to ‘include 30% light duty sick men’
This is the story of one group of ‘F’ Force Party’s march from Bampong to Shimo Sonkurai – 18 days on foot over 300 km at night on jungle tracks.
Singapore Station to begin 4 1/2 day journey to Thailand, 28 men contained in tiny rice truck without any amenities. First meeting with Korean guard ‘Toyama’ who carried a golf stick, “I am an educated gentleman – I get very angry.”
‘F’ Force arrive Bampong Transit Camp, Thailand to march mostly at night approx 300 km to Shimo Sonkurai Camp taking about 18 days. An arduous and incredibly difficult march especially for the sick and those with injuries on jungle tracks.
Another 24 Kms – arrive Wampo & enter Tiger Country.
12th Halt – arrive Konkoita
Arrive Shimo Sonkurai 8 am – 14 May – next day first Cholera case.
Remove a bend in river by hand – 50 men would dig a cutting through the hill.
A Cholera victim waves farewell!
We wish to acknowledge Peter Winstanley who kindly allowed us to use this document from his website. https://www.pows-of-japan.net/articles/31.htm
QX6306 Captain F E Stahl MBE MID, with the Commonwealth flag made by members of “X3” working party which he commanded, in 1945, near Bukit Panjang. Capt. Stahl was adjutant of the Unit from October 1940 to October 1941. Handmade Australian blue ensign made from a Union Jack flag stitched into the corner of blue fabric. Southern Cross Star and Federation Star have been cut out of blue cloth and pieces of white handkerchief sewn into them. The Union Jack is printed along one arm with ‘MADE IN ENGLAND’. Written in black ink along the white hoist of the flag is ‘Made By QX.19748 SGT. Smith D R H 17 AUG 1945’. Written in faded ink on the Federation Star is
‘Dear Stahl Good Luck. A very game action to fly this flag. F.G. Galleghan LT Col Comd A.I.F (P.W) Malaya 20 Aug 1945’.
A white cotton rope with carved wooden toggles at either end is threaded through the hoist. Was first Australian flag flown in Singapore after Japanese Surrender in 1945.
Description
Handmade Australian blue ensign made from a Union Jack flag stitched into the corner of blue fabric. The stars of the Southern Cross and the Federation Star have been cut out of the blue cloth and pieces of white handkerchief sewn into them. The Union Jack is printed along one arm with ‘MADE IN ENGLAND’. Written in black ink along the white hoist of the flag is ‘Made By QX.19748 SGT. Smith D R H 17 AUG 1945’. Written in faded ink on the Federation Star is ‘Dear Stahl Good Luck. A very game action to fly this flag. F.G. Galleghan LT Col comd A.I.F (P.W) Malaya 20 Aug 1945’. A white cotton rope with carved wooden toggles at either end is threaded through the hoist.
History / Summary
This flag was the first Australian flag flown in Singapore after the surrender of the Japanese in 1945. When news of the imminent surrender for the Japanese filtered through to the Allied prisoners, QX6306 Captain Frederick Stahl had this flag made to be flown once peace was announced. Stahl was born in Victoria in 1909 and enlisted in the Army in Queensland in July 1940. He served with 8 Divisional Signals and was captured by the Japanese in February 1942. He was imprisoned at camp X3 at Bukit Panjang on Singapore Island along with QX19748 Sergeant Darcy Robert Henry Smith, a tailor from East Gympie who enlisted with 2/1 Heavy Battery of the Royal Australian Artillery in March 1941. Stahl asked Smith to make the flag which was made from a Union Jack owned by TX3788 Private Frederick Pegg, 2/40 Battalion, who used it for burials and blue Japanese sheet material stolen from the stores. The stars were made by QX19566 James French, 2/10 Field Regiment, from Red Cross handkerchiefs and the sewing thread was unraveled from Japanese socks. While the material was being gathered it was kept hidden under the prisoners’ sleeping platforms and when Smith began sewing QX23706 Private Vivian Gambling, 2/3 Ordinance Stores Company, kept watch.
On 20 August the Japanese surrender was announced in the camp by the arrival of British parachutists. The flag flew above the camp for some days until the men marched out to join other prisoners at Changi. Stahl was then summoned by the AIF Commander at the camp, Lieutenant Colonel ‘Black Jack’ Galleghan who asked him to fly his flag above the gaol alongside the British flag until a larger, more official flag could be obtained. Stahl agreed and on its return to him Galleghan wrote the inscription which appears on the Federation star. After their return to Australia, Stahl was discharged in December 1945, Mentioned in Despatches and was made a member of the Order of the British Empire. Smith was discharged in January 1947.
Formal group portrait of members of the Northern Command Signals Officers’ Mess. Back row, left to right: QX6138 Lieutenant (Lt) Phillip Bryan Robin; QX6297 Lt James Edward McConnell; QX45089 Lt Roydon Byth Robinson; QX42652 Lt Leo Claude Clifford. Second Row: QX40786 Lt John Stanton Davis Mellick; QX6483 Lt Edwin John Esler; QX36573 Lt Michael Ratcliffe Bates; QX40785 Lt Jack Raymond Stephensen; QX6165 Lt Bertram John Wilson. Third row: QX6163 Lt Alan John Crozier; QX40782 Lt Eric Alfred Parker; QX6166 Lt Arthur Edward Muirhead; Lt H J Dunlop; QX6306 Lt Frederick Edwin Stahl (later awarded the MBE for “meritorious service as a prisoner of war [of the Japanese] in Thailand”; QX36555 Lt John Francis McConachie [later awarded the OBE “for superb organization at Lae and Samar].Front Row: QX42651Captain (Capt) Gordon John Cooper Hargreaves; Q424 Capt Roger Fitzgerald Hartigan; QX35735 Major (Maj) Lionel Victor Mervyn Jensen; QX36205 Lieutenant Colone (Lt Col) Rupert Henry Sainsbury, Commanding Officer; QX6168 Lt Douglas Vincent (Staff Corps) Adjutant; Capt F Scott and QX6333 Capt Albert Patrick Garde. Inset at top right is QX6167 Lieutenant William Spencer Beaney.
This is a transcript of an AWM interview with Fred Stahl
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C298596
Below: 1950 Fred Stahl guest speaker to Legacy, Adelaide – his view of Japan and her people. Stahl’s descriptions of Tanbaya Hospital wards could have only been described by somebody who had been present.
