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Armed Forces / Re: Trying to ID WW2 AIF Platoon - Unit from names on photo
« on: Friday 17 November 17 08:04 GMT (UK) »
Hi Sturdy, my wife's family has exactly the same photo- but in a very much worse condition. We had assumed that it depicted members of 4th Anti Tank Regiment, WW2. The soldier 3rd from left, back row is my wife's uncle VX38587 Gunner Claud Vernon BROWN, from Eaglehawk, Victoria. Claud was the gunlayer on the 2pndr gun which destroyed 8 Japanese tanks in the famous Battle of Muar, Malaya, January 1942. His signature is on the back of the photo.
Unfortunately Claude suffered a serious head wound in the escape into the jungle after encirclement by the enemy, and died 4 days later. He is buried in a still-unknown grave in the jungle.
The book "Tid Apa", the history of the 4th Anti Tank Regiment by Lt Col Neil Smith has a list of about 700 4th A/T members. I have compared the legible names with that list, and there are only a few matches. There is no Fox, Good, Morrison Wood or James with initials that match.
This makes me think that you are right when you suggest that it is a group in basic training. Claud BROWN's service record shows that he enlisted at Royal Park, was transferred to Ballarat to a Light AA regt , then posted to 4th Anti Tank at Puckapunyal. I am guessing that the photo was taken at Royal Park.
As a postscript, Claude was one of 10 Brown brothers of whom 9 enlisted and served overseas in WW2-apparently a record. The 10th brother worked in munitions and served in the Volunteer Defence Corps.
For anyone interested, the Battle of Muar and the Anti Tank involvement is recounted by first-hand accounts from the veterans involved, in a couple of books apart from "Tid Apa"- "It Happened to Us" by Gunner Finkemeyer, and "Savage Jungle" by Iain Finlay.
Regards, Meggsy (Bruce).
P.S. the family would love a copy of your photo if possible, as it is so much better than the one they have. I would attach it so you can see, but I'm not sure how to do it.
Unfortunately Claude suffered a serious head wound in the escape into the jungle after encirclement by the enemy, and died 4 days later. He is buried in a still-unknown grave in the jungle.
The book "Tid Apa", the history of the 4th Anti Tank Regiment by Lt Col Neil Smith has a list of about 700 4th A/T members. I have compared the legible names with that list, and there are only a few matches. There is no Fox, Good, Morrison Wood or James with initials that match.
This makes me think that you are right when you suggest that it is a group in basic training. Claud BROWN's service record shows that he enlisted at Royal Park, was transferred to Ballarat to a Light AA regt , then posted to 4th Anti Tank at Puckapunyal. I am guessing that the photo was taken at Royal Park.
As a postscript, Claude was one of 10 Brown brothers of whom 9 enlisted and served overseas in WW2-apparently a record. The 10th brother worked in munitions and served in the Volunteer Defence Corps.
For anyone interested, the Battle of Muar and the Anti Tank involvement is recounted by first-hand accounts from the veterans involved, in a couple of books apart from "Tid Apa"- "It Happened to Us" by Gunner Finkemeyer, and "Savage Jungle" by Iain Finlay.
Regards, Meggsy (Bruce).
P.S. the family would love a copy of your photo if possible, as it is so much better than the one they have. I would attach it so you can see, but I'm not sure how to do it.