GILLAN, Leslie Charles
| Service Number: | WX10060 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 13 December 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/9th Field Ambulance |
| Born: | Geraldton, Western Australia, 6 February 1911 |
| Home Town: | Fremantle, Fremantle, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Yardsman |
| Died: | Died at sea (Rakuyo Maru), South China Sea, 12 September 1944, aged 33 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Labuan Memorial, Labuan, Malaysia |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Townsville 9th Field Ambulance Honour Roll |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Private, WX10060 | |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Dec 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, WX10060, 2nd/9th Field Ambulance | |
| 30 Jul 1941: | Embarked Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, WX10060, 2nd/9th Field Ambulance, ex Melbourne to Singapore per HMT EE | |
| 26 Feb 1942: | Imprisoned Malaya/Singapore, Changi PoW Camp - Singapore | |
| 3 Jun 1942: | Embarked Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, WX10060, 2nd/9th Field Ambulance, ex Singapore (Changi) to Burma A Force - first Australian group to leave Singapore for Burma | |
| 6 Sep 1944: | Embarked Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, WX10060, 2nd/9th Field Ambulance, ex Burma per Rakuyo Maru as part of convoy to Japan |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Chris Buckley
Born in Geraldton WA in February 1911, Les was the fourth of eight children of Alexander Hume Gillan (b1883 in Lanarkshire, Scotland) and Annie Matilda Carpenter (b1885 in Northampton WA). Alexander worked for Harbours and Rivers Dept in Newcastle NSW before arriving in Midland Junction WA in 1902 where he started working for WAGR as an Engine Cleaner. In 1903 he trnasferred to Geraldton WA where he and Annie married in 1906. By 1912 the family had relocated to Midland Junction WA, where Alexander died in 1915. By the 1920s Annie had moved with her children to Fremantle WA.
Les was working as a Yardsman at Hotel Australia in Fremantle WA when he enlisted in the Australian Army (Private; Service No:WX10060). He was attached to 2/9 Field Ambulance in Singapore in February 1942 when he was captured by the Japanese and imprisoned at Changi Camp. In June 1942 Les was amongst the first Australian PoWs (A Force) to leave for Burma to build airfields, and by September 1942 was at Thanbyayat to work on the Burma - Thai Railway.
On 6 September 1944 Les was one of 1317 PoWs (718 of whom were Australian) to embark on the Rakuyo Maru as part of a convoy (Japan Party 3)to Japan - the Rakuyo Maru was carrying bauxite and the ashes of Japanese soldiers. On 12 September the convoy was attacked by US submarines in the South China Sea, and the Rakuyo Maro was torpedoed by Sealion II. Many of the PoWs who escaped the holds and jumped into the sea were drowned when depth bombs were discharged near them. Les was one of the Australians initially Reported Missing and then declared dead.