A translation of above which was printed 3 Sept 1945 in a South Australian newspaper, with the headline reading
STUDIO PORTRAIT OF CAPTAIN E. MAVIS HANNAH (LATER ALLGROVE), A NURSE IN THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY NURSING SERVICE (AANS). SHE IS WEARING THE SERVICE’S INDOOR UNIFORM. AS A STAFF MEMBER OF THE 2/4TH CASUALTY CLEARING STATION (CCS), CAPTAIN HANNAH WAS CAPTURED BY THE JAPANESE AT THE FALL OF SINGAPORE IN 1942-02. SHE SPENT THE REST OF THE WAR AS A PRISONER-OF-WAR (POW) AND WAS THE ONLY NURSE FROM 2/4TH CCS TO SURVIVE THE SINKING OF THE VYNER BROOKE AND SUBSEQUENT CAPTIVITY.
Author Peter Brune was very honest when he wrote of Kappe…..
‘incompetence, sheer neglect and the total use of abuse of the privileges of command’.
Other well known Australian military historians/writers who agreed with Brune included Don Wall and Tim Bowden (acclaimed oral historian, broadcaster, radio & television documentary maker).
Unfortunately Kappe was one of a number of incompetent AIF & British Officers.
The overall command of ‘F’ Force was under British commanding officer Lt-Col S.W. Harris, 18th Division. AIF to provide 3,600 men and the British 3,400. Lt. Col. Dillon M.C. would command the British contingent and Lt. Col Kappe would command the AIF.
The survivors of F’ Force returned to Changi in appalling condition, all were skeletal and many seriously ill, some dying and all dressed only in rags and filthy. A large number of very sick POWs were left behind in hospital camps in Burma and Thailand.
VX48789 Lt. Col Charles Henry Kappe, 8th Division,
He was accommodated at Kami Sonkarai Camp. ‘F’ Force endured deaths from Cholera and every tropical illness resulting in huge loss of life. They died of starvation, overwork and illness.
In contrast Lieutenant Colonel Kappe returned to Changi well conditioned, in fact he was fat. Officers received much more pay than enlisted men, and did not work. Kappe initially showed interest in his men but this quickly waned.
He preferred not to have his face slapped by the Japanese and rarely exited his tent. Some officers pooled their extra pay and shared with their men. Kappe took good care of himself with extra food from his officer’s allowance. Kappe had even turned over some of his own men to the Japanese for punishment.
The men knew it. They detested him. But they rarely spoke of it. (This information from Interviews by Tim Bowden for ABC Radio and recorded in his book ‘Stubborn Buggers’)
Peter Brune in his book ‘Descent into Hell’ is further revealing of Kappe’s poor leadership. He described Kappe’s record as one of ‘incompetence, sheer neglect and the total use of abuse of the privileges of command’.
Fellow officer QX6306 Captain Fred E . Stahl (Corps of Signals) wrote of Kappe –
‘One of his first acts was to issue an instruction that he (Kappe) was to receive double rations.’
Kappe also thought he was best qualified to be the person to go back to Singapore and tell the story of the bastardry!
Private John Boehm told Brune Kappe ‘didnt have any patched clothes…………he looked physically well ……the doctors and kitchen staffs hated his guts because he ….demanded what he wanted ………his nickname was Kappe-yama.’
SINGAPORE, STRAITS SETTLEMENTS, 1945-09-20. LIEUT-COL C.H. KAPPE, CHIEF OF STAFF, AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE PRISONERS OF WAR – MALAYA (1), MAJOR N. MCG. JOHNSTON, ADMINISTRATIVE COMMAND, 2/30 AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY BATTALION (2) AND LIEUT-COL FREDERICK (BLACK JACK) G. GALLEGHAN, DSO, ED, COMMANDING OFFICER, 2/3RD AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY BATTALION, ALL EX-PRISONERS OF WAR OF THE JAPANESE.
Leaving Kami Sonkari & Burma-Thai Railway November 1943 & returning to Kanchanaburi & then Singapore – most of rail construction was completed
The arrogance of Kappe -17 November 1943
The Japanese gave POWs little notice they were about finally leave Kami Sonkarai to return to Kanchanaburi .
From Robin Rowland’s book ‘A River Kwai Story – The Sonkari Tribunal’ we learn Kappe had two large suitcases with him and assigned Sgt. Keith Meakin from his own 8th Division Signal Corps and a warrant officer to watch over them as he (Kappe) supervised the loading of the train. Meakin said he had not seen Kappe at all during his time atKami Sonkurai prior to this encounter!
When the train finally arrived, much later than expected, there were not enough wagons to carry all the ready and waiting men. This however, this did not stop Kappe from ordering Meakin and the warrant officer to manhandle the two trunks into one of the wagons. They were so heavy it required two men to load them onto a flat car. In the end only Kappe and 50 men got on the wagon. 450 remaining men watched as the train disappeared into the blackness of the jungle while the rain began falling heavier. These men returned to their huts.
The next day, 18 November the Australians at Kami Sonkurai ‘Stood by’ all day until the Japanese told then to walk (or stagger as Sam Arneil wrote) to Sonkarai Camp and then onto Niekhe a distance of 11 kilometres. Only 300POWs made the journey, 150 men were left behind judged to be too ill to march the distance. Major Noel Johnston remained behind to command and care for the sick. (pages 200 and 201).
KANBURI TO SINGAPORE
Kanburi was a time of recovery for the POWs. Rest and eat a little more. Rations were better than they were on the rail link, but still poor. The days had become dry and warm but the nights cool and sometimes freezing. The POWs were told they could make purchases with camp funds. Kappewho had charge of the Kami Sonkarai camp fund, collected money from the men.
On 19 December Kappe and about 500 men were ordered onto a barge at Kanburi. Once again, Kappe called upon Meakin along with a few other men to cart some heavy cases down to the riverbank. Toyoyama arrived and ordered Kappe go with him. This was the opportunity for the men toopen Kappe’s trunks! One contained cartons of Virginia Cigarettes and another had cans of herrings in tomato sauce!
From the barge POWs were transferred to a coal-burning ship that set sail that day.
At Changi the Japanese notified the Malaya Command Bureau of Record & Enquiry that POWs from ‘F’ and ‘H’ Forces would be returning to Singapore. The also notified the Bureau 2,000 men from ‘F’ Force and 800 men from ‘H’ Force had died.
On the sailing ship to Singapore Kappe discovered that some of cases were missing. He immediately ordered a parade, stood on the bridge and criticised the men for stealing food. The men, many of whom were smoking Kappe’s American cigarettes began to boo Kappe.
Kappe yelled “You Fools!”telling them he had used the money to buy food for the journey. There were more Boos!
