Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The author of this work is the Great Great nephew of Private Paschke.

Arthur Paschke was born in Waikerie South Australia on the 15th of July 1920 and grew up on the Paschke family farm. He and his family had been farmers for generations, so this was the life that was familiar. As a farmer, he should have been exempt from the conscription to fight in the war, however, being one of 6 children, it was deemed that others could keep the farm running, therefore, he was conscripted. He enlisted on the 12th of December 1943 at Kapooka, New South Wales. Even though he hated loud noises like gunshots and explosions, he accepted a Lee-Enfield 303, but he only had 1 magazine, that held 5-10 rounds.

Service Timeline:

11 June 1941              Joined 48th Battalion and marked into camp at Warradale on the 20th June.

17th December 1941   Transferred to 43rd Battalion.

19th December 1941   Retrained for 7th Military District

14th January 1942      Joined 7th Military District, Darwin

28th January 1942      Hospitalised 119 General Hospital with Otitus Externa (inflammation external ear canal) until discharged on 4th February.

6th May 1942             Admitted to 2/12 Field Ambulance Hospital with Dengue Fever and discharged on 13th May.

29th June 1942          Transferred to HQ Line of Communication Area in NT.

18 August 1943          Marched out to General Details Depot SA Line of Communication for leave and reallotment (completion of service in NT)

27th August 1943       Marched into General Details Depot at the end of his leave.

16th Sept 1943          Marched into 8 Auxiliary H. T. Coy

8th Nov 1943             Retrained for Water Transport Company at Wagga

December 1943         Transferred to AIF

4th January 1944       Marched out to 3rd Australian Water Transport Company for allocation.

Feb 1944                   Marched into NSW Line of Communication

9th Sept 1944           Transferred to 54 Port Craft Company

29th Sept 1944         Transferred to 53 Port Craft Company

7th Dec 1944            Embarked at Cairns and disembarked at Jacquinot Bay (New Britain campaign)

26 March 1945          Embarked at Jacquinot Bay and disembarked at Townville

4th June 1945           Embarked at Brisbane for Jacquinot Bay

6th Feb 1945             Transferred to 44 Port Landing Craft Company

11th Feb 1946           Transferred to 13 Small Ship Company

11th Mar 1946          Transferred to 4th Military District for discharge.

Arthur was discharged on the 20th of March 1946. He died on the 24th of September 2003, and is buried at St Paul Lutheran Church Cemetery in Lowbank.

General information about the Port Craft Company:

In October 1944, the Port Craft Company (PCC) helped support and unload the supply lines for the 6th infantry battalion. The 6th Infantry Battalion then headed towards Wewak in the Aitape region to help “mop up” the Japanese forces that held the coasts of New Guinea. Then they moved to support the 5th infantry division in April 1945, that were trying to set up a forward operations base at Jacquinot bay, to try to contain a Japanese garrison that had occupied Rabaul.

When the infantry advanced toward Waitavlo, the PCC sustained their provisions and supplies, from the base at Jacquinot Bay. In July, the PCC sent a detachment to assist the 42nd Landing Craft Company at Torokina to help unload supplies for the 2nd Australian Corps, who were relieving the US infantries at the time. In August 1945, the PCC took over from the 41 Landing Craft Company at Jacquinot Bay and Boram, allowing the 41 Landing Craft Company to move on to Labuan. When the Japanese surrendered in September that year, the PCC left a detachment there, and the rest, (including Arthur) accompanied the 11th Infantry Division to Rabaul.