Soldier profiles

Name : STOCKTON, THOMAS HERBERT
Service Number : VX56469
Date of Birth : 01/05/1921
Place of Birth : FRANKSTON, VIC
Known as : TOM
Occupation on Enlistment : LABOURER
Date of Enlistment : 22/05/1941
Locality on Enlistment : TYABB, VIC
Place of Enlistment : ROYAL PARK, VIC
Next of Kin : STOCKTON, HERBERT
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 : 18/12/1945
Date Died : ??/10/1969
Age at Death : 48
Community Roll of Honour : N/A
Buried Location / Memorial (P.O.W., D.O.W., K.I.A.) : SPRINGVALE BOTANICAL CEMETERY, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA. ACACIA, GARDEN 11, BED 17, POSITION 34.
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) : NO
P.O.W. Camps (details) : THAILAND, NIIHAMA (JAPAN)
Recovered P.O.W. (location/s) : THAILAND
Honours and Gallantry : None for display
Applicable Australian War Memorial circulars : Australian War Memorial B-JAVA-0083 Missing & POW Circular
References found (entries & photos) : National Archives of Australia (Barcode 6117467 [DIGITISED]), WW2 Nominal Roll, Australian War Memorial, Past article (size 598kB), Past article (size 43kB)

Background : Son of Herbert Stockton. Brother of VX56461 Frank Stockton (2/2 Pioneer). Arrived in Japan September 1944 aboard Bioki Maru. Repatriated to Australia on M.V. Highland Chieftain. Cremated. Funeral service 14/10/1969.

Service & personal summary At enlistment : single. Marks / scars : scar outer aspect right knee, scar left knee. No previous military experience. At discharge : height 5 feet 8 inches, brown eyes, fair complexion, fair hair. Marital status : single. Marks / scars : scar right foot (post tropical ulcer). Full time war service : A.I.F. 22/05/1941 to 18/12/1945 which included 1672 days active service (67 days within Australia & 1501 days overseas). Operational service : Middle East & Java areas (embarked from Australia 03/09/1941, disembarked in Australia 12/10/1945). War badge no. 275407. Discharge certificate no. 479403.

Service record
22/05/1941 Taken on strength Recruit Reception Depot Royal Park, Victoria.
27/05/1941 Granted leave without pay 27/05/1941 to 02/06/1941 inclusive.
03/06/1941 Rejoined unit from leave without pay.
11/06/1941 Transferred to Engineering Training Depot.
12/06/1941 Transferred from Recruit Reception Depot Royal Park, Victoria to Engineering Training Depot Puckapunyal, Seymour, Victoria.
23/06/1941 Transferred to Pioneer Wing Engineering Training Depot Puckapunyal, Seymour, Victoria (Pioneer Training Battalion).
08/07/1941 Posted to 3rd Reinforcements 2/2 Pioneer Battalion.
03/09/1941 Embarked Sydney, New South Wales on H.M.T. G.G.
23/09/1941 Disembarked Middle East.
10/11/1941 Marched out to 2/2 Pioneer Battalion.
12/11/1941 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.
15/12/1942 Reported interned in prisoner of war camp Thailand.
16/12/1942 Reported missing in action believed prisoner of war.
18/09/1943 Reported prisoner of war.
22/12/1943 Reported interned in prisoner of war camp Thailand.
15/08/1945 Granted proficiency pay.
13/10/1945 Marched into General Details Depot Watsonia, Victoria from General Details Depot New South Wales Lines of Communication area.
15/12/1945 Marched out from General Details Depot to Discharge Depot ex Leave and Transit Depot, Victoria.
18/12/1945 Discharged.