This was ‘F’ Force funds – Kappe should have known to leave the supplies for the sick at least!
(What was Kappe’s plan? – to sell and make a profit back in Changi or ??)
Kappe then said “I had to look after myself to tell the story!”
The onboard escort were frontline Japanese troops. They had been ordered to treat the POWs better. Either an English speaking Japanese had overheard the Australians or the Australian POWs talked with the Japanese – the combat troops turned on Toyoyama and he was beaten three times.
ARRIVAL SINGAPORE
21 DECEMBER
Stan Arneil arrived Singapore Station at 1.00am and were trucked back to Changi. Most of the Australians were awake and anxiously waiting to see their mates who had left 9 months earlier.The returning men were mostly too exhausted to do anything other than sit. The men of ‘F’ Force could only stare in wonder at the men of Changi who appeared so healthy and clean – whilst they were skeletal, dressed in just a few pieces of rags, filthy dirty with their ulcerated legs dressed from Kanburi Hospital.
Black Jack Galleghan was so shocked he had tears in his eyes. The men of Changi swung into action – the men of ‘F’ Force were taken to their quarters and by 4 am were asleep!
When Dillon and Harris returned to Changi they brought with them the complete and accurate Nominal Rolls of the dead. More than 3,000 men.
The 2/4th wish to acknowledge and thank Robin Rowland for the above information.
At the end of the war Kappe provided his records written in Changi about 8th Division to AIF, no doubt recording his involvement with ‘F’ Force Thailand in a favourable light. He was praised and acknowledged for his war contribution.
‘ Kappe was given the task of compiling the Australian war diaries of the campaign which ended with the fall of Singapore to the Japanese. This resulted in a 200,000-word history The Malayan Campaign written in Changi and in Thailand between 1942 and 1945. It was the first full history of the Malaya-Singapore campaign to be written by a participant, though it has only been published in part and in an abridged version.’
Collection relating to the Second World Service of Lieutenant Colonel VX48789 Charles Henry Kappe, 8th Division, 1942-1945, Singapore.
The collection at the AWM consists of Kappe’s manuscript of ‘The Malayan Campaign’, a history of the titular campaign written by Kappe while a prisoner of war at Changi. The manuscript draws upon both Australian and British war diaries, as well as the recollections of fellow prisoners of war, as well as Japanese officers. It has been typed on various materials, largely whatever was available at Changi, including pages of ‘naval message’ paper, scavenged from Singapore Naval Base.
While Kappe had been prevented from publishing the work while continuing to serve in the Australian Army, shortly after his retirement in December 1954, a condensed version was published in newspapers in Melbourne and Sydney. The work, while available in the Memorial’s archive since 1958, has never been widely published.’
Kappe had published his book called ‘The Death Railway’ based on his version of the Malaya-Singapore Campaign, POW life in Changi and ‘F’ Force Thailand.
Initially, former POWs welcomed their freedom and happy to be home with their families. It would take a decade or two (sometimes 3 & 4) before former POWs began writing and publishing their stories.The former POWs were told by AIF to forget about what had happened, people did not want to know and anyway would not believe them.These stories were what shocked Australia – Australians learned what their young men had endured at the hands of the Japanese.
Kappe was a regular soldier. He graduated from Duntroon in 1921. He also attended Quetta, India. (see below).
After the end of the war Kappe was awarded an OBE for his services!
Kappe who was born at Ballarat, died at the age of 66 on 23 October 1967 in Brisbane.
Kappe divorced his first wife in 1936 and remarried 1937.
Below: Kappe attended the Gordon Bennett Inquiry 1945.
Below: Kappe’s records compiled into stories for newspapers 45.
Did you know about 7,000 Australian soldiers became POWs of Germany & Italy in WW2
Mostly captured Greece and Crete
and Incarcerated throughout Italy
The majority were captured during the ill-fated Greece and Crete campaigns of April to June 1941. The men were airmen and soldiers of 6th, 7th and 9th Divisions. Most remained captive for more than three years enduring cold, hunger, soul-destroying and never-ending boredom and sometimes physical brutality in Italy and later Germany.
Whilst researching 2/4th’s WX8631 Samuel James BLEWETT I discovered his older brother Frank William Blewett WX9047 2/32nd Battalion 9th Division was captured 22 Jul 1942 at the first battle at El Alamein.
Sam Blewett was not sufficiently fit to leave Singapore Island with work parties as he suffered chronic asthma.
We wish to acknowledge this map has been copied from History Guild https://historyguild.org/first-battle-of-el-alamein-australia-holds-the-line/
Sam and Frank Blewett were born at Gawlia. They were two of four children born to parents Samuel James (Snr) and Mary Blewett. At 37 years of age, in 1917 Samuel Blewett was killed at Sons of Gawlia mine. An Inquiry found another employee was responsible for Blewett’s death. Sam was a popular and well known football player, often captaining his local team. He had resided in the area since about 1901. His death left his wife widowed and his four very young children without a father.
Left: Sam Blewett, 2/4th MGB
Above: Frank Blewett
Australians captured in North Africa by Germany and Italty became prisoners of the Italians. Internment conditions in North Africa were terrible with little food & water provided. They were driven by trucks to Benghazi or Tripoli to board ships to one of several locations in Italy – Naples, Brindisi, Reggio Calabria risking attack by Allied Ships and aircraft while crossing the Mediterranean Sea.
So why did the Allies fail at the First Battle of El Alamein? A considerable degree of bumbling – was it because there were too many Nationalities?
Prisoners in pitiful state arrived in Italy having endured many months in North Africa on limited supplies around Tobruk and El Alamein and prior to sailing from North Africa where they received little food and drink by their captors while waiting. There was no opportunity to wash. The prisoners were often met by hostile crowds who jeered and threw projectiles which the Aussies happily returned.
Frank Blewett was initially sent to Campo 57 which held about 1200 Australians. This camp in north Italy had a chapel known as San Mauro or Grupignano
‘Italian camps varied greatly. Some were inefficient and badly run; others were easier. In September 1943 Italy surrendered. Some prisoners were able to escape to Allied lines in the confusion. Those unable to get away were rounded up and sent to Germany: prisoners for a further eighteen months.’ From AWM.
From Holdings Camps on the Italian coast Prisoners were entrained to one of numerous POW Camps throughout Italy. Campo 57 was located near Udine, in the Provence of Fruili in North Italy near the foothills of the Italian Alps. Prisoners were entrained to Cividale and then marched to their camp. Prisoners included Australians, New Zealanders, British, Indian and South African soldiers.
