KILPATRICK, David John
| Service Numbers: | SX761, SX1149 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 October 1939 |
| Last Rank: | Staff Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/10th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | York, Western Australia, 4 February 1906 |
| Home Town: | Bally Bally, Beverley, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Bally Bally School, then Scotch College, Swanbourne, Western Australia |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Emphysema, Hollywood, Western Australia, 26 October 1968, aged 62 years |
| Cemetery: |
Karrakatta Cemetery & Crematorium, Western Australia Rose Garden 6C Position 0014 |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 30 Oct 1939: | Involvement Private, SX761, 2nd/10th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Oct 1939: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, SX761 | |
| 16 Nov 1939: | Discharged Private, SX761, 2nd/10th Infantry Battalion, Adelaide, SA | |
| 16 Nov 1939: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, SX761 | |
| 27 Nov 1939: | Enlisted Private, SX1149, 2nd/10th Infantry Battalion | |
| 3 Sep 1945: | Discharged Staff Sergeant |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Felicitas Moore
David was originally from a farming family at Bally Bally, via Beverley, in Western Australia but was working in South Australia when World War 11 was declared. He enlisted in the A.I.F. during the first week of recruitment (Service No. SX761) but was discharged two weeks later due to his age and high blood pressure.
Determined to enlist, he rested up for a couple of weeks in order to lower his blood pressure and then enlisted under alias of John Ross Kilpatrick (Service No. SX1149). He also lowered his age by 4 years, declaring he was 29 instead of his actual age of 33. This time he was accepted into the army.
David served with the 2/10th Battalion in the Middle East, where he met up with his younger brother, Aubrey. David had Aubrey transferred into his unit and the two brothers served together for a short time in the Middle East and then later in New Guinea. David is believed to have been right alongside Aubrey when Aubrey was killed in action on Christmas Day 1942 as they fought the Japanese at Buna in New Guinea.
David would never speak about the war, not even to members of his immediate family.
After the war David was a very prominent member of the Rats of Tobruk Association, serving as their West Australian Secretary for many years. His war medals are buried in a capsule under the Rats of Tobruk Memorial in Kings Park, Western Australia.
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