Soldier profiles

Name : SPIKEN, THOMAS (ALIAS)
Service Number : VX55692
Date of Birth : 07/10/1901
Place of Birth : NOORAT, VIC
Known as :
Occupation on Enlistment : LABOURER
Date of Enlistment : 13/05/1941
Locality on Enlistment : WARRNAMBOOL, VIC
Place of Enlistment : ROYAL PARK, VIC
Next of Kin : BAILEY, ANNE
Rank (at time of discharge / death) : PRIVATE
Service : ARMY
Final Posting : 2/2 PIONEER BATTALION
Position / Platoon / Company (as 2/2 Pioneer) (date / details) :
Unit Transfers / Promotions (date / details) :
Theatres of War : SYRIA, JAVA
Actions :
Wounded (date / details) :
Discharged : N/A
Date Died : 12/09/1943
Age at Death : 41
Community Roll of Honour : NOORAT (VIC)
Buried Location / Memorial (P.O.W., D.O.W., K.I.A.) : THANBYUZAYAT WAR CEMETERY, MYANMAR. A4. D. 6. / AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL COMMEMORATIVE AREA PANEL 73
K.I.A. (date / details) : N/A
D.O.W. (date / details) : N/A
M.I.A. (date / details) : N/A
P.O.W. (location/s) : JAVA
Died P.O.W. (date / details) : 12/09/1943 / MALARIA, BERIBERI / TAUNGZUN CAMP (BURMA)
P.O.W. Camps (details) : 55 KILO (BURMA), TAUNGZUN (BURMA)
Recovered P.O.W. (location/s) : NO
Honours and Gallantry : None for display
Applicable Australian War Memorial circulars : Australian War Memorial B-JAVA-0082 Missing & POW Circular
References found (entries & photos) : National Archives of Australia (Barcode 6110476 [DIGITISED]), WW2 Nominal Roll, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Australian War Memorial, Past article (size 285kB), Reburial from Taungzun Camp to Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery

Background : Served as SPIKEN; true name HUGH McLEAN. Enlisted with date of birth 7/10/1902 and birthplace as Perth as part of his alias. His birth certificate proves he was born 07/10/1901 at Noorat, Victoria. Son of John and Mary Ann McLean, of Noorat, Victoria, Australia. Brother of Annie Bailey, of Noorat, Victoria.

Service & personal summary At enlistment : single. No previous military experience.

Service record
13/05/1941 Taken on strength Recruit Reception Depot Royal Park, Victoria.
17/05/1941 Granted leave without pay 17/05/1941 to 19/05/1941 inclusive.
20/05/1941 Rejoined unit from leave.
23/05/1941 Transferred from Recruit Reception Depot Royal Park, Victoria to Engineering Training Depot Puckapunyal, Seymour, Victoria.
24/05/1941 Taken on strength Engineering Training Depot Puckapunyal, Seymour, Victoria.
16/06/1941 Add next of kin as Anne Bailey.
23/06/1941 Transferred to Pioneer Wing Engineering Training Depot Puckapunyal, Seymour, Victoria.
08/07/1941 Posted to 3rd Reinforcements 2/2 Pioneer Battalion Puckapunyal, Seymour, Victoria.
03/09/1941 Embarked Sydney, New South Wales on H.M.T. G.G..
23/09/1941 Disembarked Middle East to Pioneer Training Battalion.
26/11/1941 Marched out from Pioneer Training Battalion to 2/2 Pioneer Battalion, Middle East.
27/11/1941 Taken on strength 2/2 Pioneer Battalion from Pioneer Training Battalion.
31/01/1942 Embarked Middle East on S.S. Orcades.
18/02/1942 Disembarked Batavia, Java.
07/03/1942 Reported missing in action.
30/04/1942 Reported missing in action, Java and transferred to X list.
01/12/1942 Reported missing in action believed prisoner of war.
04/11/1943 Reported prisoner of war.
13/12/1943 Reported interned in Thailand prisoner of war camp and transferred to Thailand camp.
22/12/1943 Reported interned in Thailand prisoner of war camp.
26/04/1945 Believed died of illness (Dysentery) whilst prisoner of war (Burma).
25/07/1945 Died of illness cause not stated whilst prisoner of war 12/09/1943.