A special Corps known as Carabinieri governed POW Camps, they had both military and civil powers acting as a type of military police. Colonel Vittorio Calcaterra was Campo 57 Commander, a staunch fascist who inspired his men to treat the prisoners harshly, ration their food. Calcaterra liked to punish prisoners regularly for little reason locking them in punishment cells. Never brought to trial for his crimes, Calcaterra was killed by Italian partisans in 1943. It was said “Calcaterra delighted in doling out random beatings, clapping prisoners in irons, condemning them to solitary confinement for extended periods and reducing their rations.”
Still given a choice Australian POWs would have chosen Italy over Changi or Thai–Burma Railway or the Sandakan death marches. But captivity in Italy was not as ‘kindly’ as we have been led to believe. Colonel Vittorio Calcaterra, commandant of Campo 57 at Gruppignano and a committed fascist, was infamous among Australian prisoners for his brutality. He and his thugs inflicted cruel and degrading punishments on POWs, forcing sick men to stand on parade in sub-zero temperatures, and stripping, chaining, starving and beating other prisoners. He was deeply disliked by the POWs and locals!
Of course camp conditions varied.
Most camps received Red Cross parcels and mail regularly unless there were shipping problems, and in good times prisoners would receive one Red Cross parcel per week per man. They also received a good supply of clothing via the Red Cross acquired from various armies. (Frank was given a British uniform) Prisoners had to improvise medical treatment and feared ’57 twins’ – pneumonia and kidney disease. We know at least 10 Australians died at Compo 57.
‘When Italy surrendered to the Allies in September 1943, many prisoners escaped. Some reached Allied lines; others joined anti-Fascist partisans waging a guerilla war in Italy’s mountains. As many as 39 Australians who had been prisoners of war – no one really knows – died fighting with Italian partisans.
‘On 8 September 1943, news broke that Italy had formally surrendered to the Allies, with a secretly negotiated armistice agreement which included provision for the handing over of Allied prisoners in Italy. The War Office in London sent messages to the numerous camps that prisoners of war were to “stay put” pending the arrival of Allied forces.
German authorities, of course, were not party to this agreement and had no intention of leaving Italy, nor of allowing all those prisoners to be released to roam behind their lines. Several days of confusion followed before the German Army could move in to secure all the camps across Italy. In some camps pro-Fascist commandants or the senior Allied prisoner of war enforced the stay put order; in others the Italian guards just opened the gates and left, leaving the prisoners temporarily unguarded.
It is estimated that about 17,000 of the 70,000 Allied prisoners of war in Italy escaped from various camps during this period, including some 500 Australians. But at least 50,000 prisoners were transferred to Germany to endure another two years as prisoners of war. Much has been written of the failure by Allied commanders to plan adequately for the security of those prisoners or to take account of the inevitable German response.’ From AWM
‘Some Allied prisoners simply walked away, unchecked by the Italians who once had guarded them. That was the easy part; the hard part was finding a way to freedom, which often involved picking a way past Italian fascists, aggrieved by developments in the war and looking for violence, and through the German forces that had flooded northern and central Italy to defend the Gustav Line. Many escapers made for the Alps and tried to cross into neutral Switzerland; others went south in the hope of locating Allied lines and finding sanctuary behind them.
Fear and death stalked the men all the way to Switzerland or Allied lines, and they often went without food and shelter. If they reached the Alps they then had to cross them, challenge enough in peacetime. In civilian clothes behind enemy lines they forfeited the protection of the Geneva Conventions; capture could mean being declared a spy and executed. Some Australian escapers in Italy were murdered by Italian fascist soldiers. The physical and mental burdens incurred in “shooting through” were as heavy and damaging as those imposed by captivity. From ‘Shooting through’ by Katrina Kittel.
Above: Entrance to Camp 106
Below: Australian and New Zealand prisoners with Italian guard at Camp 106
Prior to Sep 1943 Frank BLEWETT had been moved to Camp 106. 106 was not a ‘regular’ POW camp – it was a cluster of work farm camps where prisoners worked in the surrounding rice fields 8 hours daily guarded by the Italian army – not as rigorously as most other POW Camps. With the surrender Italian soldiers left their posts and many prisoners were able to escape including Frank Blewett. The former prisoners headed for Switzerland or south intending to meet up with Allied forces. Some were captured, some were killed and thankfully many were successful. Frank didn’t reach Switzerland but hid in the lower Italian Alps until rescued by US 5th Army. He was sent to He sailed home to WA via UK arrived Sydney by ship May 1945.
The German army moved quickly to prevent the escaping prisoners – they did not want Allied troops roaming free behind their lines. The captured prisoners were then transferred to German POW Camps.
Above: The main gate of Campo 57. About 1,200 Australians were held in this camp
We know from Franks AIF records he and another Australia soldier escaped and remained in the southern Italian Alps until rescued by US 5th Army.
Below: In Frank’s words he writes how he and another Australian prisoner were advised by locals 6 Australians and 1 English POW were killed in their ‘hideout house’ about a mile from Franks.
To read about the 1st Battle of El Alamein please go to following sites:
The following tells the story of an Australian POW who escaped camp who fought with partisans in Italy. https://www.coasit.com.au/images/ihs/journals/IHSJ_vol11_no1_2003.pdf
Below: Australian Morshead, Commander of 9th Division and New Zealand’s CO, believed to be Brigadier George Clifton, confer before battle. Clifton distinguished himself when as a prisoner he escaped.
Lt General Morshead
CO 9th Division AIF
He later won fame as the Defender of Tobruk.
Below: German and Italians taken prisoner by Allies advancing to El Alamein.
Below: Field Marshall Erwin Rommel with military aides.
Below: Australian and New Zealand prisoners waiting to be shipped to Italy 1942. It appears the weather is very cold – or were the prisoners forbidden to take belongings and decided to wear all they owned?
Below; L-R Churchill, Morshead & Britain’s General Claude Auchinleck Aug 42
Above: Morshead and Churchill
Below: Morshead with MacArthur – taken later in war when 9th Division had left Middle East.
EL ALAMEIN WAR CEMETERY AND THE ALAMEIN MEMORIAL There are 7,367 burials in the cemetery, of which 821 are unidentified by name.
Below: From AWM.
El Alamein, Egypt. 11 November 1943. Repatriated AIF prisoners of war (POWs) from German arriving to pay their respects to fallen comrades of the 9th Division at the El Alamein cemetery.
