6. Collie Boys in the 2/4 th Machine Gun Battalion

Collie Boys in the 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion

Saluting their Service - Grahame Old

Introduction

The 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion was raised at the end of 1940 as one of the support units for the ill-fated 8th Division of the 2nd AIF. The 2/4th was predominantly a Western Australian Bn, formed with men from across the state. After initial training at Northam military camp, the Bn moved firstly to Adelaide and then to Darwin where it joined the 23rd Brigade. Among the almost 1000 man strong battalion were 23 ‘Collie Boys’, eager to serve the nation, as their fathers had done before them during the Great War. After further training in Darwin the Bn sailed under escort to Singapore arriving in January 1942. It was not long before the 2/4th was in action.

The Japanese had captured Malaya and were preparing to attack Singapore, the British were desperately preparing their defences and the battalion was quickly deployed across the Island. After heavy air raids the Japanese attack on Singapore commenced on the 8th February 1942 – despite spirited opposition, the battle was virtually over in less than a week and on 15 February the British Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival surrendered Singapore.

2/4th Bn - Killed in Action or Died as POW’s

The 2/4th Bn suffered heavily. The total strength of the Bn who served in Singapore was 961. During the heavy fighting between 8 and 15 February 1942, 137 soldiers were killed in action. However worse was to follow for the remaining men of the battalion. By the war's end another 263 men would die as prisoners of war, including 10 ‘Collie Boys’. The total casualties amounted to more than a third of the battalion.

Following the surrender, prisoners of war were concentrated in the Changi gaol Singapore. From Changi the Japanese formed groups of prisoners to serve as slave labour throughout Southeast Asia. Some of the 2/4th Bn were sent to Borneo, while others worked on the Burma-Thai Railway and some were transported by sea to Japan to work in the coal mines. It did not matter where the POW’s were sent the ill treatment they received was the same. Perhaps the worst of this treatment was seen at Sandakan, North Borneo.

Sandakan-North Borneo

The Sandakan POW Camp was established during WW2 by the Japanese, eight miles inland from Sandakan, on the east coast of North BORNEO (Sabah). In 1942 and 1943, 2500 Australian and British POWs who had been captured in the disastrous fall of Singapore, were shipped to North Borneo to construct a military airstrip and the prisoner of war camps at Sandakan. As on the Burma Railway the prisoners were broken, beaten, worked to death, thrown into bamboo cages on the slightest pretext, starved and subjected to the most hideous tortures by their Japanese captors. But this was only the beginning of the nightmare. In late 1944, Allied aircraft were attacking the coastal towns of Sandakan and Jesselton, and in January 1945, (with only 1900 prisoners still alive), to escape the bombardment the Japanese resolved to abandon Sandakan Prison Camp and move 250 miles inland to Ranua, taking the prisoners with them as slave labour, carriers and draught horses. Their journey became known as Sandakan Death Marches. Of the 1000 plus prisoners sent on the death marches, only six (all of them Australians) survived. By 15 August 1945 the remaining POWs at the Sandakan camps, too weak to march, were either killed or died of illness/starvation. Three ‘Collie Boys’ were subjected to the unimaginable horrors at the Sandakan Prisoner of War camps. All three were privates in the ill-fated, 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion.

The three soldiers were;

WX7883 Pte William Herbert BEARD

WX16416 Pte Charles HOLME

WX17582 Pte George LAKE

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The fate of the ‘Collie Boys’ in the 2/4th Bn

The fate of the 23 ‘Collie Boys’ who served with the 2/4th Bn are shown below;

‘Collie Boys’- Roll of Honour (Killed in Action or Died as POW’s)

WX7905, ANNESLEY, Frederick John (died at sea, 16 September 1944, age 28 yrs, whilst en-route to Japan, sinking of POW transport ship, Rakuyo Maru)

WX7883, BEARD, William Herbert (died 10 July 1945, age 34 yrs, Sandakan No2 Camp)

WX7909, DAVIDSON, Thomas (died 17 September 1943, age 33 yrs, Illness Thailand)

WX16416, HOLME, Charles (died 07 June 1945, age 23yrs, the second Sandakan-Ranua death march)

WX17582, LAKE, George (died 08 April 1945, age 23 yrs, Sandakan No1 Camp)

WX8012, MOIR, Kevin George (died 07 August 1943, age 24 yrs, illness Thailand)

