Valentine Donald KNOCKER

Valentine Donald KNOCKER Update Details

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KNOCKER, Valentine Donald

Service Numbers:	WX14789, W1388
Enlisted:	9 November 1939
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	2nd/3rd Machine Gun Battalion
Born:	London, England, 14 February 1915
Home Town:	Bridgetown, Bridgetown-Greenbushes, Western Australia
Schooling:	Norwood School, London, England
Occupation:	Factory Hand
Died:	Illness, Sumatra, Netherlands, East Indies, 23 August 1945, aged 30 years
Cemetery:	Jakarta War Cemetery, Indonesia Plot 2, Row B, Grave 4
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Bridgetown War Memorial, Fairbridge War Memorial

World War 2 Service

3 Sep 1939:	Involvement Private, WX14789
9 Nov 1939:	Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, W1388, WW2 Light Horse Derived Units - Motor Regiments / Machine Gun Regiments /Armoured Car Regiments
2 Jul 1941:	Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, WX14789
30 Jul 1943:	Imprisoned
23 Aug 1945:	Involvement Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, WX14789, 2nd/3rd Machine Gun Battalion

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Biography contributed by Elizabeth Allen

Valentine Donald KNOCKER was born in London, England on 14th February, 1915

His parents were Frank Richard KNOCKER & Mabel Sophia BECKETT who married in England in 1908

He was one of the British Home Children who along with his siblings were sent to Australia in 1925 on the ship Demosthenes (Fairbridge Kids)

He first enlisted on 9th November, 1939 (SN W1388) with the 25th Light Horse Regiment in Western Australia & re-enlisted on 2nd July, 1941 in Claremont, WA with the General Reinforcements

He was taken as a Prisoner of War in Java on 30th July, 1943 as a member of the 2nd/3rd Machine Gun Battalion and died of illness in Sumatra on 23rd August, 1945 and is buried in the Jakarta War Cemetery

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His brother Malcolm Amos KNOCKER (SN 261626) was also in the 2nd/3rd Machine Gun Battalion and was a Prisoner of War and was discharged from the Army in 1946

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