I hadn’t planned to, but recently watched a story on SBS TV about 1st year High School Students (aged 12 and 13 years) in August 1945 from various schools in Hiroshima (the seventh largest Japanese city) and outlying areas were taken daily from their classrooms to help clear fire breaks in the city centre and assist city representatives and the army to pull down rows of wooden houses and remove the debri in anticipation of US bombing raids.
Nearly 7% of the city’s residential units had been torn down to make fire breaks.
Japanese military representatives had earlier met with schools to discuss the above project. The school boards were not happy with this request. Although not a direct order, it was made very clear this request could not be refused. For their adored demigod, Emperor Hirohito and Japan these young students had to volunteer their efforts towards the war.
There was a clear blue sky over Hiroshima on the morning of 6 August 1945 at 8.15 am ‘little Boy’ (equivalent of 15,000 tons TNT) was dropped on the city – it was an ideal target being flat and surrounded by hills. It is estimated there were about 27,000 students working on that morning.
The true number of dead will never be known. Initially the US estimated Hiroshima’s population was 255,000. 66,000-70,000 had died with 69,000 or more injured. These figures vary from sources – many of these would die within the next month or so from their serious burns and injuries received and from ongoing sickness for years/decades following.
Junko was home sick from school and was one of few survivors of her school class. Although not wounded, her siblings were and they made their way towards the river anxious to quench their thirst created by the excessive heat, fires and smoke. They joined hundreds and hundreds of burned Japanese of all ages making their way towards one of Hiroshim’a seven rivers seeking water, desperate to cool their red burning bodies and appease their thirst.
Another student survivor who had been working told how he woke to find his class-mates either dead or severely burned. Their clothes and hair burned from their bodies. Red-bodied students now hardly recognisable, were crying for their mothers and water. Those who could walk stumbled towards the river.
All of Hiroshima’s schools would have been lost in the horrific blast. Many families of students resided out of the immediate radius of the city such as Junko’s family. Distraught parents of students from these outer areas went into the flattened city centre in search of their children.
The numbers of Japanese victims Hiroshima and Nagasaki were only a small portion of WW2 deaths. How many lives were lost to Japanese brutality and invasion during the Pacific War between 1940-1945 and in China and Korea from 1937 to 1945.
Let us hope there will never be another world war.
WX8525 Heppingstone, Ian David known to all as ‘Pop’ spent the first 12 months on the railway line at Tarsau Hospital camp due to his ill health. Sent to the Burma Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force Thailand S Battalion, Pop missed out of the horror of Hellfire Pass region and Kanyu II, Hintok Camps.
Below: Tarsau 1943-1944
Pop wrote of large numbers of sick and very sick POWs arriving from the ‘Line’ especially during speedo Mid1943 and the terrible days at Tarsau when as many as 20 POWs died in one day. Doctors performed amputations and Heppingstone thought Basil Clarke had his amputation at Tarsau – (in fact Clarke’s amputation took place at Khonkhan Hospital Camp in Burma Sept 1943). POWs constructed crutches – surprising the Japanese with their engenuity.
A British POW was suffering with mental health problems – POWs would hear the man screaming nightly, he was singled out and regularly tortured by the Japanese, until the Japanese took him outside and shot him. Officers had tried to intervene but the Japanese Officer said of the British POW
‘He was the sanest man in the Camp’.
Below: Tamuang – where Pop would have caught up with a large number of 2/4th ‘D’ Force S Battalion – well those who had survived without evacuation with illnesses – and where the Japanese selected ‘fit’ POWs to work in Japan. He was grateful not to be selected – POWs knew the stories of US submarines attacking transport ships on their journey to Japan.
They received improved food rations than previously (The Japanese had to fatten up POWs to sail to Japan) – the Japanese distributed US Food Parcels – most unusual.
Heppingston was sent to Chungkai and work party to Konkoita August 1944 near the border with Burma. At Konkoita they had to repair roads and the railway destroyed by monsoon rains. Konkoita during the businest days on the line gained the notoriety of being the ‘worst POW Camp’ (‘F’ Force).
Officers discovered a large cemetery and several empty huts which had previously been a brothel for the Japanese. The Korean women working in the brothel would have been taken from their families and homes – later known as ‘Comfort’ Women and today (2022) continue to wait for official Japanese acknowledgement, reparation and an official apology.
Below: Chungkai 1944
Below: End of War is evident – Kachu Mountain Camp. It was here Pop was able to years later, recall the weather was delightful – sunny during the day and cool at night with practically no rain. The surrounding rolling hills were covered with light forests, bamboo and wild bananas.
Above: Pop wrote of the well-known cricketer E.W. Jim Swanton who ‘assumed’ the leadership role of the Camp when Japan’s surrender was announced!
There were numerous stories praising Swanton,his cricket playing career and his cricket commentating and journalism life. He lived until he was 92 years old. However we did come across the following:
‘Born on February 11, 1907 at Forest Hill, London, Jim Swanton was a walking database of cricket knowledge. But he was not universally loved and the historian Rowland Bowen dubbed him as “Pomponius Ego”, while Ray Illingworth noted that Swanton was “too snobbish” to travel in the same car as his chauffeur.’
It is estimated Swanton who carried his Bible to war camps wrote about eight million words mostly relating to cricket over nine decades. Regardless of his demeanor, Lord Runcie noted at his funeral:
“The solemnity, prickliness and, yes, arrogance that were part of the serious perfectionist gave way to the gentle self-mockery and kindly wisdom which never seemed to fail us.”
At Tarsau Tom Uren, who later was part of the Whitlam Cabinet in Canberra, arrived sick from a work party located up the line, but in no time Uren was the winner of a boxing match with another Australian.
Many years later, Heppingstone saw Uren at a function. Pop mentioned the boxing match but Uren developed a sudden coolness in his manner and no further discussion took place.
“We worked by the principle of the strong looking after the weak.”
Tom Uren has his portrait in the National Portrait Gallery, Canberra. (The following has been copied from the Gallery information – interesting is the reference to Uren’s boxing)
Edward Tom Uren AC (1921-2015), former Deputy Leader of the Australian Labor Party, was a major campaigner on environmental and urban-planning issues and rights for veterans. He became active in left-wing politics after the war, during which he was a prisoner of the Japanese. Becoming member for the western Sydney electorate of Reid in 1958, he held the seat until he retired 32 years later.
He was Minister for Urban and Regional Development in the Whitlam government and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in 1976–1977. In the Hawke government he held several portfolios before retiring to the backbench in 1987. He retired from politics in 1990 and became a Life Member of the ALP in 1993. A great volume of Uren’s correspondence and official papers is held by the National Library; his autobiography, Straight left, was published in 1994.
