MCEWEN, Laurence John
| Service Numbers: | SX30940, S39870, SX30940 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 17 May 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 3/14 Field Ambulance AMF |
| Born: | Gawler, South Australia, 6 October 1920 |
| Home Town: | Wallaroo, Copper Coast, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Mingary, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Costing Clerk |
| Died: | Natural causes, Wallaroo, South Australia, 4 March 2021, aged 100 years |
| Cemetery: |
Wallaroo Cemetery, S.A. |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 17 May 1941: | Enlisted Private, SX30940, S39870, 3rd Field Ambulance | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Oct 1941: | Transferred Private, 3rd Field Ambulance, 21. 10. 1941 Marched in to Camp 4 M.D. taken on strength. | |
| 25 Dec 1941: | Embarked Private, 3rd Field Ambulance, Entrained for 2 M.D for Embarkation. | |
| 3 Jan 1942: | Embarked Private, 3rd Field Ambulance, Disembarked from H.M.T 'PA' from 4 M.D. arrived to N.G LofC 8 M.D. 3. 1. 1942. | |
| 20 Jan 1943: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Corporal, SX30940 | |
| 20 Jan 1943: | Transferred Private, 3rd Field Ambulance, Transferred to AIF now allotted Army No SX30940. | |
| 5 Jun 1943: | Promoted Corporal, 3rd Field Ambulance, New Guinea - Promoted Acting Corporal in the Field | |
| 26 Jun 1943: | Transferred Corporal, 2nd/5th Australian General Hospital, New Guinea - Detached for Duty. | |
| 30 Jun 1943: | Promoted Corporal, 2nd/5th Australian General Hospital, New Guinea - Detached for Duty, Promoted in the Field. | |
| 2 Jul 1943: | Embarked Corporal, Lines of Communication Units, Embarked at Port Morseby on 'Duntroon' 2. 7. 1943. Disembarked at Cairns on 4. 7. 1943. | |
| 20 Sep 1943: | Transferred Corporal, 3/14 Field Ambulance AMF, Taken on strength 3/14 Field Ambulance. | |
| 7 Jan 1944: | Wounded Corporal, 18th Field Ambulance AMF, Admitted to 18 Australian Camp Hospital with Upper respiratory tract infection. Discharged 24. 2. 1944. | |
| 14 Mar 1946: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Corporal, SX30940 | |
| 14 Mar 1946: | Discharged Corporal, 3/14 Field Ambulance AMF |
Help us honour Laurence John McEwen's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Sharyn Roberts
Introduction for Oral History Interview with Laurence McEwen
Author: Megan Spencer
This is an interview with Australian World War II veteran Laurence “Laurie“ McEwen. It was conducted by Megan Spencer on behalf of the Virtual War Memorial Australia on the 8th of November 2020 in Wallaroo, South Australia.
The topics covered are the experiences of Laurie McEwen as a corporal in the 3/14 Field Ambulance in Australia and the Pacific South West Area (New Guinea) in World War II, between the 21st of October 1941 – 14th March 1946, being a total of 1,606 days of active service.
Laurie McEwen was born in Gawler, SA on the 6th of October, 1920. He was educated at Gawler Secondary School and studied accountancy thereafter, for his work at Chrysler, later Mitsubishi.
Laurie’s significant postings were in the CMF in Australia (Service Number S39870) and in the 2nd AIF in the South West Pacific Area (Service Number SX30940).
Service medals awarded to Laurie include the 1939-1945 Star; the Pacific Star; the War Medal 1939-1945 and the Australian Service Medal 1939-1945.
Having turned 100 years of age shortly prior to the interview, Laurie’s employment status was (happily) ‘retired’.
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to Laurie McEwen for his time, generosity and the interview. Many thanks to VWMA volunteer Anthony McLean for discovering Laurie and instigating the project; Peter Sims for his kind assistance; Star of the Sea Aged Residential Care, and Glenn Boyce (president) and Wallaroo RSL.
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Discusses: early life in South Australia, work, marriage, religion, family, enlistment, training, shipping out, RMS Aquitania, 3/14 Field Ambulance, sea travel, air raids, bombing, duties, driving, leave, mateship, morale, camp life, adventure, conscientious objectors, conflict, Koitaki, Rouna Falls, Aitape, ‘New Guinea’, Port Moresby, Kokoda, rations, coming home, family life, resilience, injuries, ‘war stress’, Australian soldiers, faith, MPs, writing home, reflections on war.
Mentions: Christmas 1941, Pearl Harbour, Kawasaki Flying Boat, US soldiers, Japanese prisoners, Warradale, NSW, Qld, Sydney, Northern Territory, CMF, regular army, malaria, children, illness, Battle of the Coral Sea, Wewak, Boston Bombers, Zero fighters, Lockheed Electra, Dakota Transport plane, MV Macdhui, Finschaven, Bomona Mission, end of WW2.
Audio
Part 1 & 2 - Interview with Laurie McEwen
Duration 11hr 01min 24sec. Recorded by Megan Spencer on 8 Nov 2020
Part 3 - Interview with Laurie McEwen
Duration 10hr 49min 44sec. Recorded by Megan Spencer on 8 Nov 2020
Part 4 - Interview with Laurie McEwen
Duration 10hr 57min 29sec. Recorded by Megan Spencer on 8 Nov 2020
Part 5 - Interview with Laurie McEwen
Duration 11hr 07min 03sec. Recorded by Megan Spencer on 8 Nov 2020
Final reflections - Interview with Laurie McEwen
Duration 10hr 34min 52sec. Recorded by Megan Spencer on 8 Nov 2020
Click images to start slideshow.