GUY, Ernest Leicester
| Service Number: | NX21038 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 23 May 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | Z Special Unit |
| Born: | Auckland, New Zealand, 4 June 1913 |
| Home Town: | Mortlake, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Omnibus conductor |
| Died: | Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia, 24 February 1964, aged 50 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 23 May 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Corporal, NX21038 | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 May 1940: | Enlisted Private, NX21038, 2nd/17th Infantry Battalion | |
| 1 Mar 1941: | Involvement Private, NX21038, 2nd/17th Infantry Battalion, Libya/North Africa | |
| 10 Apr 1941: | Involvement Private, NX21038, 2nd/17th Infantry Battalion, Siege of Tobruk | |
| 23 Oct 1942: | Wounded Private, NX21038, 2nd/17th Infantry Battalion, El Alamein, Shrapnel wound (thigh) | |
| 14 Sep 1943: | Wounded Private, NX21038, 2nd/17th Infantry Battalion, New Guinea - Huon Peninsula / Markham and Ramu Valley /Finisterre Ranges Campaigns, Shrapnel wound (Lt. thigh) | |
| 18 Nov 1943: | Transferred Private, Z Special Unit | |
| 14 Nov 1945: | Promoted Corporal, Z Special Unit, In Australia | |
| 4 Dec 1945: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Corporal, NX21038 | |
| 4 Dec 1945: | Discharged Corporal, NX21038, Z Special Unit | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement Corporal, NX21038, 2nd/17th Infantry Battalion |
E. L. Guy
NX21038, Corporal Ernest Leicester Guy
▪︎4th Battalionn (CMF)
▪︎2/17th Battalion (AIF)
~twice wounded in action
▪︎Z Special Unit (SRD)
Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Ernest enlisted in the AIF on 23 May 1940 & joined the 2/17th Battalion at Ingleburn Army Camp
He began his military career with the 4th Bn Militia in 1936 where he served with John Edmondson, who was later awarded the Victoria Cross for actions at Tobruk & who had also joined the 2/17th just 3 days prior
On completion of basic training, the Bn marched 200km over 11 days from Ingleburn to Bathurst Army Camp
20 October they sailed to the Middle East arriving in Nov
In March 1941 the Bn occupied defences near Mersa Brega, east of Tripoli
German forces landed at Tripoli & advanced east. The 2/17th fell back to Tobruk as part of the general withdrawal & took part in its defence for almost seven months
Following their relief from Tobruk they moved to undertake duties in Syria in 1942
In July during the 1st Battle of El Alamein the 9th Div moved back to North Africa to help stem the German advance
23 October–5 November, they took part in the 2nd Battle of El Alamein. Ernest was WIA on the 1st day sustaining a shrapnel wound to the thigh & was evacuated to hospital
He rejoined the Bn in January 1943. The Div was soon recalled from the Middle East to take part in the fighting in the Pacific. The Bn then arrived back in Sydney on 27 February
They conducted jungle warfare training before deploying to New Guinea, arriving at Milne Bay on 4 August
The Bn was involved in the 1st amphibious landing conducted by Australian soldiers since Anzac in 1915, when it took part in the landing at Lae as part of Operation Postern on 4 September
Ernest was WIA again with a shrapnel wound to his left thigh on 14 September & was evacuated to hospital
Instead of rejoining the Bn who was preparing for Operation Diminish, he returned to Australia & joined the Z Special Unit
In Mar 1944 he qualified as a parachutist
23 April 1945 he deployed to the Netherlands East Indies (Indonesia) on one or more of the 81 missions that was carried out by Australian Special Operations in WW2
In July he was promoted to A/Corporal, then in September he was admitted to 2/2nd CCS, & evacuated to Australia
Ernest was discharged on 4 December 1945
Submitted 12 April 2022 by James Coleman
Biography contributed by Jeffrey Crisdale
WIA El Alamein (2/17 Bn)
WIA New Guinea (2/17 Bn)
Posting at discharge - Z Aust Special Unit
Biography contributed by James Coleman
NX21038 Corporal, Ernest Leicester Guy
▪︎4th Battalionn (CMF)
▪︎2/17th Battalion (AIF)
~twice wounded in action
▪︎Z Special Unit (SOA)
Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Ernest enlisted in the AIF on 23 May 1940 & joined the 2/17th Battalion at Ingleburn Army Camp
He began his military career with the 4th Bn Militia in 1936 where he served with John Edmondson, who was later awarded the Victoria Cross for actions at Tobruk & who had also joined the 2/17th just 3 days prior
On completion of basic training, the Bn marched 200km over 11 days from Ingleburn to Bathurst Army Camp
20 October they sailed to the Middle East arriving in Nov
In March 1941 the Bn occupied defences near Mersa Brega, east of Tripoli
German forces landed at Tripoli & advanced east. The 2/17th fell back to Tobruk as part of the general withdrawal & took part in its defence for almost seven months
Following their relief from Tobruk they moved to undertake duties in Syria in 1942
In July during the 1st Battle of El Alamein the 9th Div moved back to North Africa to help stem the German advance
23 October–5 November, they took part in the 2nd Battle of El Alamein. Ernest was WIA on the 1st day sustaining a shrapnel wound to the thigh & was evacuated to hospital
He rejoined the Bn in January 1943. The Div was soon recalled from the Middle East to take part in the fighting in the Pacific. The Bn then arrived back in Sydney on 27 February
They conducted jungle warfare training before deploying to New Guinea, arriving at Milne Bay on 4 August
The Bn was involved in the 1st amphibious landing conducted by Australian soldiers since Anzac in 1915, when it took part in the landing at Lae as part of Operation Postern on 4 September
Ernest was WIA again with a shrapnel wound to his left thigh on 14 September & was evacuated to hospital
Instead of rejoining the Bn who was preparing for Operation Diminish, he returned to Australia & joined the Z Special Unit
In Mar 1944 he qualified as a parachutist
23 April 1945 he deployed to the Netherlands East Indies (Indonesia) on one or more of the 81 missions that was carried out by Australian Special Operations in WW2
In July he was promoted to A/Corporal, then in September he was admitted to 2/2nd CCS, & evacuated to Australia
Ernest was discharged on 4 December 1945
*Noted as an "operative" on Operation Platypus in G. B. Courtney's 1993 book, Silent Feet: The History of 'Z' Special Operations, 1942-1945
*Noted as an "operative" in N. C. Smith's 2010 book, They Came Unseen The Men and Women of Z Special Unit
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