Tom Uren lived for most of his life in Balmain, Sydney, where he was born. The portrait Gloves off refers not only to Uren’s early ambitions as a boxer, but to his multifarious political battles for social justice and heritage conservation of areas of inner Sydney (which can be seen in the background).
Uren lived to 92 years, serving 30 years with Australian politics.
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Uren was born in Balmain, Sydney, (then a working-class suburb) and educated at Manly High School. Uren’s family originated from Penzance, Cornwall.
He left school at 13 to get what work he could as did thousands of boys and girls at that time.
As a young man, Uren played rugby league for Manly Warringah and was a strong competitive swimmer becoming Freshwater Surf Club’s junior champion. Uren had an early career as a professional boxer and challenged Bill Britt, the then holder of the Australian heavyweight championship.
He joined up when war broke out.
He was taken prisoner after a bloody battle against overwhelming Japanese forces near Koepang. His next three birthdays were as a PoW.
During his 18 months on the Burma-Thailand railway Uren suffered and saw dreadful brutality and debilitating, often fatal, diseases.
He was in the Hintok camp under the command of Melbourne surgeon Edward (Weary) Dunlop. Dunlop took the miserable allowance paid to his officers so he could buy food and medicine which were allocated according to need.
Uren said of the difference between the British and Australian POW Camps on the Railway in reference to British Officers and their indifferent relationship with their men. (This also occurred with some Australian Officers).
“Only a creek separated our two camps, but on one side the law of the jungle prevailed and on the other the principles of socialism.”
Eventually, Uren was shipped to Japan and put to work in a factory at Omuta about 80 km from Nagasaki.
WX9405 Tom HAMPTON’s Affidavit of his time at Chungkai POW Camp 27 July to 27 August 1944 when he reported conditions were not too bad. His Affidavit was regarding a beating he received from Japanese Lieut. Kokobu who tore off Hampton’s Warrant Officer badge telling him to work – POW Officers were exempt from working. Hampton had taken a work party to the Camp Commander’s garden. He had been hit about the head with a wooden sword. Hampton then discovered other officers had been treated likewise.
He returned in Jan 1945 until the end of the war to find conditions had deteriorated greatly, the numbers of POWs had grown and there was not sufficient accommodation particularly for the sick. The hospital camp was small, with very little quinine and bandages. There were large numbers of POWs suffering blackwater fever and malaria, but could only provide quinine for the very worst cases. After two weeks, the Japanese provided two large sheds, however overcrowding generally continued.
POWs were desperate for quinine and bandages. They were provided very little. The POWS discovered the large stores of quinine, bandages, etc when the surrender was announced – as with everywhere the Japanese stockpiled medicines and POW food parcels.
Food was only just sufficient to feed the POWs.
POWs were sent on work parties to build a bund around camp, anti-aircraft defences, gun-pits, etc. (preparation for Allied assault) and to repair bombed bridges. During parades the Japanese would take obviously sick men to make up the numbers demanded by work parties.
The Japanese selecting these work parties were Lieut. NOBOSWA (alias ‘Kobby’) and Medical Officer Sgt-Major EDA. Selecting men without consulting POW Doctors as to the well-being of the men. Sick men were working every day. Chungkai Camp Commander was Colonel ISHI.
Snow was well known and respected with 2/4th MGB – he was a former player for Perth Football Club and played several interstate games including the memorable WA win against Victoria in 1921. He was coach of the successful 2/4th Football team at Northam Army Camp.
Above: Young Snow – Perth Football Club
B Company Headquarters
Back L-R JA McGregor, GP Biggs, G Japp, HA Jackson, A Brookbank, WJ Robinson. Centre AMcD Drummond, SM Hogben, JC Colbey, EE. Miller, GJ Doodson, F Vaughan, CH Dunn, J Hill. Front TW Zeeb, C Flakemore, AS Hewby, Capt GMcR Bunning, Capt AR Smith-Ryan RS Campbell, TJ Barnett.
2/4th MG Battalion Football Team 1941
Back Row:- Con Ryan (Noresman), Mac McCaffery (NSW), Lou Daily ( Capt, Subiaco, Vic, WA, Sandover Medallist 1935), Snow Hewby (Manager, Perth Football Club and1921 carnival for WA), Ron Anderson (Swan Districts), Frank Clarke, Tommy Tompkins. Middle Row:- Clive Helmrich (Swan Districts), Ron Badock (Kalgoorlie Miners, Norseman Tigers), Joe Pearce (Swan Districts), Bob Riebe, Cliff Spackman (Kalgoorlie Miners), Jim Dore (Perth & WA State Baseball) Front Row:- Jack Ovens, John Smith, Jack Wheelock, Bill Innes (East Perth & Cycling), Harry White ( Swan Districts), Alf Musman (SA & East Perth)
Arthur Syndey Hewby, known as ‘Snow’ was born 1898 Gingin to parents Arthur George Hewby and Louisa Emma Dewar who married 1894. He joined 2/4th’s ‘B’ Coy HQ as Warrant Officer Class 2 under Commanding Officer Capt. Gavin Bunning (also a former Scotch student).
He worked on the Burma-Thai Railway with the ill-fated‘D Force Thailand, V Battalionsuffering high rates of illness and deaths in appalling work and camp conditions. Snow was recovered at the end of the war from Ubon POW Camp, Thailand.
Snow was a WW1 Veteran.
He enlisted 24th March 1916, leaving Australia with 7th Reinforcements for 44th Battalion. With his Service Number of 1840 he worked his way through the ranks to 2nd Lieutenant in France. He was wounded in action on 20th October 1917 with a gunshot wound to his left side. He returned to WA safely.
44TH BATTALION WW1 – WESTERN FRONT
‘Raised at Claremont, Western Australia, in February 1916, part of 11th Brigade, 3rd Division. Following initial training in Australia the battalion embarked on 6 Jun 1916 aboard HMAT A29 Suevic for England where they spent a further four months training before moving to France on 27 November 1916, entering frontline trenches of Western Front on 29 December 1916.
During the very cold winter of 1916-17 they alternated between manning front line positions and providing men for working details when in the rear. Prior to their first real taste of battle which came at Messines, Belgium 7-10 Jun 1917, they had been billeted in a rest area at Coulomby and had previously participated in an unsuccessful, two company raid on enemy positions,an ill-fated effort involving almost half the battalion on 13 March 1917.
During the following months 44th Battalion was heavily employed in the Ypres sector, taking part in another major battle to capture Broodseinde Ridge part of the Ypres offensive of 1917.
