you have found him thank you so much so i should go and get his series records then where should i go i have never done anything like this before can you help me in to where i should out from here
2nd 3rd machine gun battalion POWs My Great Uncle 'Charles Leonard Shea' was the Sergeant Major of this battalion. He served alongside Weary Dunlop and survived, to live out his days in Adelaide, passing away at 84 years old. Charlie left us with a substantial collection of diaries, maps and logs of his days under the Japanese. Included are detailed lists of all of the prisoners, details of all killed including how and when. I am interested in sharing this information with anyone who has relatives who were in Burma. The amount and quality of this material is incredible. I have tried to share it with Canberra war museum, to no avail, they don't seem interested. Charles received an MBE in his service and was our hero. My Father was a member of the occupational forces of Japan as a 17 year old boy, (lied about age to join) and shared many a beer with Charles.
Hi Cowabunga, Welcome to the forum. You are most welcome to start your own thread here for Charles. Cheers
Dear Cowabunga i would like to read your Great Uncle charles Leonard Shea diaries, and logs let me know how from Eszrae
Eszrae Firstly, follow the instructions that I gave to obtain his records. That will give you an outline of when he joined up, where he did his training, when he was captured, and and other details. Once you have the records and you if you need assistance in deciphering them then we will be more than happy to help - and we will be able to point you in the right direction for more info Welcome Cowabunga. I think the first candidate for any information you can share would be Eszrae. But we would all love to read anything that you would like to share with us. I am very surprised that Canberra do not want any of the information that you have. Have you contacted your local RSL - I am sure they would appreciate any copies for their archives. And they maybe able to point you to any Battalion Associations. We would certainly be willing to host any scans of the information that wish to post - that way potential members maybe able to find it via their google searches for information. Another organisation/site that would appreciate any information you have is Fepow Community who provide a lot of assistance to those looking for info on their relatives
Hi Cowabunga, I would love to see your GUncles collection...I have posted an intro about me and my researching my dad. I am surprised the war memorial werent interested espec as he recived an MBE. You must be very proud. My mum asked to have dads bits and pieces stored there because we as a family didnt want to lose them and they are all there for people to view. This was many years ago so maybe have have changed their policy. I think it is imperative all this informaion is saved for historical purpose not only for you but all. I would try again with the war memorial. Let me know how you go. Regards Vicki ps how can I contact you about viewing your information?
Hi Liam, I got to meet your Dad on a quiet lion tour and think he did a marvelous job promoting the unit. You should be very proud. I too had a dad in the 2/3 and am very aware of just how much they went through to allow us to enjoy what we have today. If you are happy to share information please contact me Regards Vicki ps see my intro for my dads info...WX12474
Just to make it a bit easier, this is the link to the Introduction: http://ww2chat.com/forums/introductions/5025-aif-2-3-mgun-pow-java-singa-burma-japan.html
2nd/3rd - Burma Hi Vicki, Perhaps I could bring the diaries into my office (in Richmond) and you could have a look at them there. As you say, it is imperative that these documents survive, some are very fragile and some are written in such minute print that they are illegible without a magnifying glass. I am not sure what the procedure for exchanging details on this site is, but I can give you my phone number somehow without broadcasting it. I just assumed you are in Victoria, are you? Cheers Daniel
2/3 diaries Hi Daniel, I am in Perth but will be in Melbourne mid August when I could call out to see you...Would I be imposing? the 15th is probably a good day... I will PM you with some details.... Regards Vicki
My Uncle was a part of the 2/3rd machine gun battalion. He was only 16 when he joined up in 1941 (used his older sisters birth certificate). Uncle Jack (John Alfred Gleadall) was taken prisoner by the Japanese at Java and worked like a dog on the railway. My nana told me that he broke his leg kicking a rolled up ball of paper, that him and the lads used to play soccer. He was so malnourished it just snapped. He was placed on a ship called the TAMAHOKO MARU, which was blown up in the Japanese Harbour by American subs on June 24, 1944 (Age 19). Apparently of the 267 Australians on board only 72 survived, him being one the unlucky ones. His name is apparently at Singapore cemetery, complete with the incorrect age. It would be great if there was anybody out there with any more info and even better is anyone can recall his name. I know the chance is slim, as there were many taken prisoner. My dad, his little brother recently past away, but his older sister, of whom he knicked the birth certificate from is still quite well although frail.
Re: John Alfred Gleadall Hi Johanne, I have a substantial diary collection from my Great Uncle Charlie Shea who was the Sergeant Major of the 2/3rd. I will see if I can see John on the work roles and get back to you. Cheers Daniel Tippett
Hi to you all. I am researching for my father, any information on my great Uncle (Bill) William Haniford Pte SX9611. He became a POW and worked on the Thai Burma Railway I believe in Java (from this photo to the left). When he came back to Australia he took his life at only 29 as did my dad's father so we don't know much and I want to include it in the family tree. Please contact me with any information or sources. Reading the above connections gives me hope I might find something to share with them. Kelly
Sorry about delay my eldest boy who is autistic has been suffering seizures one his heart stopped etc for ten minutes my email is wx284573@iinet.net.au if you email me there I won't forget
I would love to read the diary etc you wouldn't have copied it to computer by any chance ? I recently found Dads old book every dog has his day in a rough draft and I was thinking of cleaning it up and seeing if anyone was interested in it or putting it online but I have so little time as both my boys are autistic and the eldest suffers from seizures so everything I do is in the half a hour spare time I get a week lol. I have just refitted a WW2 Japanese Army Gunto sword , but I would really like to read what you have as a reference for Dads writing and for personal interest.
Hello Spidge and other 2/3rd family My name is Sean McKenna and my great Uncle was a member of the 2/3rd MG Bn and was with Blackforce when they were ordered to surrender. First off I am writing this to see if any one is still active here as I have seen no actively on the forum since 2013. I would love to talk with other relatives about what is known, and to see if someone (Liam) managed to digitize the great source of information. PS: I have unlocked my G/Uncle's archive at the AWM but to complete the story of his service I need to know how to find out what Company / Platoon he was with. Is there a way to locate this information that you know of? My Uncle: Charles Wallace Winter, Service No: VX4284 Kind regards Sean
Does anyone have any information on the 2/3 MGB 1939-1945 and D Company in particular? I am researching Sergeant Arthur Horace Withnell WX4000. He was a POW on the Death Railway in Thailand and is buried at Kanchanaburi. I am trying to piece together his army career from 1939 when he joined the MGB. I have an outline of the company's movements and I have read the AWM online War Diaries. I have also read Andrew Faulkner's biography of Arthur Blackburn VC (which is very informative) but I would like more detail if it exists especially the records belonging to Cowabunga. Many thanks.
Dear members, For a PhD-research at Tilburg University (Netherlands) on the so called "pigbasket atrocities" on Java 1942-1945, I'm looking for the names of all 3.000 Australian troops that were on this island when the Japanese invaded it in March 1942(and what happened to them). Until now I managed to get the names of all 937 men of 2/2 Pioneer Battalion (www.roll-of-honour.org.uk/Java_Index) but only some 40 names of 2/3 Machine Gun Battalion. Could anyone help me out with this? And has anyone heard of the transportation (and possibly drowning) of pow's in bamboo pigbaskets on Java by the Japanese? Kind regards, Simon Dickens Hooge Mierde, Netherlands
P.S.: there must have been 710 troops of 2/3 Machine Gun Battalion on Java at the end of February 1942. Simon