WX8137, NEEDHAM, John William Haynes (died 05 December 1943, age 30 yrs, Illness Burma)

WX7902, PHILP, William Hawksley (died 18 September 1943, age 35 yrs, Illness Thailand)

WX7904, SMITH, Raymond Mathew (died 19 April 1942, age 36 yrs, Illness Malaya)

WX17973, WILSON, John (died 25 August 1943, age 36 yrs, Illness Thailand)

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‘Collie Boys’ who survived the horrors of captivity and returned home

WX 7886, FINLAY, Thomas Albert

WX 7864, FLANAGAN, James Joseph

WX 7852, FUHRMANN, Henry (Harry) Charles DCM

WX 7869, GREEN, Thomas Henry

WX 7889, ISAAC, John

WX 9528, LAMBIE, Andrew

WX 16886,MAGILL, Arthur Melville MM

WX 7885, MILLER, Albert

WX 7831, QUINN, James Patrick

WX 7835, ROSEL, William Lowes

WX 16952, SIMMONDS, Roy Albert

WX 16885, SQUANCE, Clifford Dudley

WX 16324, TANNER, George Douglas (Doug)

Post war - 2/4th Bn Awards and Decorations

After the war a total of 12 Awards for bravery were made to men of the 2/4th Bn. Included in those 12 were two Collie Boys;

Sgt Henry (Harry) Charles FUHRMANN DCM, and

Cpl Arthur Melville MAGILL MM

Henry (Harry) Charles FUHRMANN - Recommendation Distinguished Conduct Medal, the citation read;

On 10th February 1942, ‘C’ Coy came under command of 22Bde. ‘A’ Pl which at that time was commanded by A/Cpl H.C. FUHRMANN, was ordered to defend Adv Bde HQ. At first light the enemy launched a very heavy attack on the forward Bn. Firing became so intense that A/Cpl FUHRMANN’S posts were pushed forward. The attack increased in intensity and the forward Bn was ordered to withdraw and take up a fresh position, with the result that the positions held by A/Cpl FUHRMANN were now in the front line. The Japanese attacked several times during the day but each time were repulsed. During this action, A/Cpl FUHRMANN behaved in an outstanding and energetic manner. He fearlessly moved around encouraging the men and supervising the evacuation of the wounded. Seeing some Indian troops on his flank about to give way, A/Cpl FUHRMANN rushed across and by his courage and example restored the position. On the 12th February 1942 at ULU PANDAN A/Cpl FUHRMANN again showed outstanding leadership. A key point in the line had been evacuated and A/Cpl FUHRMANN was ordered to move forward with two sections and hold it. He held this position for the whole of that day until relieved. His behaviour was an inspiration to the men under his command. A/Cpl FUHRMANN’S bearing and behaviour during the whole of the time he was in action was outstanding and worthy of recognition.

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Arthur Melville MAGILL - Recommendation Distinguished Conduct Medal, awarded Military Medal, the citation read;

‘During AIF operations in MALAYA Private Magill fought in ‘D’ Company (2/4th Machine Gun Battalion Reinforcements) of the Special Reserve Battalion. At BULIM VILLAGE on 9th February, 1942 he was leading his section on a patrol when he encountered an enemy patrol armed with a machine gun. He immediately engaged the enemy and killed five of them. He led his section most gallantly and was wounded in the neck and under the arm pit, three of his section were killed, but he successfully withdrew the remainder to safety. Although wounded, he remained on with the section. At 16.50 hours on 10th February 1942 the battalion withdrew to a position 2 1/2 miles back on JURUNG ROAD. At 0001 hours on 10th February 1942 it was realised that the battalion was surrounded. The Japanese attacked strongly at 0600 hours when an order for withdrawal was given. During this action, Private Magill again exhibited outstanding powers of leadership. The battalion was ambushed and had to fight its way out. Private Magill again led his section with vigour and dash. He was wounded in the hand and had his rifle smashed but continued to fight on by assisting with a Bren gun. Of his section, six were killed and he was wounded three times. This soldier’s comrades spoke very highly of his leadership and his behaviour throughout the action, despite his wounds, was an outstanding example of courage and devotion to duty’.

‘Collie Boys’ in the 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion

Remembered Forever at the Collie Cardiff RSL Sub Branch