Soldier profiles

Name : SORLEY, HUGH
Service Number : WX16396
Date of Birth : 24/06/1920
Place of Birth : SCOTLAND
Known as : HUGH
Occupation on Enlistment : LABOURER
Date of Enlistment : 09/09/1941
Locality on Enlistment : PERTH, WA
Place of Enlistment : CLAREMONT, WA
Next of Kin : SORLEY, ELIZABETH
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 : 28/02/1946
Date Died : ??/05/2017
Age at Death : 96
Community Roll of Honour : N/A
Buried Location / Memorial (P.O.W., D.O.W., K.I.A.) : N/A
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
Recovered P.O.W. (location/s) : THAILAND
Honours and Gallantry : None for display
Applicable Australian War Memorial circulars : Australian War Memorial B-JAVA-0081 Missing & POW Circular
References found (entries & photos) : National Archives of Australia (Barcode 6478720 [DIGITISED]), WW2 Nominal Roll, Australian War Memorial, Past article (size 2405kB), AWM_REL/11885.jpg

Background :

Service & personal summary At enlistment : single. 6 months as Private in 16 Battalion previous military experience. At discharge : height 6 feet 1 inch, grey eyes, medium complexion, fair hair. Marital status : single. Marks / scars : Port wine stain left ankle, scar right buttock. Full time war service : A.I.F. 09/09/1941 to 28/02/1946 which included 1634 days active service (137 days within Australia & 1438 days overseas). Operational service : Middle and East Java areas (embarked from Australia 07/11/1941, disembarked in Australia 15/10/1945). War badge no. 222159. Discharge certificate no. 344625.

Service record
09/09/1941 Strength increase. Enlisted and taken on strength Western Command General Details Camp Claremont, West Australia.
16/09/1941 Transferred to 3 Training Battalion Northam, West Australia.
16/09/1941 Transferred from Western Command General Details Camp.
27/09/1941 Granted pre embarkation leave 27/09/1941 to 03/10/1941.
04/10/1941 Rejoined unit. Marched in ex pre embarkation leave.
10/10/1941 Transferred to Reinforcements 2/16 Battalion.
10/10/1941 Transferred marched in Reinforcements 2/16 Battalion ex 3 Training Battalion.
07/11/1941 Embarked Convoy U.S. no. 13 Fremantle, West Australia.
24/11/1941 Disembarked Middle East.
20/01/1942 Marched out to 2/2 Pioneer Battalion Middle East from Pioneer Training Battalion.
21/01/1942 Taken on strength from 21 Infantry 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, Java.
30/04/1942 Reported missing in action, Java and transferred to X list.
17/08/1942 Reported prisoner of war.
19/08/1942 Previously reported missing in action now reported missing believed prisoner of war.
23/06/1942 Previously reported missing in action believed prisoner of war now reported prisoner of war interned Java camp.
30/07/1943 Reported prisoner of war, Java.
09/02/1944 Next of kin change of address.
09/08/1944 Next of kin change of address.
15/08/1945 Granted proficiency pay.
20/08/1945 Recovered from Japanese at Siam.
06/10/1945 Embarked Singapore on M.V. Highland Brigade.
15/10/1945 Disembarked Fremantle, Western Australia.
15/10/1945 Marched in ex Highland Brigade for disposal.
28/11/1945 Strength decrease. Evacuated and admitted 110 Australian General Hospital, Perth, Western Australia.
17/12/1945 Discharged to 109 Convalescent Depot.
17/12/1945 Admitted ex 110 Australian General Hospital, Perth, Western Australia.
14/01/1946 Returned to unit 0800 hours 14/01/1946.
14/02/1946 Returned to unit 0815 hours 14/02/1946.
27/02/1946 Discharged to General Details Depot.
27/02/1946 Strength increase. Marched in ex 109 Convalescent Depot.
28/02/1946 Discharged.