Soldier profiles

Name : BENNETT, RICHARD WESLEY
Service Number : VX141185
Date of Birth : 05/02/1925
Place of Birth : BEECHWORTH, VIC
Known as : WES
Occupation on Enlistment : LEATHER DRESSER
Date of Enlistment : 25/04/1943
Locality on Enlistment : BEECHWORTH, VIC
Place of Enlistment : BATHURST, NSW
Next of Kin : BENNETT, HORATIO T. C.
Rank (at time of discharge / death) : PRIVATE
Service : ARMY
Final Posting : 2/2 PIONEER BATTALION
Position / Platoon / Company (as 2/2 Pioneer) (date / details) : 18 PLATOON D COMPANY (DAEO, MOROTAI)
Unit Transfers / Promotions (date / details) :
Theatres of War : BORNEO
Actions : TARAKAN (BORMEO), BALIKPAPAN (BORNEO)
Wounded (date / details) :
Discharged : 27/09/1946
Date Died : 27/01/2012
Age at Death : 86
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) : NO
Died P.O.W. (date / details) : N/A
P.O.W. Camps (details) : N/A
Recovered P.O.W. (location/s) : N/A
Honours and Gallantry : None for display
Applicable Australian War Memorial circulars : NO
References found (entries & photos) : National Archives of Australia (Barcode 5722406 [DIGITISED]), WW2 Nominal Roll, Australian War Memorial, AWM_090603.jpg, N.S.W. 2/1 and 2/2 Pioneer News 01/11/1964 p6

Background : Son of Horatio T. C. Bennett.

Service & personal summary At enlistment : single. No previous military experience. At discharge : height 5 feet 9 inches, blue eyes, fair complexion, dark brown hair. Marital status : single. Children : 2 16 years & older. Marks / scars : left knee cap. Full time war service : C.M.F. 15/03/1943 to 24/04/1943 & A.I.F. 25/04/1943 to 27/09/1946 which included 1293 days active service (940 days within Australia & 353 days overseas). Operational service : Borneo area (embarked from Australia 14/03/1945, disembarked in Australia 01/03/1946). War badge no. 342642. Discharge certificate no. 559185.

Service record
17/03/1943 Marched in full time duty Recruit Reception Depot Royal Park, Victoria.
19/03/1943 Marched out to 23 Australian Infantry Training Battalion Watsonia, Victoria.
19/03/1943 Transferred from Recruit Reception Depot Royal Park, Victoria.
15/04/1943 Entrained for New South Wales Lines of Communication area.
16/04/1943 Marched in ex Victoria Lines of Communication area.
06/06/1943 Detached to 2 Australian Army Hygiene School from 23 Australian Infantry Training Battalion New South Wales Lines of Communication area.
25/04/1943 Transferred to A.I.F. allotted Army number VX141185.
17/09/1943 Granted proficiency pay.
18/10/1943 Forfeited proficiency pay.
06/12/1943 Marched out to 2 Australian Regiment Signals Training Unit Bonegilla, Victoria.
08/12/1943 Marched into 2 Australian Regiment Signals Training Unit Bonegilla, Victoria from 23 Australian Infantry Training Battalion.
26/02/1944 Qualified Regiment Signals Course (Infantry) from 06/12/1943 to 26/02/1944.
02/03/1944 Marched out to 23 Australian Infantry Training Battalion.
03/03/1944 Marched in 23 Australian Infantry Training Battalion ex 2 Australian Regiment Signals Training Unit.
24/03/1944 Marched out to Australian Training Centre (Jungle Warfare) Canungra, Queensland.
28/03/1944 Marched in 4 Australian Recruit Training Battalion ex 23 Australian Infantry Training Battalion.
23/05/1944 Marched out to 2/2 Pioneer Battalion from 4 Australian Recruit Training Battalion.
27/05/1944 Taken on strength from 4 Australian Recruit Training Battalion.
02/09/1944 Granted proficiency pay.
14/03/1945 Embarked Cairns, Queensland on U.S.A.T. Sea Barb.
28/03/1945 Disembarked Morotai.
22/04/1945 Embarked Morotai for service in Tarakan.
18/05/1945 Embarked Tarakan for return to Morotai.
19/06/1945 Embarked Morotai on U.S.S. LST-395 for service in Balikpapan, Borneo.
10/10/1945 Transferred to 2/12 Infantry Battalion.
10/10/1945 Taken on strength from 2/2 Pioneer Battalion Balikpapan, Borneo.
21/12/1945 Transferred out to 2/25 Infantry Battalion.
21/12/1945 Taken on strength from 2/12 Infantry Battalion.
24/01/1946 Transferred to Victoria Lines of Communication area.
01/03/1946 Deplaned Archerfield Brisbane, Queensland.
01/03/1946 Evacuated from 107 Australian General Hospital to 102 Australian General Hospital.
09/03/1946 Discharged 102 Australian General Hospital to 1 Australian Personnel Staging Camp.
14/03/1946 Marched in for re allotment ex 2/12 Australian Infantry Battalion.
17/04/1946 Marched out to Camp Command Headquarters Australian Military Forces, Victoria.
23/09/1946 Transferred to General Details Depot 3 Military District (Victoria) for demob.
27/09/1946 Discharged.