Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Thomas (Tommy) William Green born 1918 Wagin, Western Australia to George Henry and Janet Margaret Green who married Port Adelaide, SA in 1902.

Tommy's father William Edward Green was born 1886 at Jarrahdale to a large family.  He died 1971 at Fremantle.  His wife Elsie May Blandford was born 1899 Camberwell, Surrey, England.  The 1911 Census records show Elsie aged 12 a scholar, residing with her widowed mother Mary Blandford aged 43 years, working as a needlewoman.  Her father had died in England 1902.  It is not known when Elsie arrived in Australia.

Tommy's parents resided for many years at John Street, Cottesloe and as late at 1963, Thomas (Snr) recorded his occupation as horse driver.  He enlisted WW2 with the Army Citizen Military Forces.

Thomas (Tommy) William Green married 1940 at Katanning to Sylvia Madeline King. It is believed Sylvia later remarried.

Tommy went AWOL when 'Aquitania' with up to 3,500 reinforcements (including 2/4th MGB) anchored overnight on 15 Jan 1942 on her journey to Singapore from Sydney to pick up supplies and further reinforcements for 2/4th.
Tommy's Battalion 2/4th MGB, had been training Woodside SA and Darwin for past several months. They were urgently called up from Darwin to head to Sydney (and unknown to soldiers onto Singapore). The West Australians had not seen their families for several months and believed they would be given leave at Fremantle.
But this was not the case. Several hundred men jumped ship. Most managed to reboard before 'Aquitania' departed next day, however more than 90 well trained machine gunners where left behind.
Soon after sent on a smaller ship to Singapore, they were redirected to Java as Singapore was about to fall. The 90 2/4th men joined the Allied forces then in Java
- Australians who had been recalled from middle east to fight in Singapore, also sent to Java - arrived without personal equipment or armaments. Now Allied with Dutch East Indies and under their command they surrendered to the invading Japanese forces about 8 March 1942.

During 1942-1943 the POWs were being taken in work parties to various locations, mostly to Burma-Thai Railway.

Tommy was selected with 'A' Force Burma Java Party No. 4 Black Force. They sailed via Singapore to Burma on 12 October, 1942 to commence work on Burma end of Burma-Thai Railway. Tommy got no further than Singapore - he was obviously sick and left behind - sent to AGH at Roberts Barracks, Changi.

Tommy was now a POW in Singapore.

On 3 Feb 1943 POWs from Java Parties No.s 1, 2, (British) 3, 4 and 5A (Australian) a total of 104 men left Singapore for Kuching, Borneo.
Major Suga Tatsuji, head of POW Camps informed Major Farley that no combatant officers were to accompany the men to Sandakan.
This resulted in Major Farley, one other officer and 15 men from other ranks being removed from the draft and replaced with 17 other ranks that had arrived in February - Tommy Green was one of the 17.
Major Farley appointed Capt. R. Richardson, 2/20th and Capt R Steele 2 I.C.

On 9 April 1943 'E' Force marched out of Lintang Barracks to board 'Taka' Maru an 887 ton small cargo ship on what would be a 5 day journey edging around the top of Borneo coastline via Labuan Island to replenish its coalbunkers, before heading for Sandakan. A group of British POWs would arrive a few days after - 'E' Force and 'B' Force already at Sandakan Camp No. 1, and British Force were absolutely forbidden to communicate. 'E' Force sent to No. 3 Camp and British to No. 2 Camp.

Of the thousands of Australian and British POWs sent to Sandakan, Borneo only 6 managed to survive by escaping.

When the airfields which POWs had spent years constructing, were finally bombed by Allies to be no longer repairable, the Japanese made plans to move themselves to Ranau, safer and well inland away from the bombing planes. So began Sandakan - Ranau death marches.
Tommy died at Sandakan 22 Jan 1945 aged 24 years- he wasn't well enough to join the First March from Sandakan to Ranau. Nor the 2nd or the 3rd.