The attack began before dawn 4 October 1917. The Australian troops involved were shelled heavily on their start line. One seventh of their number became casualties even before the attack began. The attacking troops were confronted by a line of troops advancing towards them; the Germans had chosen the same morning to launch an attack of their own. The Australians forged on through the German assault waves and gained all their objectives along the ridge. It was not without cost, however. German pillboxes were characteristically difficult to subdue, and the Australian divisions suffered 6,500 casualties.
Of the 992 men from the battalion who were involved in the Ypres operations, only 158 emerged unwounded when it was relieved for a rest on 21 October.’
It was on 20 October 1917 during the battle for Broodseinde Ridge that ‘Snow’ Hewby was wounded and evacuated with a GSW to his left side.
(We wish to acknowledge the above information is from Birtwhistle and AWM)
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Snow married 1925 to Elsie Day. At that time he was manager of Lake Mason Station, Sandstone This station today is a Conservation Park. Lake Mason was established in 1906 as a cattle station, known as ‘Berrigun’. Later it changed to sheep and wool production. That continued for more than 80 years. In 2000 the state government purchased Lake Mason.
Below: Original homestead.
When Snow enlisted WW2 16 Aug 1940, he recorded his birth date as 1900 (the enlistment cut off age was 40 years) when in fact he was born 1898 at Gingin.
Prior to enlisting WW2 Snow was publican at the Southern Cross Hotel.
The Hewby Family
His mother Louisa ‘Lu’ Hewby died very young at Guildford Feb 1910 aged 35 years. Snow would have been about 12 years of age. He then had an older brother William ‘Bill’ John Hewby b. 1896 and a younger brother Lionel George Hewby b. 1904. Both Bill and Snow were students at Scotch College, Swanbourne excelling at sport – football, cricket and rowing.
Snow’s youngest brother Lionel tragically died of diphtheria in 1911 aged 7 years. Lionel had gone to stay in Wagin with friends during the school holidays, spending a few days attending the local school where he contracted diphtheria and soon after died in hospital. (there were at least 3 other deaths)
William John ‘Bill’ Hewby Service No 3678 was KIA 30 May 1916, WW1 with 11th Batallion, Fleubaix, France. He was just 20 years old. Bill enlisted 4 Oct 1915 with the 12th reinforcements 11th Battalion, aged 19 years 8 months. He was 5’ 11 ½ “ tall and working as a survey cadet.
Leaving Fremantle the 11th Battalion reinforcements arrived at their training camp in Egypt. We know Bill was at Habieta.
Western Front – 11th Battalion AIF WW1
‘In early 1916, the 11th battalion sailed to Alexandria on the Empress of Britain. From Alexandria, it travelled by train to bivouac at Tall al Kabir. At this time, the battalion received 367 reinforcements from Australia before undertaking defensive duties around Gebel Habieta, guarding the Suez Canal. In February, the AIF was re-organised and expanded. This saw the veteran battalions split to provide cadres for new battalions and as a part of this process, the 11th Battalion provided personnel to the 51st Battalion, by transferring the even numbered sections to the new battalion. At this time, the battalion received four Lewis Guns for organic direct fire support.
On 30 March 1916, as the AIF’s infantry divisions were transferred to Europe, the battalion sailed from Alexandria aboard the HMT Corsican. It arrived at Marseilles, France, on 5 April and then moved by train to Flêtre where it was billeted until the 19th when it moved to Sailly, where it commemorated Anzac Day on 25 April. In mid-May, after a period of acclimatisation and training to prepare them for the European battlefield, the 11th Battalion moved up to the front line around Petillon in the Fleurbaix sector, with a strength of 27 officers and 929 other ranks. A further draft of reinforcements, totalling 69 men all ranks, arrived on 25 May, and on 30 May the battalion had its first experience of combat on the Western Front.
Late that evening, German artillery bombarded the Allied line around the Cordonnerie salient, before infantry launched a raid on the 11th Battalion’s trenches. In the fighting that followed the 11th Battalion lost four men captured, 37 killed and 70 wounded.’ From AWM
‘They travelled by train to Flêtre where the battalion was billeted until the 19 April, before moving to Sailly, where it commemorated Anzac Day on 25 April. In mid-May, after a period of acclimatisation and training to prepare them for the European battlefield, the 11th Battalion moved up to the front line around Petillon in the Fleurbaix sector.
The 11th Battalion were in the front lines near Cordonnerie Farm at Fleurbaix on 30 May 1916 when the Germans subjected them to an intense artillery bombardment followed by a small raid. The battalion lost 36 men KIA, 61 WIA and 6 missing. We believe Bill Hewby was one of those killed in the attack.’ (information from Birtwhistle History)
Bill’s father received no further details other than his son was KIA. The AIF returned to Bill’s family the following items:
Identity disc, belt, cigarette case (damaged), knife, mirror, fountain pen, wallet, letters, photos and note book.
It is almost as if Bill Hewby missed the war.
Below: Australian soldiers in the rain at Billets Fleurbaix, May 1916.
Pozières and Mouquet Farm
Bill Hewby missed the 11th Battalion’s action throughout June 1916 and the remainder of the war –
placed in support of the front as it was brought back up to strength. At this time, the battalion’s organic fire support was increased by the addition of two extra Lewis Guns. The following month, they moved to the Somme and were committed to fighting around Pozières. After arriving at Albert 19 July amidst a gas attack, the battalion spent the next couple of days preparing to attack, working to improve trenches and cache stores, during which they were subjected to heavy artillery bombardment.The attack was put in just before midnight on 23 July and was a costly success.
Amidst heavy casualties, the 11th Battalion took the forward German trenches and amidst the confusion of the fighting advanced beyond their limit of exploitation, entering Pozières and moving beyond where they became embroiled in close quarters fighting. After capturing five artillery pieces, the battalion’s officers and non-commissioned officers eventually managed to regain control of the advance and the battalion was brought back into a defensive line along their first objective. At dawn, patrols from the battalion entered the village again and cleared out the cellars beneath the battered remains of the village’s buildings, capturing over 40 prisoners.
During the night of 24/25 July, the Australians attacked again, but after establishing a new defensive line, the 11th was forced to withdraw after suffering heavily from both friendly and enemy shelling. In the morning of 25 July, further casualties were sustained by German artillery. German infantry then launched a counterattack on the battalion’s right, but the Australians managed to hold their ground. They remained in the line throughout the day, before the 19th Battalion arrived as part of the 5th Brigade‘s relief of the 3rd Brigade. Having lost 19 officers and 512 other ranks killed, wounded or missing, the battalion had suffered the most of all the 3rd Brigade’s battalions and was moved back to Berteaucourt to be rebuilt.
Above: we wish to acknowledge State Library of WA for the above photo. It had become necessary to defend the Suez Canal from enemy raids. The Canal was a vital waterway for the war.
Below: Capt Walter C. Belford M.A. regularly published in The Western Mail the events of 11th Battalion in WW1. This covers the 11th Battalion’s posting to Gebel Habiata, Suez Canal 1916 of which Bill Hewby was part of.
2/4th Enlistments included Barney Doolan (b. Geraldton), William Laurance ‘Bill’ Jeffery (b. Geraldton), R.M. Bob Phelps.
L-R back – Sutherland, Carlyon, Unknown, Front L-R E F Osborne, E E Randall, Dave Cripps
The men from Northampton – Cripps (above) aged 22 years drowned when his POW Transport ship on its journey to Japan was torpedoed by US Submarines in Sept 1944, South China Sea. (his mother donated Davey’s medals to Geraldton RSL) on board ‘Rakuyo’ Maru was Davey’s mate from Northampton E. E. ‘Jimmy’ Randall who also lost his life aged 36 years, Carlyon, Cornell, McEwen, Osborne, Arthur Lindsay Powell, and Simpkin.
Wally Holding (working at Mullewa), Thomas Martin ‘Tom’ Fitzgerald (returned to live in Geraldton after the war and remained there for some years before moving to Qld. Tom died 17 April 1978 at Townsville aged 74 years)
WX16279 OSBORNE, Eric Francis was b. 31 Aug 1922 Perth. He enlisted the day he turned 19 years of age. He was KIA 15 Feb 1942 at Singapore (the date of Surrender) aged 19 years. His pioneering family have connections/roots at Isseka, Northampton and Greenough.
Because of tragic family circum- stances and his Mother’s young death in 1929 Eric aged about 8 years with his two older brothers were sent to Clontarf Orphanage, Geraldton.
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.
Standing rear L-R William Charles Roberts died 16/8/1942, believed to be Don McGlinn, Unknown. 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 Battalionto 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 Battalionto 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.
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.
MRS. L.G. RICHES WORKED TIRELESSLY & WITHOUT RECOGNITION FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA – IMPROVING THE LIFE OF FORMER POWS OF JAPAN, THEIR WIVES & FAMILIES
WX11046 Les RICHES m. Mary Smith (known as MOLLIE) BERLINER 1919 at Albany. Les had just returned from
WW1 and 20 years later enlisted WW2. Their daughter Helen arrived in 1920. The Riches family initially settled into farming at Mt. Barker.
Mollie Berliner was born 1896 Kurnalpi, WA Goldfields to parents Otto William Leonard Berliner and Henrietta ‘Helen’ Bette Smith who married Perth 1895. Otto and Helen Berliner moved to Kurnalpi where their two eldest children, Mollie and her brother William Henry Berliner were born. The Berliner family resided in the Goldfields for several years before moving to Albany. (Another daughter, Jessica was born in Albany). At Kurnalpi, Otto was Mining Registrar. He was a music teacher and shared his interest and musical skills with the local community.
The Berliner family moved to Albany about 1904 where Otto was Principal of Church of England Grammar School, assisted by his wife Helen.
In about the early 1930’s, the Riches left Mt. Barker and decided to try their luck at the Goldfields.
Mollie and Helen were residing at Carnage, a very small town in the Goldfields while Les was mining. One cannot imagine what life was like for Mollie residing at Carnage. History was repeating itself – Mollie’s mother had lived in remote Kurnalpi with two very young children in 1897-2004.
In 1950, the riches announced that due to the ill health of Mrs. L.G. Riches, they were relocating to Melbourne, where their only daughter Helen was residing with her husband.
The following are just a few newspaper headlines, please be mindful the POWs arrived back in Australia at a time when world and Australia was over the war – there was little in the news about POWs and even less recognition:
Mollie Riches, always known as Mrs. L.G. Riches had been active during the war as the Honorary Organiser of POW Relatives Association.
THE BERLINER FAMILY
Otto Berliner was born Melbourne, the first child/son on June 1870 to parents Otto Waldenmar Berliner and Sarah Snell who married 1866 Victoria. Otto W Berliner became a well known private detective in Victoria before his death in Sept 1894 Melbourne.
We have no record of when Otto W.L. Berliner arrived in Western Australia. His widowed mother Sarah Berliner moved to live in Albany probably because her son Otto and wife Helen were living there. Sarah died at Albany in May 1921. She had been widowed 27 years.
In Sep 1947 Mollie’s mother Helen Bete died in South Perth and her father Otto died at Victoria Park in 1952.
Above: The death notice in Prussia of Fredericka Berliner – mother of Otto Waldenmar Berliner.
WHO IS THE BRITISH OR AUSTRALIAN POW WHO WORE THIS RING 1945 – SANDAKAN, NORTH BORNEO WW2
‘Is this Sandakan relic from your family?’
Do you recognise this Ring?
Does it belong to your British or Australian soldier who died as a POW of Japan on the
‘SANDAKAN-RANAU MARCHES’ 1945.
Due to the soldier’s extreme his weight loss from enforced starvation – he wound pieces of fabric and thread/string around the ring to prevent losing it. His skeletal body wearing his loin cloth and this ring – his only worldly possessions, was found in 1945.
Inside the ring are the initials J R. It is believed to have been found west of Beluran.
These 2,434 British and Australian POWs formed what was known as ‘B’ and ‘E’ Borneo Work Forces, were sent from Singapore 1943 to work on constructing airfields at Sandakan. Of the approximate 50,000 Allied troops taken POWs by Japan on 15 February 1942, Singapore almost 15,000 were Australians. Their comrades in battle and the remaining 35,000 troops were British and Indians.
Tom and Bert left Singapore with ‘B’ Force Borneo and Tom left short time later with ‘E’ Force Borneo. The three brothers were all working on the aerodromes at Sandakan. The camp was run by a ruthless Japanese officer and the POWs lived a tough time. But it wasn’t until 1945 that things really turned nasty at Sandakan. More than 2,000 POWs would die during the months of Jan-Aug 1945 – of which 71 men were from 2/4th. They died of starvation first complicated by tropical illnesses. Gordon was 28 years old when he died 11 Feb 1945 at Sandakan. Bert died aged 26 years also died on 11 Feb 1945 and Tom Dorizzi was 31 years old when he died 11 Mar 1945 at Ranau Camp, North Borneo.
Above: The main gate of Campo 57. About 1,200 Australians were held in this camp
